WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Ginkgo biloba, WUCOLS IV

How often to water maidenhair tree in California

In July in the Central Valley, established maidenhair tree in loam needs a deep watering about every 8 days: about 55 gallons each time under a 10 foot canopy, about 47 gallons a week. Ginkgo biloba, the maidenhair tree, is a deciduous shade tree with fan-shaped leaves that turn golden yellow before dropping in fall. Growth is slow and often sparse in its early years. Established trees tolerate heat, urban soil and dry spells, but a newly planted ginkgo still needs help while its roots spread.

TreeRated for 5 of 6 zones

How often to water maidenhair tree, month by month

Your city
Canopy width
10 ft
Your soil

Type your city above and the days between waterings and the gallons appear here, worked out from your city's climate table. Or read the figures by climate zone further down.

Every month, on your water days. The personal plan prints this for maidenhair tree and the rest of your yard, on the days your water supplier allows.Get the plan for $19

How this is worked out: established roots fill the top 1.5 feet of soil, and you water again when that soil has dried halfway. Loam soil holds about 1.5 inches of water per foot. Water the whole area under the branches, and skip a watering after a good soaking rain.

Which soil do you have?

Dig down a few inches, take a handful of moist soil and squeeze it.

  • Sandy: gritty, falls apart when you open your hand, will not form a ball.
  • Loam: forms a soft ball that crumbles when you poke it.
  • Clay: forms a firm, sticky ball and squeezes out into a ribbon between thumb and finger.

Still not sure? Pick loam. Most garden beds sit between sand and clay.

How to measure canopy width

A tree with its canopy width marked across the widest branches and the circle under it shaded blue

Measure across the branches, from the tips of the outer leaves on one side to the tips on the other. A tape works, or pace it out.

Water the whole circle under the branches, shown in blue. The gallons here cover that circle.

A wider canopy means more gallons each watering, not more waterings. While the tree is young, measure again each spring.

How to tell it needs water

  • Soil dry several inches down at the edge of a young ginkgo root ball signals it needs a deep soak
  • Leaf edges browning and curling in summer heat can indicate a young tree is short on water
  • Sparse, pale new growth on an older tree can reflect its naturally slow habit rather than thirst
  • Yellowing leaves dropping early over soil that stays wet can indicate overwatering or poor drainage
  • Standing water around the trunk after irrigation warrants a check of the surrounding grade and drainage

How to water it

  • Water a young maidenhair tree over its full root ball, widening the soaked area as the canopy grows
  • Soak the root zone deeply with drip or a slow hose rather than frequent light sprinkling
  • Keep the trunk base dry and move irrigation outward toward the drip line as the tree matures
  • Use well-drained soil and avoid low spots where water collects around the trunk
  • Spread mulch over the root zone, keeping it a few inches clear of the trunk

Through the seasons

Give a newly planted maidenhair tree deep soakings through its first few summers while roots establish. Established trees slow their water use and can go longer between soakings. Leaves emerge in spring, stay green through summer, then turn gold and drop in fall, leaving the tree bare through winter dormancy. Watering matters most from spring through early fall. Winter rain typically covers the dormant season on the coast and in the Central Valley, so check inland and desert sites during dry spells. WUCOLS rates the maidenhair tree moderate water on the north-central coast, in the Central Valley, on the south coast, in South Inland and in the high desert. WUCOLS has not evaluated it for the low desert.

In pots

A young maidenhair tree can grow in a large container for a few years before its roots need open ground. Check the mix several inches down during California summer heat, since a tree in a pot dries faster than one planted in a bed. Water until it drains through the holes, then empty the saucer. Choose a deep, sturdy container and repot before roots circle the bottom. In winter, water only enough to keep the mix from drying out completely while the bare branches rest.

1 Your climate zone six WUCOLS zones, each from its own reference city
2.67gal per sq ft in JulyModerate water use in the Central Valley zone
A year
17.11 gal per sq ft
Reference
Sacramento climate table
Counts
Plant need, before sprinkler losses
0.761.52.33.00.4JAN0.65FEB1.09MAR1.52APR2.08MAY2.48JUN2.67JUL2.39AUG1.8SEP1.18OCT0.56NOV0.34DEC0.761.52.33.00.4JFM1.52AMJ2.67JAS1.18OND
Gallons per square foot per month, Central Valley. Peak 2.67 in Jul, 17.11 a year.

Monthly water need by climate zone

Maidenhair Tree: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.370.40.780.780.74–
Feb0.530.650.810.870.93–
Mar0.871.091.151.31.46–
Apr1.181.521.41.611.89–
May1.462.081.611.952.39–
Jun1.612.481.742.292.85–
Jul1.612.671.982.513.04–
Aug1.492.391.862.332.79–
Sep1.241.81.491.862.14–
Oct0.871.181.151.331.46–
Nov0.470.560.840.90.93–
Dec0.310.340.650.680.65–
Year1217.1115.518.4121.27–

How this is worked out: the WUCOLS water rating for each zone times that zone’s climate for the month. A dash means WUCOLS does not rate the plant there. The figures are what the plant uses, before sprinkler losses.

