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Gardening in Oz

Moved a Claret Ash - should I prune?

21 years ago

I moved a 7ft claret ash yesterday (not very old, only been in the ground 2 years). I believe I did all the right things - I dug around it during Autumn to encourage a root ball and 'tried' to get as much soil as possible around the root ball. My question - should I prune it somehow now its been moved - and if so HOW? Just remove some of the side branches? It was bought as a developed tree so I would hate to loose it, but it had to be moved as the garden would have ended up too shady, and I find shade a bugger to grow stuff in.

I read I should spray it with stressguard but was thinking I wouldn't. But please advise me otherwise if I should!

Cheers!

Jay

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Comments (2)

Jennie60
21 years ago
Being deciduous, the Claret Ash is now dormant and should be able to be pruned. However, I would wait until early spring or when new leaves start to appear, then give it a light haircut. You could prune it more heavily next winter.

Did you water it well with Seasol? and yes, I'd definitely spray it with Stressguard even though it's dormant. Perhaps spray it again after your prune.
Mrs_B
21 years ago
5 years ago I moved a golden ash. My DH started to dig as I hmpffft! and muttered behind him. I couldn't stand it and took over the shovel to try and protect the roots. Mind you this tree was 10 years in the ground but is much slower grower than the claret, so was still only about 6 ft tall. I had as much success as my husband in protecting the roots, so on the premise of live or die I'm sick to death of you I hacked it out. Well it was supposed to be dormant wasn't it so how could I hurt it?
I didn't, it moved wonderfully and is still growing on albiet still very slow. My 2 claret ashes TOWER over it, not literally but they are much much bigger.

If it is completly dormant don't worry, dig it up - just try and keep as much of the big main tap root as possible. Plant into large hole - short stake two sides only, need to be about a foot out of the ground (not way up in the air) and tie by using a firm figure eight of stocking or such material. The wind moves the base so that is what you need to keep stable so it can restablish once it begins to grow. Water in well and keep watered once new growth begins. I wouldn't think at 7ft tall it would have to much branch growth so don't bother pruning unless branches are down where you stake it.
cheers Teresa
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