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Green Ash ROOTS - Should I be concerned?

15 years ago

I have an area of my front yard that is just crying for a conifer. Not being a patient person, I've been investigating medium-size fast-growing deciduous species.

I had settled on a Green Ash (Fraxinus Pennsylvanica) but I'm concerned about the roots. I would be planting it 15' from my leechfield and 10' from the street. Is this a foolish move? If so, can anyone recommend a tree similar in size, appearance and growth-rate?

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Comments (7)

Dibbit
15 years ago
What I think I would first do is check with Cornell, or with your local extension agent, and see if the Emerald Ash Borer is found anywhere within a hundred miles of your location. If so, I would pick another tree. As far as I can tell, the insect is moving rapidly, and there is, as yet, NO control for it - it kills all ash trees in rapid order. I am pretty sure EAB has been found in much of NY state, so...
Toronado3800 Zone 6 St Louis
15 years ago
Whatever you decide on I might go just a little further from the leech field. Previous owners of my house put a white ash and an oak about fifteen feet off. Right before I moved in they had to repair the main pipe going to the tank. Go figure.
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I think my Green Ash tree might have the Emerald Ash Borer
Q
Comments (10)
The other problem with this tree is a rather large vertical crack starting from the ground and going right up. It's a frost crack - has been there for at least 2 years that I've noticed. From what I read, frost cracks on ash trees don't necessarily kill a tree but do give bugs an opportunity to crawl in there. After Rick's suggestion that it might be another borer, which I hadn't considered, I read about the Redheaded Ash Borer and the Banded Ash Clearwing Borer, native pests that attack ash trees. I'm quite certain there's something buggish in that tree, based on the woodpecker activity which is almost constant. I'm also thinking this tree is a goner - perhaps not from EAB but something else, slowly but surely. I'll still check it closely - I got some plants from southern Ontario a couple of years - is it possible for EAB to have travelled that way? Those plants are now planted right near that ash tree but that's got to be a stretch, no? Having to remove the tree will affect some plants that now benefit from the midday shade it provides (but they can be easily moved). Having to remove it will mean less ash seeds. Having to remove it give me the opportunity to plant something new there, and that's okay with me.
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Should I be concerned?
Q
Comments (18)
E - Epsom salts (MgSO4) CAN only be helpful if there is a Mg or S deficiency, so applying it w/o evidence there is a Mg deficiency is much more likely to be counter-productive than a fix (S deficiencies are rare). RF - Plants do best nutritionally, when all the nutrients necessary for normal growth that plants normally take from the soil, are in the soil solution and available for uptake, in the same ratio at which the plant uses the nutrients, at a concentration high enough to ensure no deficiencies, and low enough that it doesn't interfere with the uptake of water and the nutrients dissolved in water (too much fertilizer or salts in the soil makes it hard for the plant to take up water & nutrients). If you have an iron deficiency, it's best to supply a fix that resolves that deficiency. The same is true of any deficiency. If, for example, you have a K (potassium) deficiency and reach for the 12-12-12, which is 12% potassium, you ARE supplying potassium, that's true; but you're also supplying N and P along with the K. If your plants don't NEED the N and P, you're unnecessarily raising the level of solubles in the soil (the TDS and EC), and making it more difficult to take up water and ALL the nutrients dissolved in the water. BETTER, when you have a K deficiency is - get a soil test first, which will reveal the deficiency and offer a recommendation of exactly how much of what fertilizer to apply. Also, if you happen to have a deficiency of 1 nutrient (let's say it's iron [Fe]), it could be caused by too much of something else in the soil (antagonistic deficiency). By adding an all purpose fertilizer that contains both the element that is deficient (Fe) AND the antagonist (P is one possibility), you could make the deficiency worse, even though you're supplying it in the fertilizer. Sorry if I confused you. I had talked to a retired grower of hibs from FL over the summer, and I thought it was you. Have a good Thanksgiving! Oh - Mg is mobile in the plant, so if you have reason to suspect a Mg deficiency, mark a few chlorotic leaves and spray them with 1/2 tsp Epsom salts in a gallon of water. If they green up after several days, you have a Mg deficiency. If they don't, you don't. Al
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Should I be concerned?
Q
Comments (7)
I wouldn't be yet, especially since you are in WI and the ground is still making its way up the temperature ladder. The others might have already snuck a fertilizer dose (chemical) in while you weren't looking which jolt the lawn and green things up if the temps got into the upper 50's or more but would probably be detrimental overall. I know because I've seen people doing so already around here. Not real great since the grass here will probably prefer dormancy as the temps are forecast to be freezing in the night and only approaching the lower 40s in the coming days. You can't argue with nature and its schedule of coming back to life and the organic schedule is the way to let that grass do so on its own terms.
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Should I be concerned with swarms of these?
Q
Comments (14)
Ditto with Joe Renalds, I use Neem on indoor plants (it controls gnats AND shines leaves beautifully), spot application on outdoor plants, and as a preventative spray on newly-seeded flats (Neem is also a mild anti-fungal). I also sometimes use it when making soap, but that's neither here nor there. The stuff is too expensive to use over large areas, or as a bulk oil in soap making. While Milky Spore is also a listed control for June beetle, I have to say I've seen and heard about mixed results. It worked well for my mother. It did very little here. http://pestkilled.com/how-to-get-rid-of-june-bugs/ Bayer Insect Control fits the bill, but the stuff is so wide-spectrum that I wouldn't use it across the lawn under most circumstances. As noted, unless you see damage (and I never have), my philosophy is to ignore them and enjoy them when I see them. The damage looks to be identical to the Japanese beetle grub, and controlled the same way, so that's an easy ID. And if you're getting massive floating of turf, that's also the case where you should respond and use an insecticide. Other than that, dealer's choice, but I always lean toward not using them if the problem isn't visible.
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scotjute Z8
15 years ago
Green Ash is notorious for sending roots out to 50' when the tree is larger. Of course that will take a while, definitely do not plant one that close to your leach field.

