Page 54 - Tạp chí bonsai cây cảnh BCI 2014Q3

quarter of the pot with layers of big and small neutral
Above; Variegated Jade under training by Bhavana Shah
Below; Slanting style Jade in a cream pot by Jyoti & Nikunj Parekh Succulents are also grown with stem cuttings. Cut
52 | BCI | July/August/September 2014
river gravel to ensure proper drainage. Put the plant in
proper position and fill the pot with the prepared soil
mixture. Firmly press the soil around the plant. When
watering for the first time, water profusely to ensure
that the soil is completely wet without disturbing the
soil layers. After potting, place the plant in a shady
but airy place for a few days. The time of potting or
repotting should be at the end of the resting period or
early growing phase.
Watering:
The most confusing aspect in growing succulents is
the management of water. If proper drainage is pro-
vided, there is no worry about the quantity of water
given, as the extra water will drain out. Water only
when the soil is completely dry. Watering should be
done in the morning before sunrise. If you prefer to
water in the evening, check that the soil is not hot
before watering. Never water plants in full sunshine,
as there are chances of cell bursting which ends in ul-
timate scorching.
Propagation:
Many of the succulents produce flowers and seeds.
So, reproduction through seeds is a normal practice
for succulents. Grow seeds mainly in sand, mixed with
some leaf mold and garden loam. Little addition of
fine pieces of charcoal and bone meal also helps.
mature stems and allow the sap to dry at the cut end.
Apply root hormone powder and grow cuttings in a
suitable mixture. The suggested mixture for propa-
gation by seeds is also good for growing cuttings.
Generally, February and March are suitable months
for raising cuttings. There are some succulents that
develop from leaf cuttings.
Grafting is a popular method of propagation of-
fering many advantages; one can get large size plant
in a short time; getting special varieties of plants that
do not thrive on their own root system; and one can
easily produce large number of special variety plants
through grafting method.
Bonsai growers in tropics enjoy growing Adenium
obesum (Desert Rose) and its varieties, and Portu-
lacaria afra (Jade), as wonderful plant material for
bonsai. There is a variety known as Portulacaria afra
‘variegata’ that has pretty, small leaves of milky green
color and creamy white margins. We also use mini
Euphorbia, as a filler plant in Saikei as well as in com-
plimentary plant compositions.
In the tropics, many bonsai growers like Adenium as
bonsai, as it has obese trunk base and when trimmed
and grown well, it will have plenty of branches to
form umbrella style structure. From spring through-
out summer, they grow plenty of flowers in shades of
white, pink to deep red. Though Adenium do not take
typical tree-like structure, people still prefer to keep
them as bonsai in their collection.