AusBonsai

Hi Joy,

Cut off the low heavy branch at the back of the tree as well; too low to use.

Wire the other branches and we should be good to repot.

When bending the heavier branches wire over the top of the branch snug to the trunk and put your finger under the branch. Bend the wire; not the branch. A little bit of splitting at the top of the brancj near the trunk is acceptable but be careful and you may do it without any.

Grant

Yes i have knob cutter and thicker wire. I can redo the wiring correctly . I put it on quickly to get a close up photo. Thanks Grant

Thanks for the sketch. I didnt notice it before i replied. Now i can see where it is going.

Hi Grant,
I have attached new photos after wiring with the front either directly at the green peg or a little off to the side. Should I cut back the scar even further near the branch on the left. I left it as is because I have noticed they have a big bulge where the branch comes off the trunk anyway.
I didnt know what to do with the end of the branch on the left. It has a few forks.

I have two glazed pots that might be suitable for potting. I dont have any unglazed pots unfortunately as they are hard to come by around here.

Deeper glazed pot for the first potting would be fine.

First photo is approximate front. (Nice wiring job)

Bend/ease the left hand branch down a bit more as close to the trunk as you can get it. Same with the branch on the right.

Shorten and put some wiggles in the apex, and the branch at the back or the apex as well.

Don't worry about the fork at the end of the left branch, by bending the branch down you will get budding back up the branch and the end of the branch will probably be removed later. You can shorten the tip of it a few inches however.

Good work so far; and now could be ready for potting.

Grant

Hi Grant,
I potted it today. I am very happy with it. THANK YOU. There are no back branches but I notice you said that the ash will shoot on the trunk.

Hi Grant,
here is the updated tree.
It has one new branch near the top which I have just wired down.
The ends of the old branches are forked. Should i cut one off or wire one to the side?

Marcia

Leave the forked tips for the moment and see how it goes.

I would lift the branch at the back into a slightly higher plane than the new branch now occupies. It has a cluttered look at the moment.

Allow to grow to grow vigorously now for about 8 weeks and then defoliate(Mid December). You can also cut back after the defoliation for shape after letting it grow in the mean time.

Grant

Two weeks later and it is shooting prolifically all over and including from the trunk.

joy wrote:Two weeks later and it is shooting prolifically all over and including from the trunk.

Excellent; exactly what we are after.

Grant

After defoliation. I have a few extra branches but still no back branch.

If after a few defoliations there are still no buds at the back we may need to move slightly backwards some of the side branches.

However on my old ash it is still popping new buds all over the place on the trunk which is quite barked up, so we may just have to wait and keep on the program.

Full sun, adequate water and fertiliser will help.

Grant

Hi Grant,
after the second defoliation. I now have two extra branches, one at the back and one at the front (just in case we change the front). I have left the leaves on them as they are still very spindly.

Joy

Hi,

You now have more branches to work with after the defoliations; good work.

You can wire the unwired branches(both new and old) and place in position to fill out the profile; don't cut anything off. but cut back the thicker; higher branches a little more compared to the thinner lower branches. The branches will equalise over time. Bend all of the branches down at roughly the same angle.

You could also start wiring the secondary branching on the lowest right hand branch; also get a few more wiggles into all the branches putting secondary branches at the outside of the curves etc.

Starting to look good. Let the apex thicken more before we can cut back the wood where the apex becomes thin.

Grant

Also check from above that the branches are radiating out from the trunk and not over shadowing the next lower branch underneath..

Good work so far.

Grant