6 ways to germinate ginkgo seeds compared

Ginkgo is a living fossile tree. As such, it is one of the species that many people like to grow from bonsai. HOwever, growing them from seed can be cumbersome. Yet, buying plants from a store leaves you with a big straight trunk.
In this video I explore 6 different ways to germinate Ginkgo seeds and I show the outcome of this process. Some were more successfull than others. Most succsfull however were the mice visiting!

[@severalmalfunctions]

Last year I also grew some ginkgo from seed. I can tell you my experience: around the time the fruits started falling I collected them (they were still plump and yellow). I took the seeds out, washed them using gloves, and put them in several types of soil. The seeds do not need stratification. I put the seeds in a greenhouse, watered them about 2 or 3 times a week and after about a month they started to germinate. They seemed indifferent to the soil. Germination rate close to 100%

[@itisjustmedude]

When I crack open cherry pits, I use lock jaw pliers so I can set a maximum closure of the jaws. It keeps me from crushing the seed while still applying a maximum amount of pressure to the pit shell. This was a fun video to watch, thanks for putting it out.

[@sandscribbles1006]

Thanks for sharing, Jelle! Coincidentally I was just researching how to grow ginkgo from seeds as i wanted to try it my self later this year. One interesting tip I read online was on how to deal with the smell. When collecting the seeds, you can drop them into a bucket mixed with some baking soda. Since the main component of the smells comes from acids, neutralizing it with some base chemical could help with reducing the smell during the transport or cleaning process

[@kylepurvis6231]

Hi Jelle, nice video, no simple way to clean collected seeds, but I’ve found that putting them in a 5 gallon bucket, and using a paint mixer on the end of a drill to vigorously mix them several times removes the outer layer, as well as can damage the seeds a bit providing scarification. I’ve had good success with this method. Cheers!

[@brunoandsofie]

Last year I found a female ginkgo tree that had dozens of seedlings growing around the perimeter. This was in late summer (Upstate New York). You can bet I snatched a bunch of them and planted them in pots. They’re all doing great, almost a year later. I also gathered a bunch of seeds from other ginkgo trees to try to germinate. However, Mother Nature really was the best source! I didn’t have to do anything to get those seedlings!

[@gijspunte2056]

The only missing tree at my balcony. Ginkgo might be the best and the worst Bonsai. In a pot they usually do not live long enough to be an epic tree for your great great grandchild. However they can become incredibly old when they regrow from the bottom up in nature. I´m impressed by these more then weird trees and I love the yellow leaves in autumn.

[@sueb1317]

Really great experiment! Will have to revisit my previous germination attempts.

[@BonsaiForRoman]

Very good informative video 👍🏻

[@misovalachovic4988]

Fun to watch, thanks for the experiment:)

[@mikec3820]

peroxide in the water works well for cleaning or soaking seeds. helps with germination rates too. i use the 3%

[@felixmarat8325]

I think it would be easier separating the seed from the pulp / cleaning them using a big Sieve. Just under a running faucet outside, weare disposable gloves and eun your hands on top of the feuits separating the fruit tissues from seed.

[@phillipwaterman5721]

Nice video jelle keep up the good work mate thanks

[@rodgresczyk2920]

Awesome

[@mattlohr3901]

Great video, Jelle, thanks. Female Ginko trees are banned where I live in Ontario.

[@kylepurvis6231]

Just a note on ginkgo, even if you only plant male trees, as city planners have done for years in many communities, the trees will actually change sex to produce seeds in order to allow for propagation. I know hard to believe, but I’ve seed it happening several cities.

[@mattlohr3901]

@@kylepurvis6231 good to know! Thanks

[@kylepurvis6231]

Your pest issues seem to be a challenge? Try sprinkling cinnamon &cayenne pepper on the top of your seed pots, it should act as a deterrent to mice and slugs, as well as being a strong anti fungal agent. Keep growing!

[@jazzrat2000]

I am so much better at seed termination than germination. I should have my own channel about that.

[@mikec3820]

been looking for ginko to get seed or cuts from

[@brucedeacon28]

👍👌🙂