I think I found an interesting Ginkgo

[u/Schlachtfeld-21]

First and foremost, I hope I’m not breaking any rules. I’m trying my best.

Also a disclaimer: I tried to post this yesterday on Bonsai Nut but I feel the site is a bit buggy since my post appears and disappears from my profile, while also not having been approved yet. I suppose I’m too new there to not be considered a threat.

Hi everyone, happy to be a newcomer to this really cool hobby. I started with Bonsai this year around April (northern hemisphere) and have now gathered many different trees and have many different projects going on. I’ve definitely made many mistakes and have probably caused a tree or two to found themselves in a state which isn’t compatible with life. Most of them do look promising, so I hope I can at some point share something I can be proud of.

But to the point of this post: Yesterday I found a specimen of a particular cultivar of Ginkgo, called Colonnare Maris. I had seen this particular tree many times this year already at the garden section of a hardware store. With me being a noob and not wanting to spend much on a tree I might irreparably harm, I decided to let it be. Yesterday however, I saw that it was 50% off and it also looked so beautiful in yellow that I finally took it home.

By now I’ve seen plenty of different styles of Bonsai, and due to the nature of this specific cultivar, I was very excited to try training this tree into a Kabudachi. Frankly it already looks like many trunks fused together at the base, so I figured this would be a great new project for me to start.

I now turn to you more knowledgeable people for some enlightenment as to how I might choose to proceed next.

My plan is to make sure that the tree is strong and healthy when spring arrives, since I plan on doing some air layering on it. I honestly cannot bring myself to cut and discard ginkgo branches as though they didn’t need ages to get to this size.

Also, I want to get the tree into a smaller pot than the one it’s in right now at some point. I’m not a huge guy and while I can move it around a bit, I would rather not have to do it if it weighs half of me.

My thinking was that I could use some guy wire through winter to start shaping the multiple trunks to point outwards (already have the wire in place), all while keeping the tree in its current pot in a wind-protected area of the garden, but my partner made a good point about maybe putting it in the ground to protect the roots in winter. That would thwart my idea of the guy wire, though, since I have no other anchors but the rim of the pot itself. He then suggested I put the whole pot in the ground, which sounds feasible to me, although I would probably drill a couple more drainage holes to be safe.

After some rough guy wiring

Is there anything that would deem the plan less than optimal? I would then repot as early as possible in the spring (maybe late winter?) so that the tree has enough time to grow and harden leaves before I start air layering.

As for the main tree itself, I would keep it relatively compact after the air layers have been removed and wouldn’t do any drastic wiring or pruning during the growing season in order not to stress it too much.

Does my plan sound sensible or do you think I should operate differently? I’m open to suggestions and ideas.

Thanks a lot 

PS: cat pictures as payment. Hope they are enough :)

Inspecting the tree

Still inspecting

Unmistakable look of indifference

[u/Chudmont]

Try again at bonsainut. They've been having issues with bots I think, so the review process might take a bit longer. It's definitely a great place to share and learn.

[u/Schlachtfeld-21 → u/Chudmont]

The post is still waiting for approval, at least it says so when it doesn’t disappear from my account, which does happen every now and then. I won’t delete it there, but I figured the overlap from people here and there is not insignificant, so I asked here while bonsai nut decides I’m a real person.

[u/-zero-joke-]

Hey, welcome, that is a nice gingko. Your wiring is likely to cut into the bark of the gingko, which might not be a problem depending on how you prune or decide to air layer. Winter plans sound fine, I don't have much experience with gingko to gauge how well the air layers will fare, but you might think about clearing out a few of the branches just to make room for your pots and to work around - also it can help build some bushiness lower down on the tree.

[u/Schlachtfeld-21 → u/-zero-joke-]

I did worry about the wiring creating some scars because the tree still feels quite pliable, but I figured if I remove the guy wire in early spring it should be fine and recover well?
As to removing some branches, that will certainly happen in late winter. I will try to air layer as many branches as the tree can handle, but I am aware that some branches must be cut, however painful that is.

[u/peter-bone → u/Schlachtfeld-21]

The tree needs growth to fix the branches in their new positions, so the guy wires need to be left over the growing season. You need to get some rubber tubing to put the wires through where they go around the branches, or some other kind of padding.

[u/Schlachtfeld-21 → u/peter-bone]

Somebody else mentioned the rubber tubing as well. I’m going to the hardware store later today to get it among other things. Thank you :)

[u/crabappless]

That’s a lovely gingko. They are typically styled as kabudachi so you’re heading in the right direction. For guy wires I always recommend tubing around the wires that are in contact with the tree, it avoids wire bite.

You don’t need to put a gingko in the ground during winter, they are frost hardy and can tolerate the cold.

You can repot during early spring and put some air layers on during late spring. Gingko in my experience air layer very easily.

[u/Sudden_Waltz_3160 → u/crabappless]

You sound knowledgeable about ginkgos. Do you have any tips on how to get the most vibrant fall color from them? Is that mostly a function of the variety, or can you influence it with watering habits or fertilizers or something else?

[u/crabappless → u/Sudden_Waltz_3160]

Oh boy, I’ve done heaps of research on this as the colour change of deciduous trees are fascinating to me, please excuse the long answer.

The main pigments anthocyanin, carotenoids and the degradation of chlorophyll are responsible for the colour change. There are other pigments but I’ll focus on these three for simplicity sake.

