The ginkgo tree also grew in Europe around 180 million years ago, but it only survived the Cretaceous period in parts of China. In the meantime it has again become a popular tree for parks and Japanese gardens, but also as a house tree.
The gingko likes it sunny
The choice of location
Although the ginkgo tree grows quite slender and upright, in the course of its long life it still gets a quite spreading crown. So it needs a lot of space. While a young ginkgo thrives best in partial shade, the mature tree prefers a sunny location.
There are male and female ginkgo trees, but only the female ones bear fruit. Since these smell quite unpleasant, you should not plant female ginkgo near your terrace. Otherwise, the smell could spoil many a barbecue evening. A male tree is a better choice in this case.
The preparation of the ground
The ginkgo is quite adaptable and easy to care for, it gets along with almost any soil. However, if he had the choice, he would prefer a moderately dry to slightly moist humus-rich soil. It may be neutral to slightly acidic and gritty or clayey. Basically, the ginkgo is hardy, but only with increasing age. A young ginkgo needs winter protection or frost-free overwintering.
The planting
Be sure to dig a sufficiently large planting hole (diameter about one and a half times the root ball) so that the roots have enough space and are not kinked when planting. Mix the soil to be filled with a good portion of rotted compost or simply put the compost in the planting hole. So your ginkgo has enough fertilizer for the next few months.
The essentials in brief:
- best planting time: spring
- best location for young plants: semi-shade
- Autumn planting only recommended for robust older trees (at least 6 years old)
- dig a sufficiently large planting hole
- Fill in compost
- Water the ginkgo well
- Possibly tie a small tree to a tree post, otherwise it will easily tip over in a storm
tips
Tie your young ginkgo to one or more tree stakes to keep it from tipping over in a storm.