AusBonsai

I have a few gingkos that I have been growing for some time. I know that to get fine ramification on these trees takes many years. They seen only to want to throw out new growth on the crown at the expense of the lower branches. Has anyone had this experience and how do you overcome it ?
With thanks from Craig

I've had the same trouble with a small Ginko so I've just started a group of cuttings to play with/learn from and was thinking of lying them on their sides (between waterings, with the plant out off the bench, pot on the bench) when potted up, to see it that might get them to shoot further back as the apex will not be the highest point.

Just a thought,

Jan

My gingkos have been VERY slow to ramify too but after many years one is getting to the stage of looking out for a pot for it.

I had a second hand report from an asian grower in Sydney that pinching NEW growth helped build ramification.

Cutting back into old wood produces multiple shoots for me but not always predictable.

I've never tried defoliating them to try to get ramification. I know gingko is technically a conifer but it behaves like a deciduous broadlef so if defoliation works on other deciduous broadleaf trees why not with gingko? In fact I'll go out and defoliate a couple of smaller ones now to see what happens.

shibui wrote:My gingkos have been VERY slow to ramify too but after many years one is getting to the stage of looking out for a pot for it.

I had a second hand report from an asian grower in Sydney that pinching NEW growth helped build ramification.

Cutting back into old wood produces multiple shoots for me but not always predictable.

I've never tried defoliating them to try to get ramification. I know gingko is technically a conifer but it behaves like a deciduous broadlef so if defoliation works on other deciduous broadleaf trees why not with gingko? In fact I'll go out and defoliate a couple of smaller ones now to see what happens.

Its fairly late in the season(over the nountains) to defoliate so it will be interesting to see how it responds, or whether it just goes into early dormancy for the year.

Grant

if it is only growing at the apex and dropping the main branching then why not develop the apex with the ramification (if possible i dont know ginko) and then once you have it developed airlayer and create a broom style tree ?

just a thought, what i know of gingko is they are troublesome so i have never bothered with them.

Hi Jamie,
The lower branches on the tree are still very much alive I would just like to get more growth on them. I pinch the crown all the time but it doesn't seem to help. I know it takes at least two generations of growers to produce good ginkgo but someone has to start them otherwise we will never have good ginkgo bonsai in this country. I have seen old ones in Japan and they are very inspiring trees.
Craig

After reading this I think I'll give up on my 20cm gingko seedlings!

I think Ginko needs a great trunk to start with so I am still working on that

The problem with ginkos is that they don't heal easily and the rot quickly. Getting a big trunk with no wounds that is short enough to compliment the trunk thickness can be hard. From what I can tell they have fairly long internodes on first year growth. Then they have short branches that grow off these. They have short nodes and don't extend much?? And don't ramify? This is just observations ofthe one that El has at the shop.

Hi Jarrod,
I think you are correct. I tried field growing my trees but the scaring is really an issue. These are trees that need to be grown slowly and take a very long time. All the gingko I saw in Japan were grown in the broom style as in Bretts pic. Most of them are 2-3 men to move huge things. This is why I say they are trees for future generations. I just wish I could learn to balance their growth.

Does anyone know if gingkos can be grafted together, say by using the "cuttings through the tile" method, that I have seen used on maples? Might have to try that method to build a substantial trunk - good thing they strike so easily, I'll need plenty to experiment with.
Jan