15' is too close for most trees to a leach-field. Perhaps a bush or a small tree. Pear or apple?
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
15 years ago
i had a couple.. planted in a nursery bed for conifers... after about 3 to 5 years... at about 15 feet.. i cut them all down ... too many surface roots ...

i seem to recall that they were SUPPOSED to be immune from EAB .... but didnt go further in the research.. since the root thing was irritating me

so i cut them all down..

based on my experience... i would NOT plant them near septic... or frankly.. anything else...

i presume they would be nice park or golf course trees ...

typing that.. i now recall that their branching habit.. was not what i would call graceful .... just an ugly tree IMHO .... or perhaps.. by that time i was all ready separating myself from them.. due to the root problems ... I CUT THEM ALL DOWN ...

wait a minute.. you start by saying you want a conifer.. then start talking green ash .... ash is not a conifer.. what are you really looking for??????

ken
tishfromwis
15 years ago
THANK GOD, Ken!!! I THOUGHT I WAS GOING NUTTY! He did say a conifer and then threw out a green ash, but everyone kept responding to the green ash nonetheless. We have two cimmaron ash in the front yard. One was planted there by the developers and we planted another just to balance it out. Do the EABs like all ash or just green ash? I think I probably know the answer to that question, unfortunately...
wisconsitom
15 years ago
tishfrom

For a while, there was thought to be some resistance among white ash to EAB. I think that view has fallen by the wayside. I sure wish that wasn't so.

Our forester found a grove of ash, green I think, I wasn't with him at the time, that were in advanced decline. An autopsy was performed today, and EAB signs were not found. Barring a miracle, it's just a matter of time.

+oM
tishfromwis
15 years ago
Great, another ugly green insect to destroy my beloved enchanted forest, uggggggghhhhhh! Thanks wisconsitom :) or should I say :( ..........

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