Carotenoids - orange/yellow
Anthocyanin - purples/reds
Chlorophyll - green

Variety plays an important part, some trees have different levels of natural pigments and how much they can generate.

Carotenoids are already present in the leaf, they’re just hidden by the dominant chlorophyll, as chlorophyll degrades the other pigments are exposed.

For the anthocyanins to generate they need energy and sugar.

Big light/temperature swings between warm sunny days and cold nights cause nice colouring as energy and sugars generate in the warm days and cold temps trigger the generation of anthocyanins.

Stress is also a trigger for pigment production, and technically you could water the tree less/defoliate to trigger it but this is counterintuitive towards growing a healthy tree. So I wouldn’t recommend it.

In short, place your tree in an appropriate sunny spot and if you have a couple of cold autumn nights, you’ll undoubtedly see some great colour.

[u/Sudden_Waltz_3160 → u/crabappless]

Thanks. I have tried this tree in various locations, without much difference. I generally get good color from most of my other fall-color species...maples, Chinese pistache, Euonymous, birch, and aspen, but this ginkgo has me stumped.

[u/crabappless → u/Sudden_Waltz_3160]

May be just the variety, some trees just have terrible colouring.

I have a few trees that have never given me good autumn colour despite the conditions, I tell myself it’s the structure that really matters haha.

[u/Schlachtfeld-21 → u/crabappless]

Thank you for your input. I’ll definitely tube the wire in the next couple of days.
I still think I might put the pot in the ground. I have the space for it in the winter, so even if the tree doesn’t exactly need it, I might still give it to it in its first winter with me. I have a spot where it’ll be safe from the wind.
It’s encouraging to hear that they air layer very easily. Would you recommend I definitely use root hormone? And if so preferably powder or gel? I was also thinking of using sphagnum moss wrapped in plastic, as I think it will be easier to control than pots.

[u/crabappless → u/Schlachtfeld-21]

I have always used rooting hormone, both the powder and gel work fine.

Yeah that works. My method is to cut black vinyl pots then wrap with electrical tape with a 50/50 mix of chopped sphagnum and whatever inorganic substrate I have lying around.

[u/Sonora_sunset]

3-year plan:

Next spring - prune it to half its current height, let it recover for a year
Spring ‘28. - repot with bonsai soil into training pot or large bonsai pot, in so doing expose the nebari and choose the front. Do not prune. Let it recover for a year.
Spring ‘29. - style it (prune & wire)

Good luck

[u/Schlachtfeld-21 → u/Sonora_sunset]

This is extremely valuable, thank you.
Question: would you consider the plan of air layering during next spring sensible?

[u/Sonora_sunset → u/Schlachtfeld-21]

No harm in trying.

[u/cbobgo]

I would recommend not pulling the trunks outward like that. Not only will those guy wires cut into the trunk, it's going to make your bonsai look like a shrub.

Check out this link to stone lantern, showing the flame style. The trunks are all very upright, it's the smaller secondary branches that go more outward.

Maidenhair Bonsai from a 270 Million Year Old Tree – Stone Lantern https://share.google/vCOhJ0A9TFHNaf4fc

[u/MaciekA → u/cbobgo]

Hey Bob, I had to approve your post because it was removed. Not sure if it was reddit or another mod. If it's the former (reddit itself), then I'd be careful in case it led reddit to shadowban or ban the account! Just letting you know. Maybe google shares are scammy? (I have no info / guidance from reddit, just speculating!)

[u/naleshin → u/MaciekA]

I suspect reddit’s picky about certain links

[u/cbobgo → u/MaciekA]

Thanks

[u/Schlachtfeld-21 → u/cbobgo]

Hey, sorry about not responding to you earlier. I somehow never got a notification about your comment.

Thank you for your suggestion. The flame look is truly beautiful, but I’m unsure if my tree lends itself well to it. It doesn’t really have a thick trunk but rather multiple thin ones, which is why I thought about a kabudachi style for it. I agree that I have to be careful not to make it look like a shrub, and definitely have to tube the wiring. I already got the tubing for it and will do it today.

Again, thank you for taking the time to respond. To complete beginners like I am it’s invaluable to have more experienced people be open to help.

[u/Sudden_Waltz_3160]

A: your cat is adorable

B. I opened and looked the photo before noticing your name or location, and one glance at the first photo, specifically the two houses in the background and I knew "this person lives in Germany"...not even sure what it is about the houses.

C. I think you are right that the tree lends itself to Kabudachi style.

D. I love ginkgos, but have been very disappointed in the one ginkgo bonsai I have. It is a relatively large, tree, though a dwarf variety, purchased at a garden center nursery, but in the 4-5 years I have had it, it has been consistently lackluster in its fall display. The pure gold foliage, followed by the carpet of gold when the leaves fall, is my favorite thing about ginkgos, and the color of the one I have is more pale yellow to beige. Not sure if it is the variety, or something about how I am caring for it, but I am almost ready to give up on the thing. I sincerely hope you have better luck with yours.

[u/Schlachtfeld-21 → u/Sudden_Waltz_3160]

A. Sumi says hi :)
B. I know, right? That style of houses is very recognisable :D
C. Overall I think Ginkgos are best styled as kabudachi, unless you do a yamadori with an already thick trunk. Foliage isn’t as small as with other species, so if you do it from seed, you’ll wait ages until the proportions are right.
D. I see you already asked and got an answer about the autumnal colours of your ginkgo. Hopefully it’ll start doing its thing. Don’t give up on it. Either green or yellow… or beige, they really are beautiful trees.