Bonsaify | Are You Developing a Good Dwarf Jade Trunk?

Рет қаралды 27,182

4 ай бұрын

In this follow up video Eric revisits a Dwarf Jade (Portulacaria afra) that he cut back heavily a couple years ago.
First video on the older tree: • Bonsaify | Large Cut o...
Second Video: • Bonsaify | Dwarf Jade ...
Developing dwarf jade should be similar to developing other bonsai species. The trunk is the focus of the composition and the branching is the icing on top. Eric discusses three examples of adding more character to a trunk, trying to make it more gnarly!
00:00:30 Eric discusses why he did a trunk chop to the first tree. He's still not happy with the trunk because the trunk is not interesting enough.
00:01:30 Thinning some leaves so the structure is visible while discussing the ramification process.
00:02:00 - In cold climates be careful to avoid freezing with these plants.
00:02:35 - An example of a young dwarf jade with little work done.
00:04:00 - Do people need to understand what wild dwarf jade look like to make better bonsai with them?
00:04:30 - Eric shares an example of a slightly larger tree in a gallon can and does root work for nebari improvement, and thinning and cutback for trunk character.
00:07:30 With the rough root work done and the branching thinned we look at the structure. Eric decided to make some larger cuts to improve the trunk character.
00:08:30 - Moving on to a jade in a 3-gallon grow bag - the tree had similar work done last year and has been left to grow for the year. Eric discusses the differences among bark character on the trees and the growth regimen.
00:10:05 - Showing the character of the older trunk.
00:10:30 - panning to show the post-trimming and large remaining branch.
00:11:20 - Eric reiterates that taking the time to develop more character in the trunk will give you a more interesting tree later.
You can purchase dwarf jade starters on Bonsaify.com. Thanks for watching!

Пікірлер: 60

@YasuiBonsai 4 ай бұрын

I personally love to see experienced bonsai artists taking a liking to portulacaria, such an easy species to care for and propagate.

@realifenow4485 Ай бұрын

Me, looking at my 30+ dead portulacaria… “well heck”

@matshagstrom9839 13 күн бұрын

I went to the East Bay Bonsai Club meeting last night. Portulacaria was the topic. I learned a ton about these trees. They are edible and serve as elephant food. It seems both cork bark and regular trees work well. There is also a varigated version. The speaker had a nice root over rock which seemed to work well. Defoliation seems to reduce leaf size well. From your presentation I'm going to assume growing them in larger pots or like you mentioned in the ground will pick up the pace. Thank you for the video.

@edubb786 4 ай бұрын

That port is looking beautiful! I was waiting for this update video!

@DavesBonsai 4 ай бұрын

Great to see you working on a Mini Jade. Excellent!

@rubene4403 3 ай бұрын

I lived in Southern California for many years and I had a few I got from a neighbor that was remodeling their backyard. The older ones have tiny pink clusters of flowers. Now I get some frost days in April. Now you have me thinking of getting another one. Old large thick cuttings will root and have flowers.

@user-do8oj1qv5u 4 ай бұрын

Portalucaria prob one of the best beginner material someone can get into... so forgiving, teaches how to ramify with taper fast and turn around is lightning - you'll have a pretty well developed tree in just a couple years. Don't be afraid to cut, they bounce right back

@bonsai_life_style 4 ай бұрын

The thing is that every good Japanese bonsai master would say. ; If you are afraid to cut the tree hard back then you'll never be able to get good quality tree ;.

@HoundStuff 4 ай бұрын

Pretty cool, thanks for sharing!

@OjaiBonsai 4 ай бұрын

I have an over 3foot dwarf jade with a huge base. It’s an incredible tree but it’s a succulent. I have never brought mine indoors and I live in Ojai where it does freeze and have had no issues. Always love your videos thank you

@reywashere5284 4 ай бұрын

They are known to handle brief light freezes just fine -if it goes below freezing for many days in a row, or ever below 20f, I would protect the plant just in case.

