How to Plant Ginkgo Seeds? Detailed Introduction to Sowing Methods
Ginkgo is the oldest relict plant among the gymnosperms left over after the Quaternary glaciation. Seed propagation is mostly used for large-scale landscaping seedlings or for making clump-style bonsai. Usually, after harvesting the seeds in autumn, the outer seed coat is removed, and the seeds with the fruit peel still attached are dried in the sun. They can be sown in winter of the same year or in spring of the following year. Now let us take a look at how to plant ginkgo seeds!
Stratification Time
The stratification time depends on the sowing time, and the sowing time is based on the late frost period, because ginkgo buds are susceptible to freezing damage below 0°C. Generally, stratification can be started 30-40 days before the sowing period. In the capital, sowing in early March is preferable.
Seedbed Preparation
Choose a plot that is sheltered from the wind, faces the sun, and has level ground. Dig a trench running east to west, 30 cm deep and 120 cm wide. The length of the trench depends on the amount of seeds. Spread fine sand about 5 cm thick at the bottom. Build a 10 cm earth ridge around the trench (the north side can be slightly higher) to prevent rainwater from flowing in.
Seed Treatment
Take out the seeds stored dry over winter, first put them into a vat or another water-holding container, and soak them in clean clear water for 36-48 hours. Separate out the shriveled seeds, then scoop them out, wash them clean, and mix them evenly with damp sand at a ratio of 1 part seeds to 3 parts sand, then place them on the seedbed for stratification. For seeds stored in cellars, they can be put directly into the seedbed for stratification.
Placing Seeds on the Seedbed
Evenly spread the seeds mixed with sand on the seedbed, then place 5 cm of fine sand on top of the seeds, and then put a thin layer of fine soil or a straw mat on top to maintain the temperature in the seedbed. Finally, cover the seedbed with a 2 m wide plastic film, and press the edges of the film firmly with soil.
Transplanting and Planting
Seedlings propagated from ginkgo seeds can grow to 15-25 cm tall in the same year. After leaf fall in autumn, they can be transplanted. However, note that the seedbed should be chosen in a section with good drainage to prevent waterlogging from rotting the part of the seedling near the ground. It can grow well in acidic soil and calcareous soil, but neutral or slightly acidic soil is most suitable. It is not tolerant of waterlogged places and is relatively drought-tolerant, but grows poorly in overly dry places, stony slopes, or low damp places.
How to Plant Ginkgo Tree Seeds? Sowing Propagation Methods for Ginkgo Trees
Ginkgo tree, also known as white fruit, gongsun tree, duck-foot tree, etc., is a deciduous tree in the Ginkgo family, Ginkgo genus. The ginkgo tree has edible, medicinal, landscape ecological, and economic value, and has high planting value. In the process of planting ginkgo trees, the sowing propagation method is often used. So, how do you plant ginkgo tree seeds? The sowing propagation methods for ginkgo trees are introduced as follows.
Image: Ginkgo tree seeds
1. Stratification Time
The stratification time depends on the sowing time, and the sowing time is based on the late frost period, because ginkgo buds are susceptible to freezing damage below 0°C. Generally, stratification can be started 30-40 days before the sowing period. In the capital, sowing in early March is preferable.
2. Seedbed Preparation
Choose a plot that is sheltered from the wind, faces the sun, and has level ground. Dig a trench running east to west, 30 cm deep and 120 cm wide. The length of the trench depends on the amount of seeds. Spread fine sand about 5 cm thick at the bottom. Build a 10 cm earth ridge around the trench (the north side can be slightly higher) to prevent rainwater from flowing in.
3. Seed Treatment
Take out the seeds stored dry over winter, first put them into a vat or another water-holding container, and soak them in clean clear water for 36-48 hours. Separate out the shriveled seeds, then scoop them out, wash them clean, and mix them evenly with damp sand at a ratio of 1 part seeds to 3 parts sand, then place them on the seedbed for stratification. For seeds stored in cellars, they can be put directly into the seedbed for stratification.
