How do you grow a ginkgo bonsai? Detailed care precautions
Light
Ginkgo likes light, so you can place it in a spot with plenty of sunlight and good air circulation, such as a balcony. In summer, avoid exposure to the sun and provide appropriate shade. The suitable temperature for ginkgo tree growth is between 15°C and 25°C. It is slightly cold-tolerant and can overwinter outdoors, but it is best to bury the flower pot.
Watering and fertilizing
Ginkgo bonsai usually needs to keep the potting soil moist. It should not be too dry, nor too wet to the point of causing waterlogging. Watering should generally be based on its growth condition. In summer, when temperatures are high and water evaporation is great, it needs to be watered in the morning and evening, while in autumn watering should be reduced. Fertilizing is generally done in spring and summer, and in winter only one base fertilizer application is given.
Pests and diseases
During ginkgo care, there are relatively few pests and diseases. However, if the potting soil is too wet and has standing water, it can cause root rot. Lack of fertilizer or excessively high temperatures can lead to leaf blight. The main pests include nettle caterpillars, peach aphids, spider mites, and striped stem borers, among others, and they need to be controlled according to the situation.
Repotting
Ginkgo has a very developed root system. If it cannot be repotted or have its pot changed in time, its growth will be affected. You can repot or change the pot once every two years, while also pruning part of the roots before changing the soil.
Alright, that is all for today's explanation of ginkgo bonsai shaping and care issues! I hope reading this article has been helpful to you, and thank you for reading!
Ginkgo bonsai cultivation methods and precautions
Ginkgo bonsai cultivation methods
Pot and soil selection
For potted ginkgo, choose a suitable pot according to the placement location. However, because of the limitations of the flower pot, root growth is restricted, so you need to choose breathable, loose, and fertile soil. You can use loose garden soil mixed with some base fertilizer to grow ginkgo.
Light and temperature
Ginkgo likes light, so you can place it in a sunny spot for care, and make sure the air circulation is good. In summer, avoid exposure to the sun and provide appropriate shade. The suitable temperature for growth is between 15°C and 25°C. It can tolerate slight cold and can overwinter outdoors, but it is best to bury the flower pot.
Watering and fertilizing
Ginkgo bonsai usually needs to keep the potting soil moist. It should not be too dry, nor too wet with standing water. Watering should generally be based on the plant's growth condition. In summer, when temperatures are high and there is drought, water evaporation is relatively large, so it needs to be watered every morning and evening. Once autumn arrives, watering should be reduced. Fertilizing is generally done during the spring and summer growing season with light, frequent applications, while in winter one base fertilizer application is needed. If you want lush branches and leaves, you can apply more nitrogen fertilizer. If the ginkgo has many flowers and fruits, you can apply more phosphorus fertilizer.
Precautions for ginkgo bonsai cultivation
Pests and diseases
During ginkgo care, there are relatively few pests and diseases. However, if the potting soil is too wet and has standing water, it can cause root rot. Lack of fertilizer or excessively high temperatures can lead to leaf blight. The main pests include nettle caterpillars, peach aphids, spider mites, and striped stem borers, among others, and control should be carried out according to the different pests.
Repotting
Ginkgo has a relatively developed root system. If it cannot be repotted or have its pot changed in time, the plant's growth will be affected. You can repot or change the pot once every two years, while also pruning the root system and replacing it with fresh soil.
Pruning
Pruning ginkgo is mainly to shape the plant form. According to personal preference, it can be pruned into various different shapes, making it highly ornamental.
How do you grow a potted ginkgo tree? Care techniques for potted ginkgo trees
"Roots coiled beneath the Yellow Springs, crown towering to the clouds." The ginkgo tree is an ancient tree species in our country and has been favored by poets through the ages. At the same time, the ginkgo tree, with its quaint leaf shape and graceful posture, is also often made into bonsai for viewing, and is called a masterpiece. So, how do you grow a potted ginkgo tree? Below, I will introduce the care techniques for potted ginkgo trees. Let's take a look.
Image: Potted ginkgo tree
1. Growth habits
The ginkgo tree is a light-loving tree species with a deep root system and broad adaptability to climate and soil. It can grow in areas with high temperatures and abundant rain, as well as areas with scarce rainfall and cold winters, but growth is slow or poor. It can grow in acidic soil (pH 4.5), calcareous soil (pH 8), and neutral soil, but it is not tolerant of saline-alkaline soil or overly wet soil.
2. Propagation by sowing
Ginkgo propagation by sowing is mostly used for large-scale landscaping seedlings or for making clump-style bonsai. After harvesting the seeds in autumn, remove the outer seed coat, dry the seeds with the fruit coat still on, and they can be sown in winter of the same year or in spring of the following year. If sowing in spring, they must first undergo mixed-sand stratification to promote germination. When sowing, place the seed embryo horizontally in the sowing furrow, then cover with 3-4 cm of soil and compact it. The seedlings can grow to 15-25 cm tall in the same year.
3. Potting and planting
Ginkgo trees are propagated by methods such as cuttings, division, grafting, and sowing. When potting, because the ginkgo tree is a deep-rooted tree species, a relatively deep flower pot should be used for planting. It is generally planted in spring and autumn. It does not have high requirements for soil, but if you can use sandy soil rich in humus, loose, fertile, and with good drainage, the ginkgo you grow will grow better.
Image: Potted ginkgo tree
4. Placement location
Potted ginkgo trees have requirements for their placement location. Although they are a light-loving tree species, they cannot be placed in a spot with long periods of sunlight. You must choose a place with little sunlight, good ventilation, and humidity. In summer, avoid exposure to the sun and provide appropriate shading. Although the ginkgo tree is a cold-tolerant tree species, in winter it should still be buried in the soil together with the pot. This is the safest way to overwinter.
5. Reasonable watering
Ginkgo trees like moist soil, but the potting soil must absolutely not have standing water. There are also particular points to watering ginkgo trees in winter. When winter temperatures are relatively high, water evaporates relatively quickly, so watering is generally chosen in the morning and evening. If the temperature is average and the potting soil is moist, then there is no need to water.
6. Timely fertilizing
In winter, potted ginkgo trees can be given homemade organic fertilizer, and organic fertilizer must be used, such as decomposed soybean cake or barnyard manure. After entering spring and summer, the ginkgo tree also enters its growth period, and it is more suitable to water with human waste or animal manure. This kind of fertilizer can help the leaves grow and keep the green leaves fresh and green.
Image: Potted ginkgo tree
7. Shaping and pruning
Before the ginkgo tree buds in spring, pruning should be carried out once. Because its leaves are relatively large, retained branches should be sparse rather than dense. For small and medium-sized bonsai, keeping 3-5 branches is enough. At the same time, according to the needs of the shape, the branches should be properly wired or pruned to reveal a trunk with a certain degree of twist for people to admire.
8. Timely repotting
Generally, potted plants all need repotting, and potted ginkgo trees are no exception. Potted ginkgo trees are generally repotted once every 2 years, and this needs to be done around the spring equinox. When repotting, note that the developed root system of the ginkgo tree can be appropriately shortened, then replace one third of the old soil with new soil, and place base fertilizer at the bottom of the pot. Only this way is it beneficial to ginkgo growth.
[Editor's conclusion]The bonsai made from ginkgo trees has a unique shape, is vigorous and elegant, and is full of charm, with very high ornamental value. In the text above, I introduced the care techniques for potted ginkgo trees. Have you all learned them?