[escapedtothecountry]

A year ago I planted some Ash. They are probably planted too close together and too close to the conifers who will suck all the water up... but having taken these pics today (I've sent to the forestry commission) could it be ash die back... or just trees that aren't liking where they were planted.

[Mammyshaz]

Fingers crossed it is just planting die back. Hate to think of the devastation this disease is going to cause on our native forests 

[deepinthewoods]

that second pic in particular looks rather like it. im sore i heard about a nutrient cure, that changes albeit temporarily. the trees ph so the fungus dies but the tree survives.

[Penninehillbilly]

Doesn't it show a long dark streak down the stem? or is that only in older trees?
we also had lots of ash planted about 2 / 3 years ago, I haven't been down for a look yet. Must 'go down to the woods today' hope I don't get a bad surprise.
 

[Penninehillbilly]

There has just been an interesting bit on Radio 4 Gardeners Question Time, giving a link from their web page to a site where there will be photos etc I think it mentioned a video. It needs reporting and someone will come and check it out, making a map showing the outbreaks.
Also read or heard that the season, too wet, too dry can look similar.

[escapedtothecountry]

as said in the original posting, I have told the Forestry Commission so will await their response. To be honest given there are more and more cases in more and more counties suspect the disease is more endemic than was first thought.

[deepinthewoods]

especially annoying as it was first reported by the forestry trades body (whatever thats called) in 2009. government sat on its rotund arse for 3 years.

[escapedtothecountry]

I think with world trade there is very little we can do unless (and I think we should) we adopt a strict policy a' la the US where I lived or indeed Australia to imports of seeds and the like and the impact they can have on the indigenous flora and fauna.


Perhaps with regards Ash we shouldn't spend time/money preventing what looks like the inevitable now - but spend it thinking about what we are going to do to replace the lost trees - be it developing disease resistant Ash and/or planting swathes of other indigenous trees now.

[deepinthewoods]

yes, deal with the now, that would be a start. i have found a good couple of dozen of very young 2yr unaffected whips, if it comes to cornwall they will be moved into my poly. hopefully as the prevailing wind here is sw we should be ok.

[deepinthewoods]

from the gardeners world site (iirc)

[bazzais]

I hope to god that the massive gene pool of different ash we have in the UK can kick this back out - as a nation we have not really gone into the comercial growing that other EU countries have and where the deisease has rooted from.

We live in hope that this doesnt take hold - keep us updated - thanks

[Penninehillbilly]

I've checked ours, looking mainly for the dark streaks down the stems, leaves are all off now.
fingers crossed everything looks OK
What I can't understand is why we import ash seedlings, they wild grow by their hundreds near my parents house, we've been pulling them up as weeds!
I believe the nursery we used uses home grown seeds / seedlings collected from around the UK (as on their website), I presume this is why our local 'green' group get them from there.
 
Let's hope we can get on top of it before it wipes out the 90% expected.
If everyone takes note and is careful, watches and keeps an eye out for infected trees while out walking there still may be a chance of reducing the impact. Getting that through to the general public who don't know one tree from another will be the problem.
Maybe I'm being too optimistic but let's hope forthe best.