JADE BONSAI & MANY PLANTS FOR ALL | GARDENING TIPS |

Bonsai literally means ‘planted in a shallow
container’. It’s a common misunderstanding that bonsai trees are a particular species of genetically dwarfed plant. You can actually turn most plants into bonsai, but some are better suited to looking like miniature trees and living in shallow containers than others.

Many of us have come across these beautiful tiny trees, that live in surprisingly tiny pots and are sculpted into charismatic shapes. We ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ at their beauty, imagine them as our coffee-table centrepiece, but then feel intimidated by not knowing the ancient art of caring for bonsai.
The hefty price tag doesn’t help our trepidation, especially when we start worrying that it might look more like an amorphous bush than a mini ancient tree once we get our hands on it. That’s how I felt too, until a good friend of mine gifted me a young dwarf jade bonsai and there was no room for waffling or doubt
If you’re interested in growing bonsai trees but worried you can’t maintain them or are not keen on dropping one-hundred-plus dollars on a mature tree… read on! I’ll walk you through my simple steps for growing a great beginner bonsai – the dwarf jade – from an inexpensive cutting to a beautiful tree. This pretty plant is my most forgiving and no-fuss houseplant. It’s also my longest-lived plant and a joy to shape and grow (and show off!).

Bonsai literally means ‘planted in a shallow container’. It’s a common misunderstanding that bonsai trees are a particular species of genetically dwarfed plant. You can actually turn most plants into bonsai, but some are better suited to looking like miniature trees and living in shallow containers than others.

Many of us have come across these beautiful tiny trees, that live in surprisingly tiny pots and are sculpted into charismatic shapes. We ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ at their beauty, imagine them as our coffee-table centrepiece, but then feel intimidated by not knowing the ancient art of caring for bonsai.
The hefty price tag doesn’t help our trepidation, especially when we start worrying that it might look more like an amorphous bush than a mini ancient tree once we get our hands on it. That’s how I felt too, until a good friend of mine gifted me a young dwarf jade bonsai and there was no room for waffling or doubt – my hat was in the ring!

I was ten when I received the jade and I honestly didn’t know much about plant care and not a thing about bonsai. Now over 15 years have passed, and Mama Jade and I have grown to know each other quite well. Yes, I named my precious plant and, yes, she propagates like crazy and has many bonsai children now!

So, the following is what I’ve learned from growing, shaping and propagating jade bonsai (also known as elephant bush or portulacaria afra) over the years. It’s probably not a “bonsai expert’s” approach, but through my simple method I’ve had my own brand of success and a lot of fun along the way without the stress or paralysing apprehension of needing to do it perfectly. Without further ado, let’s dig into the details!

Choosing a Cutting

Find yourself a cutting 4 to 10-inches long and as thick as possible. The cutting can be a straight single trunk, or a piece with branching stems. The choice is yours!

If you can’t get a cutting from a friend or store, you can probably find a young jade bonsai tree that is cheap and cheerful. These trees will have thinner trunks and a less established shape than mature trees. That’s all well and good in my books because it offers you a blank canvas to practice pruning, learning its growth habits and developing your artistic vision for its form.

Growing Roots

Remove leaves from the bottom 2-inches of your cutting by pinching them off, then pop the stem in a glass with 2-inches of water. The water should come up to, but not past, the bottom leaves of the cutting. And those leaves you pinched off? They’re actually edible and used in southern African cuisine. Give one a taste if you’re feeling adventurous!

Roots can appear in a matter of days or up to a few weeks. Continue to leave the cutting in water until there is a nice network of roots about 2-inches long. Remember to check on your cutting and top-up or change the water periodically.

Potting

You’ve got roots! Now it’s time to pot your little tree-to-be in soil. Bonsai soil (often a mix of akadama, pumice and lava rock) is best but I’ve actually never used it. Instead, I use the cactus soil I have lying around, and it works just fine. The main concern is using soil with good drainage and a pot with drainage
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