ginkgo question
 

I have two ginkgos, one about six inches high and the other I bought at
a bonsai show as a pre-bonsai, about two feet high. I overwinter them
in an unheated garage with mulch over the pots. They have both been
outdoors since mid-April, but no leafing yet. I recall they were late
to leaf last year but not this late and the full size ginkgo trees in
our area are all leafed out now.

I think the small one is dead because the outer layer of the largest
exposed root peeled off easily and looks rotten. The larger one,
however, is bright green under the outer stem layer and the buds look
as though they are just about to leaf out, but they don't. I repotted
it thinking it was too soggy (we've had a lot of rain). The roots look
brown at the bottom although a few at the top are white. Is this root
rot? Is there anything I should do? Thanks.

BTW, the Chinese elm I've written about a few times has still done
nothing so I assume it's dead. I'm just surprised that one evening's
temperature dip into the 20's last fall would kill it, but now when I
break off a twig I'm seeing only a very pale green layer.
-yngver