Ginkgo 10yrs from seed

[MrFancyPlants]

I think I have this right that ginkgo is technically a conifer. I want to field some suggestions on how to procede as mine is not much to look at especially when not in leaf. It has spent most of it’s life in a pond basket so there is some decent swelling under the soil. It was reported back into the basket at a national arboretum workshop 4 or 5 years ago. Looking at @Brian Van Fleet ‘s thread, I know that I haven’t had the most productive 10 years possible with this one, but I did grow it from a stinky seed harvested from the streets of Philadelphia, so I plan to keep on trying with this one despite it’s flaws.

I am open to but not limited to the following options:

Should I chop it to the ground?
If so air layer or take a cutting of the very top section?
Let the sucker run?
Plant in the bed?
Let escape for a year or two from the basket?
Readdress the roots before planting in bed or letting it escape?
Let the top run wild?
Just let the lower branches run wild to generate more taper?

Thanks for your help and preemptive apology for my chronically crappy photography skills.

 

[Anthony]

Really pretty and they airlayer easily.
Not much else to say -- apologies.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[MrFancyPlants]

I remember seeing a video of some really grotesque grafting of ginkgo's. (Like impossible looking grafts into bizarre shapes ) This is more likely where I would air layer, but would the graft ever look natural if the bark got craggy?

 

[JoeR]

I remember seeing a video of some really grotesque grafting of ginkgo's. (Like impossible looking grafts into bizarre shapes ) This is more likely where I would air layer, but would the graft ever look natural if the bark got craggy?View attachment 167977

I would just airlayer it, grafting would end up a waste of time IMO even if you can get it to successfully take. But the part you cropped out on top would be a great place to airlayer.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

Air layer is more practical, so if I layer this spring, how long should I expect to wait before separating? what should I do with the base? Chop it all the way down, almost to the ground, the following spring?

 

[plant_dr]

One thing I noticed is the almost healed over cut in the middle of the first pic. This shows me that ginkgos CAN heal over large wounds judging by the difference in bark surrounding the scar tissue.

Everything I can find about airlayering ginkgo says that you start in spring but doesn't tell when it's safe to separate the layer. I'm guessing it takes most of the growing season since they're not the fastest growers.

An interesting idea would be to chop I back just above that first branch near the bottom going to the right. Almost like a slanting/ windswept style. The roots are really interesting and wild so I don't know if they can be sorted out enough to fit a more upright flame style.

You'd have to keep the suckers cut back if you went with that approach. Or you could cut it almost all the way down and let the suckers take over. It's up to you.

 

[AlainK]

they airlayer easily.

Anthony's right: I would definitely air-layer the top.

Then, with the bottom part, I would prune it (red), make a new leader with (1) (yellow) and keep it in the same container, not repot it for a season.

More buds will come out like in (2) (yellow).

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I have a ginkgo, it was dug from a weed patch in an overgrown back yard. A volunteer seedling, that was 16 feet tall by 3 inches in diameter when dug up. The trunk was then cut at about 5 inches from the roots. This was done in March as property was sold, and in a week the landscapers would have cut everything down. It sat with no growth until June or July, then suddenly about 8 buds popped, and now several years later have a good start at a flame. style with a big fat ugly stump in the middle. I will have to carve the cut, though there is some rolling and healing.

Anyway, as for your tree, what the above is saying, I would consider chopping lower than the red line, no branches at all. Bending one up to be a new leader often looks contrived. By chopping low, the buds that pop will be a good start toward a flame style. Without a central leader. You can do it without fear.

I would skip the air layer, ginkgos are common enough, and cheap enough that you could save time by just doing the chop. But no harm in doing the air layer. Leave the air layer wrapped, if you don't see roots by the end of the first summer, just keep it wrapped and check it again the next summer. They often make roots over the winter.

But if you want a central leader, chop above the first branch.