Hi Gang!

My friend from our Bonsai Club gave me three young Natal Plum seedlings which she had transferred from one pot to another along with some other seedlings. Then they were transplanted again (the same night) into their own little pot. As a result of all the *risky* moving around, their top leaves drooped and have pretty much remained that way. I got them about three weeks ago and, since then, the main stems have straightend right up even tho the tops leaves are still a bit droopy with the exception of the smallest of the three. There's been no new growth yet however, I am optimistic.

Here are a few photos...

They look good! Give em sum time to strengthen up

Hi All,

Here is an update on how my Carrisa(NatalPlum)cuttings have been doing since I first posted them a month ago. I lost one of the three cuttings however, the two remaining are showing significant growth.

These are sitting in 1&1/4" of ordinary garden soil and the two cuttings are only about the same distance apart. I took some new photos today and, as you will see, the are sitting quite deep in the pot they are in. I'm concerned that the stems of these two cuttings should be exposed to more light...especially the shorter one. Now that they are showing significant growth with new leaves, should I repot them into their own little pots with proper bonsai soil? Any advice you may have is greatly appreciated.
PS~I have since acquired four more cuttings, longer than the previous ones and very healthy! I have potted them in 1/2 diatomatious earth and half compost to see if there is a difference in how they root compared to the garden soil. Here are the new photos:

Hey there,

Your Natal Plums look alive and happy. Have you tried to get some side-branching going? Or what is your plan for them? What size are they to become?

As for re-potting: No. Don't. The plants have just rooted. They will need a couple of weeks to grow roots that are strong enough, otherwise they may break off. So leave them there a little while longer. the stems being in the ground is not an issue; It is the depth at which you potted them for rooting.

Hi there, Jelle!

Thank you for your response.
The tallest cutting is 5 1/4" tall from the soil to the top and the smallest cutting is 2 1/2" tall. I have not tried to get side-branching going yet...I wanted to make sure their roots were well established first...which I think they are now.

The tallest one has a lot of bare stem that needs to develope some lower branching...I think I would like to try an informal upright style with this one. The shorter plant however, has a split-trunk about 1/3 of the way up it's main stem. It is a perfect 'Y' where the stem splits into two at the same node. The top of one of these splits is growing a small branch. I would like to try to make this plant a shohin. To encourage branching, do I begin clipping off new growth at the tips?

Oooops! Ummmm...as for re-potting......guess what I did today? I re-potted these two cuttings into their own little pots. However...I was really amazed at the size of their root balls! They were 1 1/4" wide and 1" deep and just full of little white roots sticking out of the soil. I did not disturb the root ball or try to remove the soil in the root ball but kept them moist by misting and just slip potted them into their new pots using a mixture of half diatomatious earth and half compost. I gently watered them until they drained freely into their moisture tray beneath.

Here's to "risk-taking"!