Mythical and glorious – the ginkgo or fan leaf tree is mysterious, but also a “living fossil” because it existed around 180 million years ago. It will also grow old in your garden if you take good care of it.
How do you care for a ginkgo tree?
Ginkgo care includes choosing a partially shaded to sunny location, nutrient-rich, slightly loamy soil, adequate watering and fertilizing in the first few years. The tree is robust against diseases and pests. Older ginkgos are hardy, young trees should be protected from frost.
Location and soil
It is best to plant your ginkgo so that it is in partial shade for the first few years, but receives more light as it gets older. It actually prefers a sunny location, but is still quite sensitive when young.
It doesn't have too many demands on the soil, but likes it to be nutrient-rich and slightly loamy. It thrives particularly well there. Only the female tree bears fruit, but they smell quite unpleasant, which is also something you should consider when choosing a location. In addition, a ginkgo can grow up to 40 meters high.
Watering and fertilizing
If it feels comfortable in your garden, a ginkgo tree will live several hundred years. It doesn't require any particularly complex care, just enough water and some fertilizer in the first few years.
You can reduce evaporation with a layer of bark mulch (€13.00 on Amazon), so your ginkgo hardly needs any additional water. In this case, it makes sense to treat the tree to a portion of horn shavings; it ensures a better microclimate in the soil.
Diseases and pests
You don't have to worry about a pest infestation or the outbreak of a disease with ginkgo, it is considered very robust. Yellowing of the leaves is completely normal in autumn. It comes on relatively late and is a great eye-catcher in the November gray of your garden.
The Ginkgo in Winter
A normal Central European winter is not a particular challenge for a ginkgo tree, as it is hardy down to around -28 °C. However, this only applies to older ginkgos; a young tree prefers to overwinter frost-free or at least well protected so that the bark does not crack due to frost.
The most important things in brief:
- Location: sunny to partially shaded
- Soil: gravelly or clayey, moderately dry to slightly moist, neutral to slightly acidic, humus
- very adaptable and easy to care for
- Growth: upright and spreading
- Leaves: long-stemmed, fresh green fan leaves
- Autumn color: intense golden yellow
- Flowering time: March to April
- Fruits: only on female trees, mirabelle-like, yellow, unpleasant smelling (like butyric acid)
- older tree hardy to approx. – 28 °C
- Protect young trees from frost cracks in the bark (plant fleece, jute or cane mat)
Tip
If you want to plant a ginkgo near the house or on the balcony, then make sure that the tree is male. The smell of the ripe fruit is not exactly pleasant.
