Ginkgo

Ginkgo is a deciduous tree. The leaves of young ginkgo trees are columnar, and when adults, the leaves are flat, fan-shaped or inverted triangle. The existence of Ginkgo can be traced back to 270 million years ago, so it is called a “living fossil”. Due to changes in the earth’s climate, wild Ginkgo only grows in central China.

place
Ginkgo is suitable to be placed outdoors because it loves sunlight, but young plants need to be semi-shaded. Ginkgo trees are not afraid of frost, but ginkgo trees grown in pots are different, so be sure to keep their root balls warm. When new leaves appear every spring, you must pay attention to the night temperature. If the temperature is low and there is a possibility of frost damage, you still need to take protective measures to avoid damage to the potted plants.

watering
Ginkgos need lots of water from spring through fall, but avoid overwatering. In winter, just keep the soil moist. Watering with water with a high calcium content (hard water) will not cause any problems. Continue reading Watering Potted Plants.

fertilize
Fertilizer can be started when the buds are full. Using fertilizers with a higher nitrogen content in spring can help ginkgo grow longer new branches, which can then branch out with more leaves, especially for potted ginkgo plants with older trees. If the new branches are shorter, the leaf growth will not be as expected. . Feed weekly with liquid or solid fertilizer until the leaves turn golden in autumn. If you want to enhance the overall vitality of your ginkgo potted plant, you can use both liquid and solid fertilizers.

Trimming and wrapping
If you see new branches that have grown 5 or 6 leaves, you can cut them to the length of 1 or 2 leaves. Large wounds that cannot heal should be avoided, and healing agents must be used. Ginkgo potted plants can be wrapped with thread all year round, and their branches are also very elastic. However, when wrapping the thread, please be careful not to damage the softer bark on the branches. Continue reading for potted plant pruning.

Change soil/pot
Young and strong potted ginkgo trees (under five years old) can change the soil every spring, while older trees should change the soil every other year or every five years; the roots should not be pruned too much. You can use a general mixed soil, but it needs good drainage; the pH of the soil will not affect its health, and some can even tolerate soil with a pH value of 10. Continue reading Replace soil for potted plants.

reproduce
Ginkgo is suitable for the growing method and cutting method, or the aerial layering method (or high-pressure method). Ginkgo seeds have a hard shell on the outside, so they need to be layered or broken before planting. Sometimes the seeds take at least two years to germinate.

Pests and diseases
Ginkgo has high resistance to pests and diseases, and infections are rarely encountered. For more detailed information on these techniques, check out our Bonsai tree care section.