Awww, that sucks! I'm sorry to hear about your port afra's. I know how hard you've been working on those.

I'm inclined to say leave the bulb as is, maybe dust it with some captan, since it was outside. Don't need anything getting in and making the bulb sick.

Ryan

I'd say leave it as it. The bits of leaves left will be important in food production until new leaves can grow! HANG TOUGH!!
;-/
Kristi

So sorry about your plants, Ryan. I hope you will be able to nurse your bulb and jade back to glory again.

Xuan

Crapola Ryan! Awww man...I'm sorry to hear that.

I think I would agree to leave them be and let what is left continue to feed the bulb and wait for newer, prettier leaves to emerge! Good luck!

-Frank

Oh Ryan, sorry to hear you had two plants damaged. I'm sure the bulb will be back again, they seem to bounce back ok. The ones I got that had leaves damaged in transit seemd to get yellow and die in their own time, and it sounds like everyone agrees. Alana

I concur... leave the remains, dust with a touch of fungicide powder, and wait for new leaf growth.

I'm so sorry to hear about this, Ryan... I know how much patience and work bonsai take... I hope everything turns out for the best down the road. Plants are resilient, so they'll survive... and with your good care, they'll do fine. I know how you feel, though... it's devastating to have things like this happen.

Cramped apartment living is not compatible with the gardening we want to do... that's for sure! I'm cramped here, too... it's like trying to fit an elephant herd in a matchbox! I've been lucky that the dogs haven't knocked any plants over, though there have been a few close calls! I'm pretty sure I have less room than you do, Ryan... though I'm lucky to have the alcoves to tuck everything in.

I just can't wait to find a real house, and actually move in! I'm beyond excited to get my permanent gardens going, and to move all my bulbs and other plants to less cramped quarters!

I hope your plants and bulbs will be ok... :-)

excuse me, and Oh gee so sorry Ryan, but did Frank actually say out loud...CRAPOLA????

So sorry Ryan, I hope your plants heal. You must tell me what Elephant Jade is. I have a coupla Jade plants and love em. I want the turquoise one. It sounds like a LARGE jade and so I am wondering about the bonsai on a large plant. I don't really know bonsai so I may just be sounding stoopid here since I have no experience with it...but I can live with stoopid....Frank said "crapola"!!!

Hehe... Frank said crapola! Hehe!

Cindee... I haven't attempted any bonsai as of yet, but I did find a fascinating website that tells you everything you wanted to know! Scope it out!

It's even got some excellent soil information, which I've modified for my bulbs!

Here is a link that might be useful: Bonsai - Everything You Wanted To Know!

Cindee, the plant Ryan is using for his bonsai is called 'Portulacaria Afra' - see link below. If you would like some cuttings, please let me know. I have PLENTY! It grows like a weed in my front yard.

Ryan (phx)

Here is a link that might be useful: Portulacaria Afra

Wow - interesting it's part of the same family as my favorite annual Portulaca, Moss Rose. Ryan, think I can get a piece in with my Maguires bulbs? ;-) Alana

Not a problem. Shoot me an email, so I don't forget.

Mmmmm...luv me some elephant jade *hiccup*

Mini/Elephant/Port Afra jade is the coolest.

It:

1. Grows really fast if you give it some love (sun, water, fert, airy soil)

2. You can forget to water it (not love it) for a VERY long time and it'll not hold it against you. Simply add water and presto-- plant back to normal.

3. Can turn brilliant colors depending on your conditions. Vibrant green leaves, which get tiny in strong direct sun, flaming red branches to brick red branches

4. It grows like a weed (guess it is in Africa since the elephants much on it) and you can achieve impressive trunk size in a matter of a few short years. I had three plants and in one year they grew to over 1 inch in diameter in onw growing season. Season two I have two inches... I suspect another inch this year or more now that I've got their cultivation down.

5. You can let the wind flip them up-side-down on neighboring pants and crucial thick branches imperative to your bonsai design will not snap off (disclaimer-- if you just watered it, the branches will be turgid and may break off-- but then again, if you just watered it, its heavy!!! So it might not blow over anyway!).

6. You can lop off a piece, no matter how small, and send it to a friend for their growing enjoyment.

I highly suggest you try port afra jade and give bonsai a whirl-- it is so satisfying to see your creating grow and become a work of art. Don't be afraid to chop the thing up -- I hacked mine away in the beginning as my "design" was not yet set into place-- and they grow even more robust.

If you manage to kill a port afra you should seek out a new hobby besides gardening. They are just that strong. These are generalities, though...so please, take no offense if you did in fact kill a port afra.

Fly Jade Ranch Ryan

Welcome to "Two Ryan's Society for the Advancement of Portulacaria Afra". We're not only users, but pushers too!

Several points of clarification....

#1 This plant will grow quickly, even without regular water.

#2 I have forgotten to water it for an entire year, and while my yard may not exactly be the Saharan Desert (Sonoran, yes... Saharan, no...) its probably the closest we can come in this country, and the plant does just fine surviving on natural rainfall in full sun.

#3 Port Afra is not known for its cliff jumping and parasailing skills, so try this at your own risk.

#4 Bonsai is a skill to be admired from afar, much like car repairs and brain surgery. All three require a skill and patience level that I just don't possess.

#5 The Port Afra I have in my yard came to me from my grandmother, who received it as a gift from her husband. After his passing, she moved and forgot to take a piece of the original clump with her. My grandfather apparently didn't much appreciate his gift being left behind, and she was cursed for the rest of her life trying to grow this. So be careful Mr RMR about what you say about those who kill Port Afra ;-)....

Thanks Ryan and Ryan. I would LOVE to try some. I have seen this plant and it is very cool! It would look so good in my BromBrothel bed with my naked lady statue...can I have some please??

(Frank..?..where the crapola is he???)

Oh hey you make us sound like a Law firm! Ryan & Ryan, attorneys at law...

Ryan I don't mean to offend you or anyone else if you can't grow Port Afra-- just saying, something ain't right if you can't! :oD

i do agree, however, that any flight your port afra might take is a risky thing. However, I'm proud to announce my second of three jade trees went soaring yesterday and some how managed to fall from a four foot ledge to the ground and land upright in its pot-- no damage, no cracks in the pot. My port afras, due to their poor aerodynamic capabilities, I feel are unsafe for flight and thus have been grounded-- until further notice and effective immediately. So they now live on the ground again....so much for saving space. :oD

Aerodynamically Addicted Ryan

Sound like a lot of FUN!!!
It will be nice to try some, aerodynamically or not...

Mariae (almost drown after so much rain in central Florida, still raining)

Mariae, I'll send some with your Maguires order, but only if you promise to send some of that rain to me!! ;-)

Cindeea, Shoot me an email with your address, I'll get some sent out to you.

Phoenix Ryan

hahaaa! I did say crapola Cindee! It just take the expression "crap" and makes it better! LOL!

Tune in for the next episode of "The Ryans"...LOL!

Seriously Ryan #1, I hope your plants will be ok.

-Frank