Ginkgo is a special feature in the plant world not only because of its strikingly shaped leaves, the way in which it propagates is also rather rare. So it's no surprise that simply planting a seed is rarely successful.
How do I plant ginkgo seeds correctly?
To plant ginkgo seeds successfully, you should buy germinable seeds from specialist retailers and soak them in lukewarm water for 24 hours before sowing. Then place it in potting soil, cover it thinly and keep it constantly moist. Germination can take up to two years.
Even if you discover orange-yellow, mirabelle or apricot-like fruits on your ginkgo, you will not necessarily get germinable seeds. Fertilization only occurs in autumn when the ripe fruits fall from the tree. To do this, a sexually mature male ginkgo must grow nearby.
How do I get germinable seeds?
Obtaining seeds from your own ginkgo trees is quite difficult. These trees only reach sexual maturity when they are at least 20, but usually 30 to 40 years old. That's how long you have to wait for flowering. If there is no male ginkgo in the vicinity, fertilization is not possible. Therefore, it is best to buy seeds locally from a specialist retailer (€6.00 on Amazon) or online.
How do I sow ginkgo?
If you actually want to grow a ginkgo from seeds, then you need a lot of patience. It can take weeks and months for germination, and in some cases even up to two years. It is often recommended to store the seeds in the refrigerator for some time before sowing, as they are exposed to frost in nature.
However, you can speed up germination a little by roughening or scratching the shell of the right hard core and then watering it. Allow the seeds to soak in lukewarm water for about 24 hours before placing them in a pot with potting soil and covering them thinly with soil. Place the pot in a bright, warm place and keep the soil constantly moist.
The most important things in brief:
- separate sexes: male and female trees
- Sexual maturity at least at age 20, but usually not until age 30 to 40
- Seeds only on female trees
- Fertilization not during flowering but after the fruit falls from the tree
Tip
Sowing a ginkgo tree is not for the impatient as germination can take up to two years.
