Ginko stump

[Wills612]

I dug out this ginko stump from a boulevard last summer after it was snapped off somehow, maybe a car wreck, wild homeless or drunk college kid. Anyways, I made a clean cut and potted it. Roots are pretty rough with a monster tap root and the soil is also terrible, so a repot is a must this spring. It did push some shoots last summer but seemed to stall out.

After the repot what would be your next step?chop lower? Start the taper with a current leader? It’s definitely a long project and a don’t want to kick myself in a few years for not doing this or that. Thanks.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

The words I have often muttered to myself are "I wish I had cut that lower the day I collected it."

And yes, I would reduce its height again, by at least a third. That is my thought looking at a small photo from a couple thousand miles away.

That trunk you have there for most practical purposes will likely represent the first third of the total height of your finished tree. If you want a small bonsai, definitely cut it lower. Or turn the upper third of the existing trunk into a deadwood feature. You don't have to cut it off.

I have found from experience that ginkgo back bud fairly well even on old wood, I have seen buds pop on 50 year old trunks after a cut back. So do not fear cutting lower.

So if it were mine, I would shorten the trunk significantly or turn the upper third of the trunk into a carved, dead wood feature.

 

[Wills612]

The words I have often muttered to myself are "I wish I had cut that lower the day I collected it."

And yes, I would reduce its height again, by at least a third. That is my thought looking at a small photo from a couple thousand miles away.

That trunk you have there for most practical purposes will likely represent the first third of the total height of your finished tree. If you want a small bonsai, definitely cut it lower. Or turn the upper third of the existing trunk into a deadwood feature. You don't have to cut it off.

I have found from experience that ginkgo back bud fairly well even on old wood, I have seen buds pop on 50 year old trunks after a cut back. So do not fear cutting lower.

So if it were mine, I would shorten the trunk significantly or turn the upper third of the trunk into a carved, dead wood feature.

Thanks, chopping it lower is the way I’ve been leaning. Carving it might be cool too, worst case would end in a lower chop anyways so…

 

[LittleDingus]

Thanks, chopping it lower is the way I’ve been leaning. Carving it might be cool too, worst case would end in a lower chop anyways so…

If you do cut it lower, it may decide to back bud as far back as root level...it may even sucker profusely. Keep an eye on it and rub out the suckers and too low buds. If you let it keep those, you might not get higher budding.

 

[Shibui]

It did push some shoots last summer but seemed to stall out.

This seems to be quite normal for ginkgo. They often don't grow much and developing any real branching is a very long term project. At least you are starting with a thicker trunk.

How short to chop any given trunk depends what your aims are for the tree. I'm usually for cutting shorter too but for ginkgo and this one in particular I'm not so sure it needs to be any shorter. First chop at around 1/3 of finished height is a good place to aim for so try to consider how big you want this tree to get and work back from there. Ginkgo don't usually seem to be styled as real thick trunk sumo style trees so I would consider a taller, more elegant tree.

Bare root is definitely advised to get rid of the earth from the root ball. Ginkgo are very tough but even very tough can be affected by wet roots. Good news is they tolerate drastic root work. I've chopped roots really short, chopped thick roots, bare rooted and generally hacked them around without any damage to the trees.

 

[Wills612]

This seems to be quite normal for ginkgo. They often don't grow much and developing any real branching is a very long term project. At least you are starting with a thicker trunk.

How short to chop any given trunk depends what your aims are for the tree. I'm usually for cutting shorter too but for ginkgo and this one in particular I'm not so sure it needs to be any shorter. First chop at around 1/3 of finished height is a good place to aim for so try to consider how big you want this tree to get and work back from there. Ginkgo don't usually seem to be styled as real thick trunk sumo style trees so I would consider a taller, more elegant tree.

Bare root is definitely advised to get rid of the earth from the root ball. Ginkgo are very tough but even very tough can be affected by wet roots. Good news is they tolerate drastic root work. I've chopped roots really short, chopped thick roots, bare rooted and generally hacked them around without any damage to the trees.

i think I need to chop it a bit. I get what you’re saying with the Ginko and sumo style and I agree but if I grew it out like it is now, it would be 4’+. I’m thinking a 3’ tree would be in scale with the trunk. I’m thinking about chopping here:

 

[PonderingSage:]

I Second, on them growing slow( you might have better luck with mor warm days in Sac)
Here is mine about 5 years after stump cutting (to no branches).

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/PlZ3avXN03l1SIT0b226iCj73yxcXJ7qvOlBd38OK-7-DGWreWaLOQ636pAmPYcBBruyIA

I carved the top after it died back…so you might want to leave a margin of error

 

[Wills612]

I Second, on them growing slow( you might have better luck with mor warm days in Sac)
Here is mine about 5 years after stump cutting (to no branches).

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/PlZ3avXN03l1SIT0b226iCj73yxcXJ7qvOlBd38OK-7-DGWreWaLOQ636pAmPYcBBruyIA

I carved the top after it died back…so you might want to leave a margin of error

Picture doesn’t work for me. Interested to see how your developed.