Maximizing spring & summer growth (P. afra)

[Castanea]

Hey bonsai nuts,

I could use your input regarding growth for my little portulacaria afra.

Assuming I left the plant in the pictured pot – outside - with regular water/fertilization, how much stem thickness do you suppose I could gain in a grow season? I’ve heard the dwarf jade can thicken rather quickly in good weather conditions, but not sure how much a small pot would inhibit that growth.

Also, I’m thinking about slapping together a cheap grow box from cedar wood to really give it room to grow during the warm months. Any size recommendations? I’m new at this and don’t know what is too big/small for the purpose of beefing up this little plant.

Thanks!

 

[just.wing.it]

Wish I had more of the advice you're looking for....
I like that little one you have there.
I also have a small one in a small pot. I haven't had it long enough to know much about its habits, but I would imagine that a grow box or colander would help speed up the process, of thickening up.

 

[Geo]

http://adamaskwhy.com/2012/08/22/dwarf-jade-portulacaria-afra/
A good deal of info here. Great blog.

 

[lieuz]

@Castanea Hi there, neat little jade you got there. That link is very informational @Geo, thank you! When wiring these succulents, I feel like I'm playing Jenga, I hold my breath with each bend. This is my jade after a year of growth, growing season outside, winter inside.

 

[Castanea]

Great blog, @Geo ! Super informative. @lieuz , that is some tremendous growth for a year's time. Has it been in the same pot the whole year? I've gotta say it's encouraging to see another dwarf jade in Virginia develop so quickly.

 

[lieuz]

@Castanea Yes, it has been in that pot ever since I got it. Here is another shot of it. The left picture is August of this year, and the right picture is it in November when I wired it up. It initially had wire on it but it was cutting into the flesh a bit more than I wanted. I took it off to give it some breathing time and rewired it in November as mentioned. I'll say this, I'm sure it's like this everywhere else, this is like crack to squirrels. They decimated a jade of mine. Chomped it down like a beaver falling a tree. I hate squirrels. Be safe out there.

 

[Castanea]

Good to know @lieuz . I thought about deer but haven't even considered squirrels. I like the form you've given this tree. How have you been fertilizing it?

 

[fredman]

Yes you can get very good growth outside from them. I do this all the time. I recess the pots in the ground and leave them there for a season or two. The main roots that grew through into the ground, can easily be removed when its lifted.
I push the pot on the ground to get an imprint. Remove two inches of soil.. sprinkle some blood and bone in the hole and lightly work it in. Then I put the pot in the hole so its recessed.
This one was thinner than a pencil when I did that. When I lifted it, two years later it was almost 2 inches thick.

 

[M. Frary]

I hate squirrels

Hot lead poisoning works great!

 

[lieuz]

@Castanea I typically use Plant Tone from Espoma. It's worked for me for the last few years. I typically but it in a tea bag and skewer it with a tooth pick onto the surface of the soil once a month in the growing season.

 

[lieuz]

@M. Frary I'm going to admit this. I put a small dish of wasabi out. And enjoy the show from my kitchen.

 

[M. Frary]

@M. Frary I'm going to admit this. I put a small dish of wasabi out. And enjoy the show from my kitchen.

That sounds like great fun actually.

 

[fredman]

This one is similar to what you have. It to was pencil size. I had the bonsai pot in the ground for two seasons... I'm chopping it again come spring. Its way to lengthy...

 

[lieuz]

@fredman soo girrrrthy.

 

[just.wing.it]

This one is similar to what you have. It to was pencil size. I had the bonsai pot in the ground for two seasons... I'm chopping it again come spring. Its way to lengthy...
View attachment 95053

Fredman, am I right that your plant put on that girth in 2 years while growing in that pot, buried in the ground?

 

[fredman]

Yes mate that's right. I removed the screen in the pot's drainage hole so it can grow without restriction. The root that I removed when lifting it, was almost as thick as the trunk...

 

[just.wing.it]

Yes mate that's right. I removed the screen in the pot's drainage hole so it can grow without restriction. The root that I removed when lifting it, was almost as thick as the trunk...

Wow, I was wondering about the mesh...
So when you pulled it up, what kind of repot / root work did you do? Or none?

 

[fredman]

Still have it in that pot. Ill take it out next spring and see what roots it has. Doesn't matter really. Once the trunk is good the roots can be built around it. You can even cut the trunk off just above the roots and grow new ones easily. Im thinking of doing that...screw it to a board and let it grow new side roots... its a succulent

 

[just.wing.it]

Still have it in that pot. Ill take it out next spring and see what roots it has. Doesn't matter really. Once the trunk is good the roots can be built around it. You can even cut the trunk off just above the roots and grow new ones easily. Im thinking of doing that...screw it to a board and let it grow new side roots... its a succulent

Niiice!....

 

[fredman]

The problem I see is...like most plants it takes a season to establish itself, and then takes off in the second. The real growth comes in the second. This don't take to freezing conditions well. It looses all its new growth when that happens to it. Might even die off the whole thing....