How to Take Care of a Jade Tree

The bonsai jade tree is a stunningly beautiful tree when trained according to the bonsai art. Many beginners at bonsai are comfortable beginning with this waxy green succulent. The beautiful native of South Africa produces white star-shaped blossoms and has elliptical green succulent leaves that please the eye. The jade is an easy plant to understand: it wants light watering, monthly fertilization, frequent pruning and pinching, and good sunlight. It responds well to wiring so that you can urge it into the shape you desire.

Things You'll Need

• Young jade plant
• Bonsai potting soil
• Bonsai shaping wire
• Bonsai cutters and shears
• Fertilizer

Instructions

Caring for the jade bonsai

1. Choose a place to keep your tree. It will do best in an area that is not humid and that has an abundance of natural light. Keep it where the temperature will not drop below 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Begin your jade bonsai project with a healthy young jade plant. It can take years to train the tree to a height of three feet, so start with the best. Place your new plant in a bonsai-suited pot with bonsai potting soil. Use a potting mix of gritty soil and compost at a ratio of 75 percent soil to 25 percent compost.

3. Water lightly and always allow the soil to dry out before watering again. The leaves of the jade are built to store water because it is a succulent. One of the most important things is not to overwater the tree. Allowing the soil to dry out a little between waterings will ensure strong roots that are not in danger of developing root rot, and foliage that does not become top-heavy.

4. Feed the jade bonsai a good fertilizer about once a month from mid-spring until autumn. Use a fertilizer with a moderately low nitrogen percentage. Some bonsai growers use fertilizer at half strength.

5. Pinch back new growth frequently to reduce the leaf size. The jade plant leaves are naturally as large as one to two inches wide. When well pinched they can be reduced to about a quarter inch across.

6. Prune the tree branches regularly to encourage growth low on the trunk. Use the trimming shears from your kit of bonsai tools. Prune the branches facing toward the trunk and those facing or toward the ground. When you wish to cut a branch, use the concave branch cutter. Use the spherical knob cutter to strip knobs from the trunk and roots. Use the bud-trimming shears when it is necessary to cut away buds.

7. Shape the jade tree by wiring it into the desired position. Do this slowly and carefully because the jade branches are soft and can be damaged or even snap if you force them. The tree will hold the new shape after about one month. Snip the wire with the wire cutter from your tool kit.

8. Repot the jade tree, changing all the soil, every two to three years. Prune the roots when you are repotting the plant, removing the larger, thicker roots in favor of the thinner roots.

References

• Bonsai Tree Care Tips
• Bonsai Gardener
• Jade Bonsai Tree