Bonsai mini jade

[Bonsai Nut]

I water these by the feel of the leaves. If they're plump and hard, no water. When they just begin to soften is when I water.
CW

Yes. By the end of the summer, if my landscape plants haven't gotten any water, they start to droop. The skin turns from a bright green to a greyish faded green color. The leaves are not plump and hard, but soft and somewhat deflated feeling.

Water with a hose and they are back to 100% normal in 24 hours.

 

[CWTurner]

Forgot to mention that if mine are getting too much sun, the leaves will start to get a brown scab, generally in the center. Time to move the plant.
CW

 

[KennedyMarx]

I've grown mini jade (portulacaria afra) for several years. I've only got one right now after letting my ex have the rest of them last year when we split. I've never had any problems from getting the leaves wet or from giving them too much sun. Just get them into some inorganic aggregate and you're on your way. I like to use 1/4" particles for most of the soil with a 1/8" particle top dressing. Put them in full sun and water them once a day. Fertilize just like my other pre bonsai plants.

If you get a start at a Lowes or Walmart, I'm talking about a 2-3 inch tall plant, transplant it into inorganic soil, then fertilize and let it grow the entire summer you can get some impressive growth. Let it grow another year and its almost exponential. Here's the summer growth on one I grew out a couple years ago. I don't have it or any recent pictures, but it should show how fast these grow with the right care.

 

[JoeR]

I've grown mini jade (portulacaria afra) for several years. I've only got one right now after letting my ex have the rest of them last year when we split. I've never had any problems from getting the leaves wet or from giving them too much sun. Just get them into some inorganic aggregate and you're on your way. I like to use 1/4" particles for most of the soil with a 1/8" particle top dressing. Put them in full sun and water them once a day. Fertilize just like my other pre bonsai plants.

If you get a start at a Lowes or Walmart, I'm talking about a 2-3 inch tall plant, transplant it into inorganic soil, then fertilize and let it grow the entire summer you can get some impressive growth. Let it grow another year and its almost exponential. Here's the summer growth on one I grew out a couple years ago. I don't have it or any recent pictures, but it should show how fast these grow with the right care.

View attachment 96833

View attachment 96834

Wow impressive,

Mine did nothing but fill the pot full with roots, no top growth. I threw them out.

 

[amcoffeegirl]

Yes that is nice growth
I have a couple cuttings I will try to grow out this summer

 

[Geo]

Portulacaria afra is nothing if not impressive.Full Baja Californis Sur sun and no brown scab.

 

[ColinFraser]

Here's the summer growth on one I grew out a couple years ago. I don't have it or any recent pictures, but it should show how fast these grow with the right care.
View attachment 96833
View attachment 96834

Or with no care at all in some cases - I let a couple of small pieces accidentally fall into a wine barrel full of soil in my garden (it was housing habanero peppers at the time). That was sometime last fall probably, and here's what I have now:

I'm getting worried that my garden may start to attract elephants

Edit: here's the plant they were snipped from:
Portulacaria Pine 'Dwarf Jade'

 

[Lobaeux]

I water these by the feel of the leaves. If they're plump and hard, no water. When they just begin to soften is when I water.
CW

Thank you for this as well. I'm debating on whether to keep my Mini Jade out of the sun completely as it might be getting too much direct sun, but it's growing great. I've recently pinched the leaves and put a loose wire on it to try to get the top to grow a little straighter. We'll see if it works. Right now, I think he's getting too much sun and too much water.