Perlite

I'm a big fan of perlite. Did you know it's a volcanic glass that is heated until it pops like popcorn? That is why it is so lightweight. The process also gives it its white color. All my rootings that I have put in it have done excellent.

I just got word that KnowledgeOfBonsai magazine is having a progressive styling contest with $3,000 dollars worth of prizes you can win.

Portulacaria afra cutting pictures

Here are the cuttings from my mini-jade (Portulacaria afra) that as you can see are budding and doing nicely on the windowsill.

Mini-jade propogation update

The two pruned branches I put in the perlite + sand mix along with rooting hormone have grown new buds so it looks like they are taking. Rather than throwing out your pruned branches this is something you could try too. I've read this is easier with some species than others. I think Jade is one of the easier ones.

Project Mallsai Part 2

I added some decorative gravel to the top so you don't see the perlite anymore and did some minor pruning. It still needs more work in that area to reverse the mallsai styling. I am going to try propagating a new mini jade from the branches I cut off. I dipped them in rooting hormone and placed them in small pots of perlite. We'll have to say how they do.