Jade Pruning - Advice/Comments?
Danielle
9 years ago
I was gifted this Jade over a year ago and just did my first pruning job... The cutting I received is from a plant over 25 years old! It was getting so top-heavy that it was leaning on the window. I'm very new to house plants so I was interested in getting some feedback from people more experienced than me. =)
I have learned a lot from this website... when I got it I kept it out of sunlight (hence the smaller, further apart bottom leaves), then I moved it into a sunnier windowsill and the leaves have gotten so much bigger!! I can't wait to put it outside this Spring and see what it does!
Before I pruned:
After I pruned:
Do you think this was an appropriate amount of pruning? I'd love to have one main bonsai style jade, with other jade plants from the cuttings.
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (13)
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
9 years agoRelated Discussions
Need advice on how to prune this Jade
Comments (6)You're welcome. I've wrestled with small-leaf Jades for years. You just have to keep on top of them. I'll share a couple pictures below. First, a pot full of cuttings, very much like yours. Although the sunlight is strong and the plants are in great health, the tendency is to grow long and then droop. The Jades above were given back to my sister after I had rehabilitated them.....then, she promptly left them outdoors in the snow, and all but one trunk froze. So....I started over, literally from the ground up. Here's the surviving trunk, which branched at the soil-line. As it grew, I kept pinching the top growth to form a more rounded canopy. Here it is back in September: I also rooted a single stem cutting from this plant a few years ago, and it too grew straight up without branching. Started like this: Grew like this: And then it grew so tall that it fell over: So I chopped it, straightened it, and I've been pinching the new growth to keep the foliage centered over the trunk. It's not my favorite look, but I wanted to try out this style and see how it develops....See MoreNewbie needs pruning advice for variegated Jade
Comments (3)The direction of the branches is what you allow: my first step would be to repot into terra cotta with Al's Gritty Mix. When you repot, do so with a future in mind: is there a branch you imagine being a future trunk? Do you want an upright? A multi-trunk? I'm going to bet you find 2 separate plants - do you want to separate them or keep them together? Look at some pics of Jade that are similar to the way your jade is growing to get ideas. If you want to go in the direction of a bonsai, one rule is that there should not be trifurcations (a single spot where the plant breaks down into 3-branches). I can see at least one spot with trifurcation (A, B & C in pic 1). Remove the branch that is growing toward the center, or too upward/downward. I'd probably remove branch A as it is smaller and the other two give more to work with, but I can only see a pic of the plant - you have the real thing in front of you. After that, I'd probably just let it grow. You could chop it way back, and get more branching (ramification) lower on the plant, but I'd let it settle into a new pot. There are really two pruning methods: clip n grow, and harder pruning. With the first, just let each branch grow until it has 5-6 sets of leaves (nodes with leaves growing out of each side) and cut/pinch it back to 2-3 branches (do all branches at the same time). With the other approach, you just let the plant grow for a season or two before each prune and trim it back harder, even removing all leaves....See MoreJade advice needed - pruning/wiring/etc - building the tree
Comments (10)Still wondering if there were roots, or is it cutting without at roots? I put all my plants into quite a bit of sun right away - area that get sunshine from sunrise until about noon-, but it was quite earlier and sun is getting stronger now. They were moved into full day sun spot after about 2 or 3 days, and are there all the time. They got rained on quite a bit - we are having lots of rainy days this Spring - but they are potted in very gritty mix and I do not worry about drainage or any water retention. If your plant has roots, I would move it already into more sun (Just speculating, but am thinking it has been on the porch for at least 2 weeks?) I would move it where it gets at least few hours of morning sun, and moving into more and more every 2-3 days. Sooner it's done, better so plant can get all sun available until it has to go inside again. For leaves to grow close together to have more compact plant, only good light will help. Even if it doesn't have plenty of roots, IMO it should get more sun. Morning sun is good, and I would move it into stronger sun at least weekly. If you only have totally exposed spots, you can create some shade when needed by positioning bigger potted plant in front of your jade, or even something like a chair. Garden umbrella is great...I don't think wiring should make much difference in sun exposure, you want plant to grow strong limbs and los of leaves close together (but I never wired any jades...) I started to use gravel or rocks for topdressing because of squirrels - it does help a lot. I find chipmunk more of a problem, it hides more 'food' all over the place...I have some grass (or whatever seeds neighbour is feeding birds with) growing in many pots without topdressing, haha (my potted annuals and some big tropicals). Small sized topdressing doesn't really help....See MoreNew Jade plant. Advice on pruning?