@rickyruins2272 4 ай бұрын

I’ve tried them in the ground and I’m fairly confident they grow faster just constantly being up potted and given lots of wet/dry cycles. I have them potted in extremely fast drying mix and they get watered every day in the summer and grow like weeds

@bonsai_life_style 4 ай бұрын

I do same with desert Rose's Adenium's I water them daily but i have mega free drained substrate and they grow like crazy .

@patriciatatich3014 2 ай бұрын

VG perspective on trunk development… thank you.

@ghostlink7972 4 ай бұрын

Thank you for sharing information...❤

@ddhqj2023 4 ай бұрын

I've turned to dwarf jade because I live on the prairies and the air is super dry and because of cold temperatures, every plant growing in a pot, no matter how big, dies from the cold. -30 totally does them in, so my bonsai have to be indoors where our air is sooo dry.

@allmetaliswelcome 4 ай бұрын

There's some great examples of Portulacaria Bonsai on KZfaq! The Bonsai Supply has a series with one and Wigert's (might have the name wrong) too. It can be done!

@5BoB Ай бұрын

I grow mine in the higveld in South Africa, where they are from. Winters get to lows of 30 degrees. I have no issues keeping them out doors in the cold weather

@Bonsaify Ай бұрын

Interesting. I wonder if there is significant genetic variation between the commonly found ones here in the US and the ones you have. We saw that some were damaged in light frost (at like 34F) while others were fine. But in the end, all ours drop leaves and look really sad in winter if we leave them out in the cold!

@5BoB Ай бұрын

@@Bonsaify Would be interesting to know... We are at a elevation of 4500 ft, and the past week we have had nights and mornings of 35 degrees and below. and all my dwarf jades are doing just fine. That said, the temp down here vary alot. Winters are a minimum of 30 and a daily max of 80.. We dont get snow, and we dont have the cold all day long

@HoundStuff 4 ай бұрын

Hopefully we get more PA content in the future, too 😀

@moniqueverhelst7278 4 ай бұрын

Very good video! ❤ I will follow you.

@Bonsaify 4 ай бұрын

Awesome! Thank you!

@Andimia55 4 ай бұрын

I had a normal home depot Portulacaria afra in a 2" pot that I got 18 years ago and all my standard P. afra plants are cuttings from it. A few of my plants started getting this corky bark and some weird growths on the trunks and it turns out that they had flat mites. I let the infestation go controlled for awhile and then treated them with a Sulphur based insecticide. Made great corky bark like that but still was due to pests.

@Bonsaify 4 ай бұрын

Wow, interesting. Thanks for the tip!

@dulalkundu5269 8 күн бұрын

very nice bonsai tree , how height of that plants ?

@zimmy1958 4 ай бұрын

Thanks.

@KennetDeBondt 4 ай бұрын

Interesting: thx.

@lovegardeningplants 4 ай бұрын

Do you grow your jade's in your 80% perlite 20 % cocco Choir ?

@djordjevolarevic3872 4 ай бұрын

Have you tried that substrate on anything already? Tried it a few days ago for the first time (on my maple, oak and chestnut trees), so am wondering how it is going to turn out

@lovegardeningplants 4 ай бұрын

@@djordjevolarevic3872 I have in the past I think the perlite I used was too large. Eric once messaged me and said 3mm -5mm is best if I remember right. I'm going to try again this year.

@djordjevolarevic3872 4 ай бұрын

@@lovegardeningplants thank you for the reply, I've used finer grain, so it should be fine then

@Akatsuki-En 2 ай бұрын

Just got my first few a week or so ago

@heidizwaenepoel7355 4 ай бұрын

Interesting video. I have a couple of ports I’m growing from cuttings. They are 1,5 years old. I would like a bit larger tree in the end (60-80 cm). Do I let them grow then ? They are very healthy and I like them very much.

@Bonsaify 4 ай бұрын

let it grow = larger trunk and growth. Cut it back = smaller growth and more fine branching

@heidizwaenepoel7355 4 ай бұрын

@@Bonsaify that is what I thought too. Thank you 🙏

@GrowingBonsai 12 күн бұрын

Hi Eric, it looks like the porto you have there develops actual bark. Is that because of previous damage, or does the variety in this video actually develop bark? Would be keen to get my hands on some cork developing material.

