Bonsai forum

TOPIC:

Portulacaria afra 7 years 6 months ago #25963

  • Ruth
  • Ruth's Avatar Topic Author
  • Offline
  • Premium Member
  • Premium Member
  • Posts: 153
  • Thanks received: 24
I have a jade grouping that I have written about previously. I will also attach a photo. My question is, if I take these out of the bonsai pot and individually put them in their own pots, they will increase in height and girth, right? I understand years will be involved but I want them more developed and not just stay this size forever. I saw some of Jim J. Smith's collection (may he rest in peace) and I am inspired by the beauty of his portulacaria. artofbonsai.org/galleries/jsmith.php

This message has an attachment image.
Please log in or register to see it.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Portulacaria afra 7 years 6 months ago #25975

  • Carmen_P
  • Carmen_P's Avatar
  • Offline
  • New Member
  • New Member
  • Posts: 7
  • Thanks received: 0
Curious to know what people advise about this! I just asked a question about my Portulacaria Afra and someone pretty much told me its not a good choice of tree and I shouldn't "pretend to grow bonsai".

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Portulacaria afra 7 years 6 months ago #25977

  • rtmann
  • rtmann's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Premium Member
  • Premium Member
  • Posts: 104
  • Thanks received: 9
I am new around here as well and I can tell you some here are pretty snobby about what they consider to be bonsai and they have no affective filter. They tell people things like "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" your bonsai is a "mall bonsai" "plant it in the ground for another five years" or just tell them they have a potted house plant. They can be unpleasant. However, there are videos on the Bonsai Empire website made by credible bonsai experts that tell you how to turn a $25 nursery stock plant "into a beautiful bonsai". My suggestion is if you want to make a bonsai out of a Portulacaria afra learn everything that you can from the great resources on this site and tell the naysayers to take a flying leap.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Ruth, Carmen_P

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Portulacaria afra 7 years 6 months ago #25978

  • Carmen_P
  • Carmen_P's Avatar
  • Offline
  • New Member
  • New Member
  • Posts: 7
  • Thanks received: 0
Haha thank you! I had been combing the internet and reading up for hours and then settled on this species because i figured it was easy to care for. Finally got my little tree and got all excited to join this forum and ask a question only to be answered with "Sorry but read up on Bonsai..." and something about this particular species not being able grow worthy branches, contrary to all the photos and videos I have seen. Your response has made be feel better.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Portulacaria afra 7 years 6 months ago #25980

  • Bunsen33
  • Bunsen33's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Premium Member
  • Premium Member
  • Posts: 120
  • Thanks received: 43
In general, putting a plant in a small larger pot (or the largest pot - the ground) will allow the plant to bulk up quicker because it will take longer for it to become root bound.
P. afra and C. ovata ('dwarf" and actual Jade) are both succulents. They store more water in their branches than most trees and they take much longer to lignify (harden, turn from green to brown). For these reasons it is more difficult to successfully train these genus with wire. This is the basis for some peoples opinions on the suitability of them for bonsai techniques.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Ruth

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Portulacaria afra 7 years 6 months ago #25981

  • Auk
  • Auk's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Platinum Member
  • Platinum Member
  • Posts: 6097
  • Thanks received: 1791

I can tell you some here are pretty snobby about what they consider to be bonsai and they have no affective filter


So, you have decided you want to become a famous pianist. You have purchased a piano at Toys-R-Us and you have read a book about piano playing.
You can already play the first 9 notes of Fur Elise.

You want to know more, so you join a forum about classical music, and tell that you want to join an orchestra and play the Chopin-Godowsky Etudes that you've heard seem to be a great piece of music. You are the 27th person that day with the same question.

You get a reply, that is slightly bored, as, well, the same question has come up over and over again, and you are being told that learning to play that will require different material and many, many years of study, training and practice.

And now you're offended and call them snobs?

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Last edit: Post by Auk.

Portulacaria afra 7 years 6 months ago #25986

  • Madartej21
  • Madartej21's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Platinum Member
  • Platinum Member
  • Posts: 409
  • Thanks received: 102
Some take simple advices or basic information as offense because they dont really want to find help here, just a confirmation on what they believe. (Which they dont get when they are wrong in the first place)
The following user(s) said Thank You: leatherback

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Portulacaria afra 7 years 6 months ago #25988

  • rtmann
  • rtmann's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Premium Member
  • Premium Member
  • Posts: 104
  • Thanks received: 9
And some people will never be a master pianist because they just do not have an innate sense of music but they play anyway because they love it. Not everyone's goal in bonsai is a show piece...they just want something to show their friends and family and be proud of. Why discourage them?

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Portulacaria afra 7 years 6 months ago #25989

  • geekfreedom
  • geekfreedom's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Junior Member
  • Junior Member
  • Posts: 32
  • Thanks received: 3

And some people will never be a master pianist because they just do not have an innate sense of music but they play anyway because they love it. Not everyone's goal in bonsai is a show piece...they just want something to show their friends and family and be proud of. Why discourage them?


This is me.
Can't play piano for anyone but my family without getting pelted with food. :blink:
Never shown any of my trees to any bonsai "expert" for the same reason I can't play piano in public. :silly:

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Portulacaria afra 7 years 6 months ago #25991

  • rtmann
  • rtmann's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Premium Member
  • Premium Member
  • Posts: 104
  • Thanks received: 9
Taking the piano analogy one step further, chances are the piano teacher would give the person their lesson and tell them to go home and practice on that crappy toy piano until the keys fell off and then go get another one and practice some more. They would not say go get a better piano before I teach you.
The following user(s) said Thank You: geekfreedom, Carmen_P

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.