Image: Ginkgo tree planting
4. Placing Seeds on the Seedbed
Evenly spread the seeds mixed with sand on the seedbed, then place 5 cm of fine sand on top of the seeds, and then put a thin layer of fine soil or a straw mat on top to maintain the temperature in the seedbed. Finally, cover the seedbed with a 2 m wide plastic film, and press the edges of the film firmly with soil.
5. Transplanting and Planting
Seedlings propagated from ginkgo seeds can grow to 15-25 cm tall in the same year. After leaf fall in autumn, they can be transplanted. However, note that the seedbed should be chosen in a section with good drainage to prevent waterlogging from rotting the part of the seedling near the ground. It can grow well in acidic soil and calcareous soil, but neutral or slightly acidic soil is most suitable. It is not tolerant of waterlogged places and is relatively drought-tolerant, but grows poorly in overly dry places, stony slopes, or low damp places.
[Editor's Conclusion]Doing a good job with ginkgo tree seed propagation is the foundation for achieving ginkgo tree planting. The above has introduced the sowing propagation methods for ginkgo trees for everyone, and I hope it can be helpful to you!
How to Grow Ginkgo Trees from Seeds: Planting Methods
1. Sowing and raising seedlings: Seeds should be collected with large grains, and mother trees around 80 years old are best. The collected seeds are peeled and dried in the shade. In the south, autumn sowing is possible, while in the north, spring sowing is preferable. The seedbed should use sandy loam with good water permeability.2. Using root suckers to propagate seedlings: Around February (after the ground thaws in the north), dig out suckering branches with roots on one side from the base, and plant them in the nursery. Diameters of 1 cm to 4 cm are all acceptable. This method is easy to succeed with. After about 10 years, they can bloom and bear fruit.
3. Cutting propagation: From May to June, select soft branches of the current year, cut them into 10 cm to 15 cm lengths, keep 3 to 4 leaves on top, insert half into the soil, and spray water frequently to ensure the leaves do not dry out. After about one and a half to two months, they can root.
4. Seedling transplanting: Ginkgo with a diameter below 5 cm can be planted bare-rooted, while those above 6 cm generally need to be planted with a soil ball. Bare-rooted seedlings have a recovery period in the same year. Seedlings with a soil ball can grow in the same year. After small seedlings are planted in rows, irrigate with flooding water. For planting large trees, it is best to fill the pit with water before planting. After the water in the pit seeps away, place the large tree into the pit and tamp it firm, allowing the water in the pit to rise back up and moisten the roots. For the next watering, it is best to dig a diversion ditch at the side of the pit, fill it with water, and let the water slowly seep into the ginkgo roots. Never flood-irrigate. The main reason many people fail to keep transplanted ginkgo alive is not drying out, but drowning. Because the ginkgo root system has a high respiration demand, flood irrigation causes root hypoxia and suffocation, so new roots cannot emerge and the root system gradually rots. Some ginkgo trees, even if dead, can still unfurl their leaves, and may even sprout again the second or third year, but the leaves are very small. Only after the nutrients in their bodies are used up do they stop producing leaves. This is the "false alive" phenomenon of ginkgo. Some ginkgo trees do not produce leaves in the first year after planting, and may not produce leaves in the second year either. If you pinch the bark, you will find that the bark is fresh and the branches are not shriveled. Such a tree is not necessarily dead, and it may produce leaves in the third year. This phenomenon is also called the "false death" phenomenon of ginkgo. To determine whether a ginkgo is falsely dead or falsely alive, you cannot look only at the leaves; the important thing is to look at the roots. Therefore, when buying large seedlings, especially purchased heeling-in seedlings from elsewhere, be sure to check whether the roots are black. If they are, it means the seedling is a falsely alive seedling, and it should not be taken no matter how cheap it is. Fresh seedlings should have root xylem that is whitish, with the root bark slightly red and closely attached to the xylem.