@Bonsaify 12 күн бұрын

Yeah, this specific variety is much more corky than others. But on the flip side, it's less cold tolerant, and the foliage can be kinda floppy. Unfortunately, I didn't track specifically which sources I used for which cuttings. But, I think I have some gallons that are showing the cork. Send me an email.

@poeflores 3 ай бұрын

Good evening, What scissors do you recommend for ports? I’ve been reading that stainless steel are best for them.

@Bonsaify 3 ай бұрын

Don't really have an opinion on that. Stainless is great, but you just need a scissor with a fine tip. I've used this pair and have no complaints: amzn.to/4d8ZmtX

@bigggtuna414 4 ай бұрын

Do you use the same perlite and coconut coir soil mix as you do for your other trees for the early stages of the portulacarias?

@Bonsaify 4 ай бұрын

Yes.

@9daywonda 4 ай бұрын

As ever nice work ERIC. Though I am not an expert I always see jade plants as not really being bonsai. Please feel free to correct me?

@damon00 4 ай бұрын

The fact that it’s called Dwarf Jade is a little misleading. It’s not actually a jade plant. Actual jade is not really considered a good subject for Bonsai. It scientific name is Portulacaria afra and is a very good subject for bonsai. Which is why people love it so much. It’s also considered legit Bonsai by most of the bonsai people I know. There was also one exhibited at the nationals last year.

@Jerome30000 4 ай бұрын

Bonjour vidéo intéressante je suis dans le Sud de la France et je cultive aussi du jade. Quel substrat tu utilise car il ma l'air très léger ? Dans l'attente d'un retour de ta part je te souhaite un bon dimanche. Cordialement Jérôme.

@Bonsaify 4 ай бұрын

70% Perlite, 15% Coco, 15% Fir Bark for development. I use APL mixes for trees in bonsai pots. But they will grow in almost anything.

@Jerome30000 4 ай бұрын

@@Bonsaify Merci beaucoup pour votre retour à bientôt 👍

@edubb786 4 ай бұрын

Are you using the same bonsai mix as you would for your other trees?

@Bonsaify 4 ай бұрын

70% Perlite, 15% Coco, 15% Fir Bark for development. I use APL mixes for trees in bonsai pots.

@dkstott29 4 ай бұрын

I've been told that ports go dormant around 60F and can turn to mush when exposed to Temps under 40F... Ports don't like to have roots pruned AND branches cut back at the same time... Doing that here in New England is a recipe for a dead plant

@Andimia55 4 ай бұрын

Are you leaving them dry for a little bit after root pruning or watering them right away. I've never encountered that issue and I wonder if it's an issue with aftercare

@strongbird3499 4 ай бұрын

Depends on how much light and heat they're getting. If growing vigorously outside in mid-summer sun, you can prune roots and branches together with no problem. I imagine the same is true if you've got them indoors under good grow lights. I'm about to test this. However, in the past, I've pruned & repotted ports in early spring that had spent the winter in a windowsill with no supplemental light, and that indeed was a bad idea. I managed to kill one. Others dropped all their leaves and went comatose for months (though eventually recovered).

@dkstott29 4 ай бұрын

@strongbird3499 I've had ports die even in the summer after major root pruning and trimming...So now, I only do 1 at a time...

@CarlosSanchez-tn2gb 3 ай бұрын

What soil mix are you using?

@Bonsaify 3 ай бұрын

70% perlite / 30% coco coir.

@rizkyrijzalbonsai6990 4 ай бұрын

Mantap👍👍👍

@lawrencekim128 4 ай бұрын

What terracotta pot is that?

@Bonsaify 4 ай бұрын

Japanese Terra cotta - www.bonsaioutlet.com/pots/unglazed-bonsai-pots/japanese-tokoname-training-grow-pot/

@Allann882 4 ай бұрын

Where to buy a real bonsái in DC USA?

@Bonsaify 4 ай бұрын

Ha. I'm planning a video on "Real Bonsai". But I would say consider getting into the bonsai community. I don't know much about DC, but there are conventions this year that are great places to get stuff: May in St. Louis - bonsai-central.com/ October in Oakland, CA - Pacificbonsaiexpo.org