ginkgo biloba questions and advice needed

[Graydon]

I need some advice on some ginkgo. I'll post some photos if there is interest - but be warned that they are to some degree still sticks in pots.

Is it common to have an unsightly bulge at ground level with these trees? That is a major distraction on all of my ginkgo. I am considering trying to layer them just above the bulge to eliminate it and create a better nebari.

How well do they layer? Is the procedure "typical"? When would be the best time to attempt a layer? My guess would be just as the buds are swelling but that is a guess...

Are there some gingko lovers (or at least tolerators) out there?

 

[Graydon]

bump - with photos

Stick in the pot candidate number one. Full coil of wire for size (sorry - forgot the international rule of cigarette pack scale). You can't miss the bulge. It's nice in leaf but I know it's never going to be something great. I just love ginkgo so I could settle for good.

So again - layering advice or input?

 

[grog]

The greenhouse here at work has a couple hundred seedling grown ginkgo and the bulge at the base is predominant among them. They're all three years old or younger though so unsure if/how long this stays with them.

First post btw, decided it was time to quit lurking and start participating regardless of being a noob.

 

[Chris Johnston]

Actually, you are not a noob. Technically you are a n00b. Welcome! And thanks for a great answer!

 

[grog]

Hey! That's MISTER n00b to you!

Unfortunately for these seedlings in the greenhouse I'm afraid this spring is going to see quite a number of them sacrificed while I'm learning how to create group planting. I'd thought their leaf size too large to make a credible looking group but I've seen others online so might as well give it a whirl.

 

[Graydon]

Hey! That's MISTER n00b to you!

Unfortunately for these seedlings in the greenhouse I'm afraid this spring is going to see quite a number of them sacrificed while I'm learning how to create group planting. I'd thought their leaf size too large to make a credible looking group but I've seen others online so might as well give it a whirl.

Hey Grog - welcome and thanks for posting a reply.

I can agree - every one I have seen from 1 year upward has that bulge. The only one I have seen that did not was cutting grown. It's called 'green pagoda'. You can see the leaves in the right of the frame on most of my photos and for some reason they tend to hang on longer than the others. Leaves much smaller and have a tendency to be more upright and not so droopy, they almost look like they want to coil up. This 'green pagoda' has it's own problem. As a cutting it wasn't treated to well and now I have an unmanageable rootball of real fine feeder roots. I'll save that for another thread later on.

Don't be discouraged by the large leaf size. A healthy ginkgo can be leaf pruned and will reward you with much smaller leaves. I have gotten the leaves on this one a few years ago down to 3/4" wide x not much more long.

Also - don't sweat the kills - I bet you won't kill a single one. I have reduced the roots back to almost nothing and had them keep on going. I bare root them as needed and work on the nebari (you know - the roots below those awful bulges...).

Again - welcome d00d!

 

[Smoke]

I can appreciate the bumps and bulges on ginkgo. They tend to grow that way anyways. I would keep it pruned back hard to get it to shoot from the base. It will grow large very fast by suckering and alowwing the scar tissue to build trunk girth, much like a trident maple.

 

[John Hill]

This one was kept pruned back and eventually the bulge disappeared Like Al mentioned.

A Friend in bonsai
John