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Bonsai baby gingko? (pic)
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Posted by chris_ont 5a Ont (My Page) on Sun, Sep 23, 07 at 17:53
Hi
This is my pet gingko. I don't have the space for a 'real' gingko tree, so this one is potted. I don't suppose it will grow very fast.
Trouble is, the poor thing suffered some neglect last summer, by sitting out in the hot sun until it dropped its leaves. It rallied a bit by sending up a new shoot from its base.
That died over the winter (I sunk the pot into the ground to see if it would come back). But then it put out two new shoots that you see here.
Trouble is, they are barely woody and seem still very tender to be out in the winter.
Can someone advise me on how to overwinter this little guy and if this would be suitable for bonsai? Should I remove one of the stems (one of the living ones I mean)?
Any thoughts about this is much appreciated.
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Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Bonsai baby gingko? (pic)
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| Hi... Suggestion - move it into a larger pot (but try for wider than deeper to encourage lateral growth for its eventual bonsai pot). A larger pot now will help it grow faster, but when you repot just crumble off most of the soil, gently move roots more horizontally, but don't cut any now, and be very careful about breaking any off. For soil, add a lot of grit and less potting soil. However, IF you have an outdoor place that's relatively protected from wind and bad drainage, forget repotting and just plant it, but mulch very well all around and above (though not right up the trunk or you could have rot problems. You just have time to acclimate to being out and colder nights. Don't worry about 'bonsai' soil of course, though try to not have it in a veggie or flower bed of black loamy stuff that just compacts and holds too much water. OR you could dig a pit for the new larger pot (above the spring water table level if you can find out where it is), with mulch inside and around it, and cover from a well slanted wooden flip up, that you would open when it gets sunny in the spring. It won't really need light over the winter with no leaves, and putting snow on it helps to insulate, but in late Feb. it will need light to bud properly. Just don't take it out til the last frost has passed (May 1?). |
RE: Bonsai baby gingko? (pic)
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| To answer your question, Ginkgo are wonderfully adaptable to bonsai culture. |
RE: Bonsai baby gingko? (pic)
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Should I remove one of these stems?
If so, when? Now? In the Spring? I've seen some gingko bonsai with several stems but, knowing nothing about bonsai, I wonder if that might be too much of a challenge. |
RE: Bonsai baby gingko? (pic)
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| More energy (theoretically) will go into one trunk if others are removed (it's only a 'stem' if it's still green and soft), but it's up to you. An uneven number is always better than an even number though (and you seem to have 3). |
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