Q: Our beautiful ginkgo tree was destroyed a few years ago in a storm. We left the stump in place. Now, there are two new trees sprouting up from the stump. What is the best thing to do?

A: I am sad to say I don’t think the sprouts will do what you want them to do. They are very likely attached to the side of the stump, not to the roots. This means that they will eventually fail in a storm….and sooner rather than later.

I think your best bet is to remove the sprouts then dig and loosen what soil you can next to the stump out to six feet away from the stump and plant a new ginkgo in that hole.