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How to fill out a leggy Rowan/Mountain Ash tree

Good morning everybody. I’m a relatively new gardener so I hope someone may be able to help fill in the gaps of my (limited!) knowledge when it comes to a Rowan Tree we have in our garden. 

We inherited the tree when we bought the house last year. Although it seems healthy, it’s rather spindly and thin with minimal coverage (which we’d like more of due to overlooking houses). We’d love to try and fill it out a bit, encouraging more growth along the branches. I can’t be sure when it was planted but due to the previous owners’ timelines I’d guess around 2013-2014. 

Below is a picture of the tree (on the right) taken last April/May. Other than growing its lovely flowers and berries, there was no more foliage than this. I’m wondering if taking out a couple of the lowest branches and some off the top might help? Any advice gratefully received. Many thanks.


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  • Rowans are naturally quite leggy when young so it may just be a matter of patience. We have also had a few challenging years for trees with heatwaves, prolonged dry spells etc which may have effected its growth
     If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”—Marcus Tullius Cicero
    East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
  • Rowans are naturally quite leggy when young so it may just be a matter of patience. We have also had a few challenging years for trees with heatwaves, prolonged dry spells etc which may have effected its growth
    Thank you very much. Is it better to completely leave it alone or might some light pruning help train its shape as it grows to maturity? 
  • It looks like it may have been struggling for water and nutrients as a tree's feeding roots are near the surface and there's not much exposed soil near it (if that's an artificial lawn, then it won't be getting much from any roots growing beneath it.)  I would therefore recommend feeding the tree by incorporating a few handfuls of fish, blood and bone fertilizer into the soil around the base once or twice a year, and giving it a good watering (at least 2 bucketfuls, poured slowly over the root area, so it doesn't run off) once a week if it doesn't rain.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • I totally agree ... that tree looks as if it's struggling for water ... they grow happily in Scotland where it rains a lot ... I'd give it two buckets full of water twice a week, from March to the end of September, whether it rains or not ... but then I live in East Anglia. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • LatimerLatimer Posts: 1,068
    Sorry to hijack this thread but I have a couple of bareroot Rowans that were planted late last year. Should I be treating them the same, FBB around the base and a mulch? And when do I remove the mat?
    I’ve no idea what I’m doing. 
  • It looks like it may have been struggling for water and nutrients as a tree's feeding roots are near the surface and there's not much exposed soil near it (if that's an artificial lawn, then it won't be getting much from any roots growing beneath it.)  I would therefore recommend feeding the tree by incorporating a few handfuls of fish, blood and bone fertilizer into the soil around the base once or twice a year, and giving it a good watering (at least 2 bucketfuls, poured slowly over the root area, so it doesn't run off) once a week if it doesn't rain.
    Thank you very much, we’ll do that. We swapped the turf for lawn last year so hopefully that helps it somewhat. 
  • I totally agree ... that tree looks as if it's struggling for water ... they grow happily in Scotland where it rains a lot ... I'd give it two buckets full of water twice a week, from March to the end of September, whether it rains or not ... but then I live in East Anglia. 
    Thanks for your help. We’re in Yorkshire so not too far off. Two buckets it is! 
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    edited February 2021
    It may be worth checking that the tree-tie isn't beginning to strangle it, too, so loosen that if necessary.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • Hi folks. I’ve a similar issue and seeking suggestions. I’ve a 20yr old mountain ash out from that is clearly struggling relative to its neighbor. See below. 
    What can I do? I saw elsewhere that snipping the ends off branches might help it fill out??? Any suggestions appreciated. 

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    You can certainly prune it back @alanhyhes02 [do that in autumn] but if it's struggling for a consistent water supply, it's always harder for them to thrive. They like loads of water on a regular basis. 
    If you prune it back fairly hard, that's more effective than just taking a few ends off. That wouldn't really benefit it at all.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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