It's Jade Time!

[Matt S]

Jades are made for heatwaves, so I spent some time today trimming my small leaved jades (Portulacaria afra). When they're kept well fed and watered this time of year I need to trim them every 2 weeks. They're not exactly a traditional species but they grow so well here, you can shape them anyway you like and are ideal for beginners as you really can't kill them.

Big and heavy - 700mm

Jade 1 Jan18.jpg

More manageable. From a cutting taken about 9 years ago.

Jade 2 Jan18.jpg

Slanting, from another cutting also 9 years ago.

Jade 3 Jan18.jpg

Shohin, 4 years old.

Jade 4 Jan18.jpg

Matt.

[boom64]

Great work Matt ,looks like a lot of fun with them. Cheers John

[annaf]

Your Jade trees a beautiful, l have recently starting to bonsai some of my Jade plants, and am researching the best soil mix for them, I am in Melbourne, can I ask what soil mix you use? Thanks

[MJL]

I am not sure that I have ever seen these trees before. I'd better go to the Google machine!

These look wonderful Matt. Well done. I particularly like the first two photos!

Cheers, M

[jonathanv]

I cannot help but cringe when I see a jade being put forward as a bonsai

[Keep Calm and Ramify]

I cannot help but cringe when I see a jade being put forward as a bonsai

4432879.jpg

[Raging Bull]

LOVE KCaR's reply!!

[Pants404]

While I agree with jonothanv completely I feel KCaR was spot on.
These are great examples and deserve some appreciation.
Nice work

Sent from my TA-1052 using Tapatalk

[Matt S]

Ha! Just saw the last few posts.

I appreciate that Jade are not a popular species and a lot of people are happy to tell me how much they hate them. It's not a problem, I've heard it all before but I still enjoy working with them.

Also, I missed the question from annaf, sorry about that. If you're still around, I use very open mix 30% potting mix and the rest inorganic (diatomite/zealite/pumice). As long as it's free draining you'l bee fine, Jade don't like wet feet.

Matt.

[Max]

or frost, boom ,dead this, and half dead that trunk, with frost burn tho i think a lovely aged look can be achieved in the summer

[Sbwright]

I really like them. I was thinking of taking some cuttings from a wild bush in town, potting them up and then using them for a gardening class on Bonsai at my school next year.

[ptt007x]

While I agree with jonothanv completely I feel KCaR was spot on.
These are great examples and deserve some appreciation.



เล่นหวยออนไลน์

[Matt S]

Stinking hot today, so it must be time to repot my Jades. The biggest was showing a lack of vigour and the water wasn't soaking into the soil very well. As suspected, when I took it out of the container it was quite pot bound and the soil directly under the trunk was completely dry. It's been about 3 years since the last repot.

Looking back at the earlier pics in this thread I can see how I've opened up the foliage and softened the pads, which reflects what I've been doing with other species too.

Jade 1 dec19.jpg

Jade 2 Dec19.jpg

Matt.

[kcpoole]

LOvely trees and to ask the question, Why not as Bonsai?

They can be styled in any shape,
the trunks develop great taper
The leaves reduce really well

Sure they not a traditional tree but neither are our natives or ficus so why not use them for bonsai?

if you do not like them then move along.

[anthonyW]

Wow Matt they look fantastic, some of the best I have ever seen, amazing work there.

cheers Anthony