Comments (7)Skyler This is JMO and probably very simplistic terms: if you want to grow 'real bonsai', then you need to learn a lot about all techniques that make bonsai a bonsai. ..."The ultimate goal of growing a Bonsai is to create a miniaturized but realistic representation of nature in the form of a tree"... I refer to plants growing and being 'shaped' without this knowledge as a 'bonsai-like'. I think that is easier without knowing and using proper techniques. And they can look really great. Do you know how you want your jade to look - eventually? (You did say that..."I'm not sure what shape to go for"... but maybe you have some idea how big you want it? Do you want it to look like a tree that is very symetrical? Round? Conical? Or? I think of jades as fast growing. Others may think of them as slow growing. Regardless, to get any plant to grow into certain shape will take some time. I agree with above comments to let it grow some. Compact growth is important if you leave it growing as it wants to, or if you want to shape it. Having a branch doesn't really make it better or worse candidate for bonsai I think, but it may help a lot in good growth. Branch that low - at the soil line, may or may not be suitable for 'the Bonsai look' in the future, but it is very easy to prune off any branches one doesn't like. IMHO, trunk should be thick and tapering as much as possible, and that takes some time. I do not aim to grow plants huge, but really like fat trunks....See Moregreenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
9 years ago
marguerite_gw Zone 9a
9 years ago
nomen_nudum
9 years agomarguerite_gw Zone 9a
9 years ago
Jerry Gillingham
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agomarguerite_gw Zone 9a
9 years agoJerry Gillingham
9 years ago
Crenda 10A SW FL
9 years agomarguerite_gw Zone 9a
9 years agoCrenda 10A SW FL
9 years ago
lunarsolarpower
9 years agolast modified: 9 years ago
Related Stories
WINTER GARDENINGPruning Secrets for Exquisite Roses
Encourage gorgeous blooms year after year with this time-tested advice on how to prune your rosebush in winter for health and shape
Full Story
WALL TREATMENTSTempted to Try Wallpaper? 10 Tips for Finding the Right Pattern
Before you lay down a lot of cash, sit down with this advice for getting a wallpaper you’ll love for years
Full Story
ORGANIZINGProfessional Tips for Organizing Your Clothes Closet
As summer draws to a close, get expert advice on editing and organizing your wardrobe
Full Story
GREENColor Guide: How to Work With Green
With as many green hues as leaves in a forest, it's easy to find one that grows on you
Full Story
HOUZZ TOURSMy Houzz: Supersleek Contemporary Home in Australia
Cool colors, ultraclean lines and a sparkling pool make a contemporary home just right for an Australian family of three
Full Story
COLORDreaming in Color: 8 Gorgeously Green Bedrooms
Bring in a bold splash of watery blue-green or a slice of soft celery for a colorful yet sleep-friendly sanctuary
Full Story
GREENBotanical Green, Meant to Be Seen
Learn how to cultivate this vibrant yet restful color in your home, using its hues to set the mood for any space
Full Story
TREES11 Japanese Maples for Breathtaking Color and Form
With such a wide range to choose from, there’s a beautiful Japanese maple to suit almost any setting
Full Story
GARDENING GUIDES10 Plants for Colorful Fall Blooms in the Drought-Tolerant Garden
Want fall color but not a big water bill? Consider these not-too-thirsty fall bloomers
Full Story
ORGANIZINGHouzz Call: Show Us How You're Getting Organized
If you’ve found successful ways to declutter and create order at home, we want to hear about it. Share your ideas and photos!
Full Story
DanielleOriginal Author