jomawa
Shohin
Back in August 2016 at the local bonsai club meeting I was given a couple rootless sprigs of "Ming Jade". Both about 1/32nd inch diameter "trunks", and about two and three inches long. Knowing nothing about this plant other than what the mother plant looked like, figured I'd give it a try to get the sprigs to root and grow into something, I'm sorta nuts that way, (crazy enough to even try it). The following photos basically tell the story.
8/14/2016
The two sprigs planted in the same pot to keep each other company. Fern gotten at same meeting with the hope of eventual life there too. (Was not aware of the oxymoronish or watering discrepancy between the two species).
9/6/2016
Jade seems to be alive and growing (rooted?), can't say the same about the fern (still dead?).
10/8/2016
Seems to be blooming, (didn't see that coming). Prior to any blooming, had actually inquired whether to do any thing with the light cycle in order to possibly promote blooms but was advised against it due to the energy required to bloom, may kill this small a plant. Oh well, carry on.
10/26/2016
Whoops, gotta pay attention. Ming pulls the leaves all together when she's thirsty. Don't think she's completely in the throes of a drought yet.
10/28/2016
Dang, how many days can I check only to find the blossoms still haven't opened??? Wait, there's one! With my poor eyesight it's a good thing the (cheap) camera has macro.
10/30/2016
Maybe now I should revitalize the "Whimsy" dish, (the "vine maple forest" that was in it battled with last winter and lost [died]).
Have utterly no knowledge of this plant other than what I've observed keeping it alive thus far so I'm open to and really needy of suggestion. "Trunks" are nearing 1/4 inch diameter. Am intending to transfer these two "sprigs" into the Whimsy dish (standard soap dish I bored four holes through) but at the same time am wondering whether that is OK/advisable, (root wise for this plant). Can I reasonably expect to contain the roots (of three ming jades) in a soap dish, (yes I realize we are in a bonsai forum here, where "anything is possible, but...". Are those roots growing anywhere near as fast as the plant above ground? This jade is 100% indoors and totally artificially lighted. Intend to wait till blooms are gone to transplant (whenever that may be). Is anytime a good time or is there not a good time to transplant? (I'm really not in any hurry to get it transplanted, just pondering how well it has been enlarging in size and was thinking it would do about the same in a soap dish, I could be very wrong). Also intend to take what appears to be a/the "rooting" branch to make the third trunk in this "ming jade forest". Am I right, is that branch rooting? (Soap dish photo, near upper left corner of dish) Should I take it? Going for third trunk just because three is simply more asthetic than two. And no, I really haven't considered wiring anything on it yet. Shoud I? Well, I think that's enough shared dilema for now and once I have any/some direction, maybe I'll know what more to ask.
8/14/2016
The two sprigs planted in the same pot to keep each other company. Fern gotten at same meeting with the hope of eventual life there too. (Was not aware of the oxymoronish or watering discrepancy between the two species).
9/6/2016
Jade seems to be alive and growing (rooted?), can't say the same about the fern (still dead?).
10/8/2016
Seems to be blooming, (didn't see that coming). Prior to any blooming, had actually inquired whether to do any thing with the light cycle in order to possibly promote blooms but was advised against it due to the energy required to bloom, may kill this small a plant. Oh well, carry on.
10/26/2016
Whoops, gotta pay attention. Ming pulls the leaves all together when she's thirsty. Don't think she's completely in the throes of a drought yet.
10/28/2016
Dang, how many days can I check only to find the blossoms still haven't opened??? Wait, there's one! With my poor eyesight it's a good thing the (cheap) camera has macro.
10/30/2016
Maybe now I should revitalize the "Whimsy" dish, (the "vine maple forest" that was in it battled with last winter and lost [died]).
Have utterly no knowledge of this plant other than what I've observed keeping it alive thus far so I'm open to and really needy of suggestion. "Trunks" are nearing 1/4 inch diameter. Am intending to transfer these two "sprigs" into the Whimsy dish (standard soap dish I bored four holes through) but at the same time am wondering whether that is OK/advisable, (root wise for this plant). Can I reasonably expect to contain the roots (of three ming jades) in a soap dish, (yes I realize we are in a bonsai forum here, where "anything is possible, but...". Are those roots growing anywhere near as fast as the plant above ground? This jade is 100% indoors and totally artificially lighted. Intend to wait till blooms are gone to transplant (whenever that may be). Is anytime a good time or is there not a good time to transplant? (I'm really not in any hurry to get it transplanted, just pondering how well it has been enlarging in size and was thinking it would do about the same in a soap dish, I could be very wrong). Also intend to take what appears to be a/the "rooting" branch to make the third trunk in this "ming jade forest". Am I right, is that branch rooting? (Soap dish photo, near upper left corner of dish) Should I take it? Going for third trunk just because three is simply more asthetic than two. And no, I really haven't considered wiring anything on it yet. Shoud I? Well, I think that's enough shared dilema for now and once I have any/some direction, maybe I'll know what more to ask.
