Ginko cultivation guidance

[Lou T]

Hey all. New here after lurking for a year or so.

I’ve got two Ginkos that I grew from seed coming up on their third spring. In that time I’ve gotten poor performance out of them getting only about 8 inches in apex growth and poor foliar output with no lateral branching. Soil content was highly organic and not very well draining. Recently switched to 50/50 coarse sand/topsoil. Should I expect better results this spring and is there anything else I can do? Location NE Florida.

 

[Lou T]

Ginkgo*

 

[Shibui]

Ginkgo = very slow growth. Getting 8 inches is probably doing quite well. No lateral branching is absolutely normal for these. Pruning will stimulate some laterals but often only a single bud breaks to replace the lost leader. As they age laterals start to develop more easily.
I believe they like neutral - slightly alkaline soils and they do like plenty of moisture, even though they are technically a conifer.
Prepare to commit 20 years to produce even rudimentary ginkgo bonsai.

 

[Lou T]

Ginkgo = very slow growth. Getting 8 inches is probably doing quite well. No lateral branching is absolutely normal for these. Pruning will stimulate some laterals but often only a single bud breaks to replace the lost leader. As they age laterals start to develop more easily.
I believe they like neutral - slightly alkaline soils and they do like plenty of moisture, even though they are technically a conifer.
Prepare to commit 20 years to produce even rudimentary ginkgo bonsai.

Thanks for the reply. Good to know I’m not too far off track with these. Yeah I like growing things from seed and I am not intimidated by it, especially potential bonsai subjects. Being new to the craft, it amuses me to think one day before I pass on I may be giving a younger friend or family member a tree I grew from seeds I collected myself in my travels. Sort of an investment in one’s soul, a life form connected with a place and a time. At that point I imagine I’ll certainly be happy I decided to plant those seeds long ago .

 

[Cadillactaste]

The guy I got mine from ground grows them a good while. Even can produce a clump if you allow it by doing so. Even Brian Van Fleet (Do a search,grew one from seed here who is a member.) grew his by seed ground grew his for some time. You will see the best development while offering growth in the ground.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

They are slow starters, as you’re observing. If you want the trunks to bulk up, they need to grow undisturbed in the ground for a few years. I have found that their growth rates are highly variable from seed to seed, even from the same tree. Eventually they develop a “head of steam” and will start to trunk up.

They tolerate trunk chops very well, responding predictably with plenty of back-budding on the trunk. Don’t chop them until the trunks are at least half the diameter you want in the finished tree. Then chop fearlessly. Trench around the base every couple years to sever heavy roots and encourage roots close to the trunk. They can take full sun if they’re well watered. Ginkgoes have big fleshy root systems and are pretty thirsty.

Here is the thread on this ginkgo from seed collected in 1996.
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/ginkgo-from-seed.13070/

 

[Lou T]

They are slow starters, as you’re observing. If you want the trunks to bulk up, they need to grow undisturbed in the ground for a few years. I have found that their growth rates are highly variable from seed to seed, even from the same tree. Eventually they develop a “head of steam” and will start to trunk up.

They tolerate trunk chops very well, responding predictably with plenty of back-budding on the trunk. Don’t chop them until the trunks are at least half the diameter you want in the finished tree. Then chop fearlessly. Trench around the base every couple years to sever heavy roots and encourage roots close to the trunk. They can take full sun if they’re well watered. Ginkgoes have big fleshy root systems and are pretty thirsty.

Here is the thread on this ginkgo from seed collected in 1996.
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/ginkgo-from-seed.13070/

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Awesome. That’s exactly what I was looking for. Thanks a lot.