Plants with the same water needs 16

Rated moderate water in the Central Valley, like maidenhair tree. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

Citrus TreesCitrus spp.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyJapanese MapleAcer palmatummoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyAvocado TreesPersea americanamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyMagnolia TreesMagnolia grandiflora ssp. & cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyPalm TreesSyagrus romanzoffiana (Arecastrum romanzoffianum)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyApple TreesMalus spp. (edible) e.g, 'Anna' (low chill variety for low desert)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyPeach TreesPrunus spp. ediblemoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyPersimmon TreesDiospyros kakimoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyAmur MapleAcer ginnalamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyFernleaf MapleAcer japonicummoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyBox ElderAcer negundomoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyNorway MapleAcer platanoidesmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyRed MapleAcer rubrummoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyChinese MapleAcer truncatummoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyRed BuckeyeAesculus paviamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyRed HorsechestnutAesculus x carneamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July

Similar plants that need less water 16

Rated lower than maidenhair tree in the Central Valley. Worth a look for a new bed or a lawn replacement.

Olive TreesOlea europaea ssp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyFig TreesFicus carica ssp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyCrape MyrtleLagerstroemia spp., hybrids & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyAloeAloe spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyPomegranate TreesPunica granatumlow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyEucalyptusEucalyptus polyanthemoslow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyPine TreesPinus canariensislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyJunipersJuniperus spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyTexas Red OakQuercus buckleyilow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyPortuguese OakQuercus faginealow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySoapbark TreeQuillaja saponarialow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyNecklace TreeSophora affinislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyBailey AcaciaAcacia baileyanalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySilver WattleAcacia dealbatalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyGreen WattleAcacia decurrenslow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySydney Golden WattleAcacia longifolialow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Minutes for your sprinklers

Turn this into minutes on your water days

Every city page has a calculator that takes maidenhair tree, your sprinkler type and the month, and gives the minutes per water day for that supplier's schedule. Or put it in a zone of the personal watering plan and get all twelve months printed.

Questions people ask

How often should I water maidenhair tree in summer?

In July, established maidenhair tree in loam needs a deep watering about every 8 days in the Central Valley, about every 11 days on the south coast and about every 9 days in the South Inland zone. Sandy soil holds less water, so waterings come closer together. Clay stretches them. Check the soil before each watering and skip one after a soaking rain.

How much water does maidenhair tree need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established maidenhair tree needs about 6.8 gallons a day under a 10 foot canopy and about 27 gallons a day under a 20 foot canopy. Give it in deep waterings spread days apart rather than a little every day, so the whole root zone gets wet.

Does watering for maidenhair tree change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates maidenhair tree separately for each of the six California climate zones: moderate water in the North-Central Coastal zone, moderate water in the Central Valley zone, moderate water in the South Coastal zone, moderate water in the South Inland zone, moderate water in the High and Intermediate Desert zone, not evaluated in the Low Desert zone. The monthly table above shows how the same rating translates into different gallon amounts as reference evapotranspiration changes.

Why is my new ginkgo tree growing so slowly?

Young ginkgo trees are naturally slow and often sparse for the first several years. Steady root zone moisture supports this early growth. Consistent watering will not make the tree grow noticeably faster.

Does ginkgo need less water as it gets older?

Yes, an established tree with a spread root system needs less frequent help than a young one. Deep, well spaced soakings suit a mature tree better than shallow surface watering. Check the soil at the drip line before its next soak.

Why do the leaves drop all at once in fall?

Ginkgo is known for dropping its golden leaves within a short window once cold weather arrives. This is normal seasonal behavior, not a sign of a watering problem. Clean up fallen leaves to keep the root zone tidy.

Should I worry about the smelly fruit on my ginkgo?

Only female trees produce the fleshy, strong smelling seeds. Most nursery trees sold today are grafted males chosen to avoid this problem. Fruit production is not related to how the tree is watered.

Can ginkgo handle compacted or urban soil?

Yes, it tolerates compacted, alkaline and polluted urban soils better than many trees. It still benefits from deep soaking rather than shallow surface watering in these conditions. Good drainage remains important even in tough soil.

Why are the leaf edges browning on my ginkgo in late summer?

Check the root ball of a young tree for dryness, since edge browning often follows heat stress. Reflected heat from pavement can worsen this on a street tree. Confirm the soil is dry before assuming a disease problem.

More plant watering guides

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Sources