Ginkgo Trees with Yellow Leaves/Small Leaves

[acipitor]

I've encountered an interesting condition with Ginkgos purchased last year and this year. Many have yellow leaves, not the green they're supposed to be. One in particular I planted this year is really bad. The nursery I purchased it from uses well water, and even admitted that their water was no good. Could it be alkaline?

The first tree I planted last year now has leaves as green as a 4 leaf clover. It was planted in May of 2006 and didn't have much root on it, so I mixed peat and topsoil in with the potting medium before I planted it. I got three more trees from the same nursery but the roots filled up the pot, so I couldn't amend the soil much. Could this be the problem? Their leaves are also smaller than the first tree I planted.

All trees except the one mentioned in the first paragraph have been fertilized in the spring with Estoma Tree Tone

 

[Elmore]

I've encountered an interesting condition with Ginkgos purchased last year and this year. Many have yellow leaves, not the green they're supposed to be. One in particular I planted this year is really bad. The nursery I purchased it from uses well water, and even admitted that their water was no good. Could it be alkaline?

The first tree I planted last year now has leaves as green as a 4 leaf clover. It was planted in May of 2006 and didn't have much root on it, so I mixed peat and topsoil in with the potting medium before I planted it. I got three more trees from the same nursery but the roots filled up the pot, so I couldn't amend the soil much. Could this be the problem? Their leaves are also smaller than the first tree I planted.

All trees except the one mentioned in the first paragraph have been fertilized in the spring with Estoma Tree Tone

I generally don't suggest amending the soil when planting a tree. In rare situations I will recommend some amendments to a large area to be planted. I am glad that the first Ginkgo that you planted has good color and is doing well in the amended soil. As for the other three Ginkgoes that have substantial root systems, you say that you couldn't amend the soil when planting these due to the expansive root ball. What size planting pit are you preparing? It sounds like you have dug socket holes...just slightly larger than the root balls. Are you a commercial landscaper? heh heh
Planting pits (the hole) should be two to three times the diameter of the root ball and about the same depth or slightly shallower than said root ball. If these plants were root bound and you did not adjust or realign the roots before planting, your trees may be doomed to poor vigor and perhaps eventual death. If in doubt dig them up, examine the roots looking for a tightly matted and/or an encircling mass and if so, loosen up these roots with your finger tips, a trowel or make a series of slices with a knife. A series of Xs around and on the bottom of the ball will work. Also look for any roots that are growing out and then back across the crown. These will cause girdling and may eventually kill the tree.

http://www.ccil.org/~treeman/pp.html

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1139.html

 

[acipitor]

Ginkgos

I dug the holes almost twice the width and the same depth. The first Ginkgo didn't have much of a root system on it, whereas the others pretty much had roots that filled up the pot. The roots were loose and I did spread them out and pull them apart as best I could to avoid girdling. What I mean't by not amending the soil is that there was a lot of composted bark mix mixed in with the roots, so that only soil mixed in with the roots was some topsoil that could trickle down in between them. The rest of the soil in the hole was topsoil, sand, humus, clay, and of course the bark mix that was shaken from the roots.

The leaves seem to be getting a little darker as the season goes on, which makes me think that maybe the composted bark mix was alkaline from mineral deposit buiild up caused by watering in the nursery. The first tree's roots grew into fresh soil.

No, I'm not a professional landscaper. If I was, I'd set the tree in a slight depression, pile clay and mulch around the vase (volcano style of course) and use three stakes to keep it stable.

 

[Lumberjacked]

dont know if this helps now but unlike many hardwoods (maples/oaks) that become Iron deficient Ginkos have a tendency to be Magnesium deficient. Get a soil sample and send it to your Co-Op and see what you got in there.