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Jade bonsaiTips and Techniques for Jade Care
Jade trees can reach up to heights of 2-3 meters. Jade has beautiful features. It is marked by thick trunks and branches. The leaves are elliptical in shape and are generally green in colour, although some varieties like the baby jade have round leaves with colour ranging from pale grey to blue-green haze. The size of the leaves of Jade is about 1 to 2 inches, but look good when kept to the size of half inches; this can be achieved by regular pruning of the bonsai plant. General Jade Care Jade being a tropical plant requires a good amount of exposure to the sun. It is used to arid conditions and is naturally designed to retain water in the leaves. Avoid exposing the plant to cold weathers as it would be detrimental to the general well being of the plant. When kept indoors the Jade Bonsai should be kept in close proximity to a natural source of light. A window sill, with exposure to sunlight would be an ideal place. Watering Jade Bonsai Jade trees are used to arid conditions, hence do not need as much watering as many others. If over watered, it develops an unhealthy root system, which fails to cope up to the demands of the heavy foliage on the plants. Allow the soil to dry in between two watering sessions. That way you allow the roots of the bonsai to venture out in search of moisture which augments the growth of the plant. This is a speciality of the Jade tree bonsai and should not be considered as a general practice. Jade Wiring Techniques Jade is one of the varieties of bonsai which respond very well to wiring, although it demands some bit of caution to be practiced while conducting wiring exercise. Wiring too tightly might result in deep fissure mark on the barks; hence the Jade Bonsai should be wired loosely. It is generally advised not to water the Jade before wiring. This is because watering results in the branches becoming too rigid and might get broken during the wiring exercise. Pruning Your Jade Tree Prune the Jade leaves to half there size in order to make the plant look compact and visually appealing. General practices followed for promoting trunk growth involves techniques like trunk reduction. New growth is quickly seen in the wounded area, adding to the vigour of the plant. Repotting Repotting should be carried out at an interval of 2-3 years. Each time repotting is done ensure that the soil used has a good mixture of inorganic and organic matters. The pot should have proper drainage holes to prevent over saturation. It is best to carry out the repotting exercise during spring. Keep the plant in shade immediately after repotting. Having spent all the time and effort on growing your Jade Bonsai you will get your reward once you see the beautiful green miniature jade in a corner of your room. The sense of satisfaction will compensate all your efforts in growing it.
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