2 year growing Fraxinus Bonsai Failed? (It happens to us all) 

How about that?! I'm growing these trees for about two years too now! But, as shohin. It began as an experiment and untill now, it turned out well. My experience: it's not fussy at all about the soil, as long as it is "sandy" and well drained. Loves water, loves sunlight and is very resilient. Personally, I think the "trick" is to prune it back offen and regularly (that is: for shohin size) because it is a very, very fast growing species. First I let a leaf grow out (about) fully and then I cut half of it. Then the new buds develop a bit faster and are still protected and fed. As soon as the new buds are becoming new leafs (they are quite smaller by the way), I cut the rest of the "old leaf". And so on, and so forth. For shohin, you get nice and much smaller and more filigran leafs that way and you keep the "furious" growth under controll. To be honest: most of them I'm growing in "simple" broom style and with straight trunks (since it all started as an experiment). By now, I'm also trying two trunk styl and with a bit of movement in the trunks. But letting them grow untouched for let's say a few months during growing season, is in fact not done or even possible, if you want to go for shohin size. These trees simply grow too fast and strong and before you now it, you have "ugly", (too) fat and straight branches. Bending seems only to be possible with very, very young branches or trunks. Interesting video! Interesting try-out! And hardly known as bonsaï as far as I'm aware off. Good luck!

It is exceptional educational that you edit together video from different seasons. It very rarely done on other bonsai RU-vid channels

Thanks for sharing ‘failures’! Bonsai is not just styling a tree in 20 minutes but mostly patience and horticultural knowledge. Would really like to find out what went wrong with your tree.

Tough luck !! That main trunk was looking so interesting.

Oh, I feel your pain Jelle! Sometimes nature takes charge of the styling but this could create some interesting features in the future. Great study in asymmetry - look forward to the update!!

The leaflet vs leaf piece of information has just educated the heck out of me lol, got a couple of ash trees with interesting trunks but still very raw. Suoer helpful vid 😊

I love working on Ash and was very interested to see this one from you. I have had a couple of unexpected branch / trunk diebacks as well. Never found the cause. They are a very vigorous species to work with and I love that they are so easy to source in the wild. Cheers

Great video, Jelle, the reality of bonsai. Thank you 😊

Hi Jelle🙂 Excellent video as always. Two years in 11 minutes. Amazing... This spring, I will digg up a couple of Ash saplings for development. I really like to use local species, no matter the size of the leaves.

I'm based in England now, and this die-back is unfortunately quite well known issue. It is only effecting ashes, and only does what it says on the thin. Parts of these older specimens die back. I'm not aware of any remedy that works for this problem. I'm so sorry for your tree suffering, and your personal pain. However, I'm fairly sure it wasn't your fault.

The message conveyed is very useful and adds to our insight in caring for plants and programs, especially Bonsai❤

Don’t worry about picking a main trunk, the tree has different plans 😅

Your ash had a decent leaf size already thru development that will only improve. Great to see someone persisting with a difficult species. They make decent large bonsai. I had been lucky enough to find a non compound single leaf seedling. This year it’s really taking off hoping to propagate via grafting iv practiced so bud grafts on it.

As i the the notification i clicked in the video! Im your videos never get old, Jelle. Have a great late afternoon 🍁

Good to see with updates 👍👍

Such a beautiful bonsai ❤

Are you sure it really died? Judging from the looks of the cuts you made, the cross sections looked OK. Maybe the branch discarded the leaves due to the supporting roots not receiving enough moisture. I've seen ashes do that (the whole tree actually) mid august and still (re)sprout in the spring.

Very strange. I haven't had that problem in my many ashes. I would bet about some kind of internal worm/insect

Possibly ash die back, is the bark to that trunk discoloured ? also if you cut through the trunk you may notice a black discolouration.

goeiemorgen! waar haal jij je substraat hier in nederland? bestel je het of haal je het ergens? en wat gebruik je?

Hi,I have 3 ash cuttings,that grow up in my little garden.I planted them in pots in spring.They have been groning Very well,But have No sidebranches.How can I get sidebranches? Please,help me☺️I am sorry for what happend to your tree.

I have some ash im just growing out but concerned about ash die back

And don't kill them, the most important part.

👍👌🙂

maybe ash dieback disease?