Want a thicker bonsai trunk?

Try planing your bonsai in a shallow, but wide pot. This promotes the development of a wider trunk.

Alternative bonsai rooting hormone

I read an interesting tip recently for an alternative to store bought rooting hormone. The next time you want to grow your bonsai from a cutting you may want to give it a try. I haven't tested this myself, but supposedly it will nourish your bonsai cutting better than commercial rooting hormone.

Recipe:
3/4 cup boiling water
1/4 cup honey

Mix together and refrigerate 6-8 hours.

Coat your bonsai cutting with this as you would do with storebought rooting hormone. If you try this and it works please share your comments here!

Mini-jade (Portulacaria afra) update

Here are my mini-jade (Portulacaria afra) cuttings that have grown up considerably since I last posted photos of them. I placed one in a ceramic pot and will be doing so with the other one eventually. I still have the second in a temp plastic pot filled with 100% perlite. For the potted one I am using a mixture of perlite with a top dressing of gravel. I give them just a splash of water every other day. I recently moved so I have them on my back porch instead of a windowsill now. Unfortunately, the back porch does not receive direct sunlight. As a result, they are growing slower than before.