Ginkgo ramification

[melbrackstone]

https://soundcloud.com/asymmetry-podcas ... s-vojtilla

A podcast with Dennis Vojtilla talking about Ginkgo at 1:27:00

They mention how to get ramification with the plant...

Ginkgo will branch and ramify if you can keep your soil and water in the narrow range of 6.5 - 7ph

and they depend on calcium - a Nitrogen source that is based on calcium...

I have had a ginkgo for over 20 years, and it just grows as a stick....so here's some hope...

It's worth listening to the whole podcast, so much horticultural info...

[Matthew]

My mature tree in the garden ramifys damn well. My 18 year old in a bonsai pot has primary and some secondary branching but that's about it.

[melbrackstone]

I'll be honest, I've never tried to grow on in the ground, I suspect Brisbane's climate isn't optimum. In saying that, the sticks in the bonsai pot have grown new leaves every year.....

[treeman]

https://soundcloud.com/asymmetry-podcas ... s-vojtilla

A podcast with Dennis Vojtilla talking about Ginkgo at 1:27:00

They mention how to get ramification with the plant...

Ginkgo will branch and ramify if you can keep your soil and water in the narrow range of 6.5 - 7ph

and they depend on calcium - a Nitrogen source that is based on calcium...

I have had a ginkgo for over 20 years, and it just grows as a stick....so here's some hope...

It's worth listening to the whole podcast, so much horticultural info...

Ryan is incorrect that Ca is more available (soluble) at a low pH. It's the other way round. Ca becomes more available as pH increases. So at pH 7 there will be more Ca available than at pH 6 to 6.5. The difference would be quite low. The claim of the need for a ''calcium based N source'' to induce ramification is also confused. Ca and N are taken up independently of each other. The only Calcium based nitrogen source is Calcium nitrate. (or Calcium ammonium nitrate) As soon as it is dissolved, the two ions dissociate and go their own way. The plant then takes up the nitrate and the calcium independently and through different processes. Apart from nitrate, the other main nitrogen source is ammonium. Too much ammonium can inhibit the uptake of calcium. Ammonium is converted to nitrate fastest at neutral pH (around 7) It may be that Gingko reacts to ammonium by producing fewer branches? (I can't imagine how that might work!). By keeping the pH closer to neutral, more nitrates will be produced by nitrifying bacteria. At the same time, keeping the pH at around 6.5 will provide all the Ca that the tree needs without the need to add either nitrate or Calcium nitrate. The pH of mixes and the Ca content is usually adjusted by the addition of limestone. It's clear here that with this subject, Ryan does not really know what he's talking about and any chemist listening to this would probably cringe.
All the Japanese gingko bonsai produced in the past are fed organically. No ''Calcium based nitrogen source'' to be seen. As the organic N breaks down it is converted to ammonium and some of that to nitrate depending on pH. The low pH in the old days of bonsai (and maybe even today) was adjusted mainly with wood ash which increases pH and adds a little (not much) calcium and no nitrogen.

[melbrackstone]

Thanks for the clarification Mike!

[Max]

so pee on the tree and feed blood and bone?

[Akhi]

so pee on the tree and feed blood and bone?

no just don’t grow a ginkgo bonsai


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[Jdceng]

Hi melbrackstone

Many thanks for posting this

[barefoot]

This has been stated before in another post on Ginkos. In Sydney I have successfully pruned Ginkos in late spring / early summer back beyond visible buds and get shooting which allow ramifications. I have been pruning like this for over 5 years after an accident when a Ginko in a plastic pot fell off its perch, the trunk broke off about 50 mm from soil level, no buds but it still shoot back (takes time upto a month). This can also allow for smaller leaves.
Root pruning is still done in Winter.

[melbrackstone]

Cheers Jdceng, lol. Even if Ryan got it wrong, it's nice to get some extra info from Mike.

I'll also look at pruning as barefoot has suggested, thanks!

I do think it's worth my while to test the ph, if nothing else. It's something I've never done.

As for Ryan not knowing what he's talking about, that wouldn't surprise me in the least, it's clearly not in his normal realm of knowledge. I admire the way that the constantly digs into the minds of others to get added info though, and his videos are stellar in my humble opinion. I've learned so much more from the way he teaches, but it's just icing on the cake from the knowledge I gain from the likes of shibui, treeman and others in here. I'm profoundly grateful for all that you do.

As an old grey haired woman I do need repetition to help this stuff to stick...

[treeman]

Cheers Jdceng, lol. Even if Ryan got it wrong, it's nice to get some extra info from Mike.

I'll also look at pruning as barefoot has suggested, thanks!

I do think it's worth my while to test the ph, if nothing else. It's something I've never done.

As for Ryan not knowing what he's talking about, that wouldn't surprise me in the least, it's clearly not in his normal realm of knowledge. I admire the way that the constantly digs into the minds of others to get added info though, and his videos are stellar in my humble opinion. I've learned so much more from the way he teaches, but it's just icing on the cake from the knowledge I gain from the likes of shibui, treeman and others in here. I'm profoundly grateful for all that you do.

As an old grey haired woman I do need repetition to help this stuff to stick...

Ryan is a wealth of knowledge and a sponge for information. What's more he is willing to share everything he knows which is more than you can say for some others. He also knows more than many because he is a seeker. Perhaps just a little to enthusiastic at times? But I have a lot of respect for him.

[melbrackstone]

Agree Mike, I have the utmost respect for anyone who is prepared to step out there and offer to share so much. He's freely admitted that he doesn't do much with deciduous trees, so I'm just pleased to see that he's considering adding more deciduous to his garden, which means he'll be seeking more info as well. We, his subscribed students will all benefit, and he'll be rounding out his already impressive knowledge.

I see it as a win win situation.

[pureheart]

Great info! As always Mike you are the best! I absolutely love Ginkos in fact I have 6 from seeds and many more from cuttings (very easy to propagate)


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[SquatJar]

Hi Mel, I'm curious to see how your gingko/s are fairing two years on after implementing some changes?

[melbrackstone]

pfffftttttt......... the container of ginkgo has been relegated to the back of the bottom shelf for the past year, it just keeps popping up new straight shoots from the roots, and big new leaves in Spring with very little branching...

As a punishment I got it out and did another partial defoliation and prune to see if that makes any difference...

a working link https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb- ... ce=u_share