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[IBC] ghinko branching
Noticed that no one has replied to this question. I'm not an expert but I
do have a ginkgo (note the spelling) which I obtained about this time last year. It had been a poorly planted (roots not spread) and severely vandalized landscaping tree. The University here was replacing it and I salvaged it. It too was "just a stick" but of considerable girth, no branches or leaves as the vandals had broken off the top and with it all the branches. I cut off the bottom half of the root "wad", treated with rooting hormone and planted it in a mix of perlite and old, recycled soil as I did not have enough fresh organic material to fill the barrel bottom I used as a growing pot. I put in a quick help-yelp to the list and received a nice answer with essentially the advice I followed (thanks Dale!). The success was beyond expectation. Break-back occurred from the root surface all the way up to the break at the top, with several sprouts at that point. The tree was left to its own devices all last summer and the limbs, especially at the top grew almost two feet! This spring, I repotted in the same barrel bottom with perlite and pine bark, about 3 to 1 and chopped back to above one of the new branches to create proper taper and establish a reasonable height of a projected future of 30" (75cm for those not into imperial measure). The part chopped was treated with root hormone again and put into a cut-down nursery pot (3 gal.?) as a big cutting. I shortened all limbs on the "cutting" to 3 buds or so. All the buds on both pieces are coming out. I am not worried about the main plant and have high hopes for the "cutting". With that all said, I would not worry about branching until you've reached near the girth you want on your ginkgo, say about 2/3 of the "final" diameter. Like most deciduous trees, you will then remove the branches and work up a new set in scale with your new creation. Until that time, just grow the things out for trunk. Chop as needed to develop taper and reduce the height. Do remember that the ginkgo does not callus over the same as most other plants, so be careful where the chops are and keep the "temporary" branches small. Since they do not heal well, the chops will need to be hidden or used as design features. And keep lots of small sacrifice branches down low to help with the taper. The darn things seem to be very vigorous growers, at least in my area. Since I don't know where you are, you will have to make whatever adjustments you see fit for the change in conditions. I will say this, I'm in north-central Florida and Dale is in middle Ohio and his advise was spot-on so you should not have any trouble. Good luck and I hope you got boys because I understand the fruit stinks as it spoils - jay Jay Beckenbach - Melrose, FL - Zone 8b/9a -----Original Message----- From: akrummel ] Sent: Friday, March 21, 2003 8:45 AM Subject: ghinko branching I have 6 or 7 ghinko saplings in the ground. They are about two years old and are basically just sticks with leaves. Not much in branches (at least none survived the winter). Can they be chopped or something to get a little branching? I realize they need to continue to grow for trunk size but when will branches develope? ************************************************** ****************************** ++++Sponsored, in part, by Evergreen Gardenworks++++ ************************************************** ****************************** -- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ -- +++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++ |
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