I live in Wichita Falls, zone 7b, alkaline soil. Anybody have any experience with gingko trees hereabouts or in similar environments? I want to plant one.
gingko trees in North Texas
I have had a ginkgo tree for 2 years. According to Howard Garrett., it grows better with an organic program.I'm not sure what that exactly involves, but I would make sure there is lots of organic matter and amendments mixed in the hole.I used to see them up in Canada. I hope you get one, the leaves are so beautiful.
They are quite adaptable to various soils, and can take temps well below zero, so growing one in Wichita Falls shoud not be a problem. They are rare in Texas but specimens can be seen in Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Waco, San Antonio, Nacogdoches, etc. These are such spectacular trees that it would be great if every serious gardener would plant one for the next generation.
I bought a really small gingko about 6 or 7 years ago. Didn't do anything really but put it in the ground in our side yard. Then when we added an upstairs room in 2003, the construction workers (accidentally) broke off the top. Howard Garrett says it's slow grower, but truly it took off after 2003 and is now at the bottom of our upstairs window. I love it and wish we could be around to see it in 50 years (I'd be about 114 then)!
Maybe you found the secret to getting it to grow fast...just cut off the top!