Heres my latest. I gotta buy a proper pot and trim it again.
Ive got to pull the limbs down a bit more too, it just takes a while because I fear breakage.
Jade Plant.
Was grown in the ground to make it so fat. That's about a 5 gallon aquarium it's in.
She's growing in the bathroom.
Not a five gallon, I think it's maybe a 2 gallon?? I forget, lol. It's smaller than my current 5 gallon aquarium though.
That Jade looks terrific, more pic. as you work and training the plant please.
How do you train your Jade Crimson? I am about to start one as I have a heap of big fat beauties like yours. Some even more so. The picture is one of my Portulacaria afra recovering from its latest branch & root trim. I was thinking of attacking her today using polystyrene blocks to wedge the branches open & push them down. I am afraid wire will harm her. Any ideas?
Thats a nice jade!
I am using electrical tape with padding on the limbs so the tape wont harm the skin.
I pull the limbs down as much as I dare as often as I think I can get away with and just tape it to the container.
Im always a lil scared because jade is so brittle.
OK. Thanx. I guess you would get more control with the tape. I'll start with the polystyrene method & switch to tape when she grows back more leaves. She isn't a Jade btw, but an Elephant Bush. From the purslane family, though still a Crassulaceae I think. If you like I will post a photo once the polystyrene is in to show what I mean.
This message was edited Mar 20, 2008 9:33 PM
Both of you have plants with nice trunks. I am envious. The Portulacaria will be a beaut after back budding. It has nice roots as well. I have one tiny cutting of P. afra in a mame pot at the moment The pot contains perhaps a scant tablespoonful of soil so I find myself watering very frequently.
I am at the point of trying to balance money and time. I really want a large Jade or P. afra, and don't want to wait for one to grow. I guess that I will bite the bullet and order one from one of the California growers.
Beth
The Jades grow a lot faster in my experience, though it may depend on climate. If you wanted to grow your own up, they would be the way to go. Otherwise perhaps find a large Elephant Bush & cut off a decent-sized branch to start off. It may take some time to raise the roots but at least you will have the trunk & branches to shape.
Another way of going that will get you a result in a shorter time is getting a flat board or even a bathroom tile. Either way, about the same size. Drill an uneven number of holes around 1/2 inch in diameter. Then get your 3, 5 or 7 sticks of Elephant Bush & poke them through the holes so the board or tile can be planted into a pot. It is important to bury the board enough so that roots will form over & under it. As the plants grow, they will start to meld whilst you prune roots from beneath every 6 months to a year. Eventually, you will be able to remove the board & wind up with high roots under a multi-trunk tree. It should work with Jades as well, or anything that isn't hardwood really.
actually that form of pressure grafting works with hardwoods as well, just a whole lot more slowly. I have seen maples that have done the same thing in nature. I've also seen it done to create fantastically shaped trees.
Finding a large P. afra in this area is unlikely, however purchasing 3 to 5 starts by mail is a distinct possibility. Thanks for the tip, I may get it started in late spring or early summer. Hummm, that would work with the banyan type figs also, wouldn't it?
Beth
I'd imagine so. Figs are like that. It interesting what you say about hardwoods. I have some young Ghost Gums that may be worth trying then. The maples you saw in the wild sound nice.
Ian
