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Talkback: Ash trees

Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
in Talkback
A similar thing happens with acers. I would be a millionaire if I could have sold all the ornamental acers I have "weeded" out. But we do have indigenous rare ash trees in the Avon Gorge in Bristol, and it is my hope they will spread via their seeds and entice waxwings in good numbers to us. I have just been working among my bluebell plantations which have spread wherever they find a suitable corner and hope they will survive if there is no gardener after me. I agree , James, it is very comforting to realise how powerful nature is and our attempts to tame it( which is what Shakespeare said we gardeners do) are quite puny.

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  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    How lovely, James (the impermanence of man bit, not the having to sweep barrow loads of blighters). I have the same thing with sycamore. My garden is full of little green seedlings with telltale spinning jennies nearby. I don't mind them so much - they're about the only thing growing in the garden!
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Enjoy and nurture your Ash trees. We have been hit over here (Ontario, Canada) in the last 2 years or so with the Emerald Ash Beetle and all our ash will be dead in a few years, if not already. The bug is beautiful, but deadly. A wandering migrant from abroad with no enemies here.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I know all too well about Ash trees coming up everywhere! They can be a real pest. I currently have to meter high sapling sitting in a bucket of water... debating as to wether or not to bother planting them in the fence around my horses' paddocks. See, the horses absolutely love them and will strip bark off the mature trees, but oh the leaves... they do smother the precious grass... Glad to know I'm not the only one fighting a demanding battle against the hardy Ash!
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I didn't appreciate the 10cm plus roots of an Ash tree when I was trying to put 3 metre concrete fence posts in last summer. Considering the tree was at least 40feet away from where I was digging, I hadn't expected quite so much resistance. No wonder they make excellent cricket bats!

    Having said that this mature tree supports a lot of bird life including the odd Greater Spotted Woodpecker from time to time so although the seedlings are a pain in the garden the overall benefit far outwighs the nuisance factor
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    The council have just placed a TPO on an Ash tree in the middle of our lawn....
    As part of our planning permission for our extension we had requested to have it removed. It looks like we are stuck with it now so plan to make the best of it and are going to call the house "Ash Tree House"!!!
    Any tips on the best way to get the seeds up before they take root??? We are raking them up with a plastic garden rake at the moment as the scarifier isn't picking them all up.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    hi
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    hello from anonymous
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I am also fed up with the pesky things dropping in to my garden, and as you get older it's even haeder to deal with them.wouldn't mind if they were Acers.
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