I'd say try the air laying 1st, you can always root it the traditional way later.

My large jade sends out aerial roots when I don't water enough, like when you throw a branch on the ground and it establishes itself.

Thanks Keith. I'm going to ponder it for a while and come up with a plan.

randy

Good morning, Randy.
(Happy Father's day to any of you dads out there)

First of all, I've always been very fond of this Jade.

As to rooting....well, I think it'll root for you, no matter what route
you go. The air layering would probably be cleanest, and would allow you to
retain that thick diameter trunk base. And, as Keith mentioned, you can
always root the traditional way if the layering fails to produce roots.

I had to share this Jade/Thread with my mom, since we're both Jade enthusiasts.
She suggested that you remove the lowest (right side) branch entirely, and then
shorten the "trunk" by about three inches. But she's no expert....

I can't wait to see what you come up with.

Josh

Josh,

Your mom has a good eye. What she recommended has merit. It's another possible solution. The front of the plant would be rotated a few degrees to put that cut from the lower limb in the back. Then it would be rooted at at the middle of the large scar a few inches up from the soil line.

That would make the plant lighter and easier to handle during the process.

More to think about. Tell her thanks. :-)

randy

While I contemplate what to do, did a little cosmetic surgery on the lumpy looking growth at the soil line. Sliced it off and applied a mix of wood glue, gray, and black acrylic paint to make it blend in with the rest of the plant.

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randy

Nice work Randy! I think you are ready to move out to Beverly Hills and open up a practice of your own! ;-)

OK. The thinking period is officially over. The big plant has ticked me off for the last time. It's not wise to mess with the one who has the ultimate power of life and death.

I removed the wire on the lower limb and it bounced right back upright within 2 hours. That limb is no longer upright. It has fought me one too many times. I won't even consider rooting it. It's compost.

This will make an exceptional plant after it roots.

clickable thumbs

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randy

You can tell from the 4th photo that this procedure will make a huge improvement in the presentation and staging.

Hard to believe how much better it looks without that branch!

Fantastic decision, Randy!
I'm glad you removed that branch....I can't wait to let my mom know ;)

The new structure is excellent. Great balance!

I assume you'll also allow that thick trunk to resprout?

Josh

Keith and J,

Thanks. Starting over with the plant has definitely improved the quality of the material. This will be the biggest crassula cutting I've rooted.

Josh,

Thanks. I will keep the stump for now just to see what it does.

randy

Once the top "internode" section dries up and drops off, it should reveal a nice smooth surface beneath.....
then, a bunch of tiny red leaflets! It's going to be quite colorful. I'd be surprised if it took more than a week to begin sprouting.

I wonder how many branches it'll produce along the outer edge?

As always, keep us updated!

Josh

That is awesome Randy..it makes it look so much better!

Looking foward to seeing it in the future.

Mary

As always, it's fun watch the Jade Bonsai Master at work.
~B

Brad,

You've not met Rudy Lime, the SDCSS's SMOLA Jedi?

Randy,

I think of the literally hundreds of pounds of Crassula stumps that I disposed of....it causes me to weep now to think what I could have been doing with them then.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rudy Lime - Living Treasure

Randy, I am going to tease you now, that is not a big plant to me.
I congratulate you, you were brave to do that, I don't have the eye for bonsai. I'll always send you one if it croaks. I was at a bonsai auction in San Francisco, one 'Jade' went for
$400 and it was not that impressive, just big. I hope you will post a picture when it leafs out. Marks are not an inperfection, it adds character and often it is done deliberty just for that purpose. Norma

Hi Norma,

It's decent sized one for this neck of the woods. I've had bigger, but not nicer.

You might not remember, but you sent me this one as a small cutting. :-)

I appreciate your offer. But I've started many a plant from this one over the years and have a few waiting for their turn to shine.

Take care Crassulady

randy

Randy,

That Norma is a sharer, isn't she!?!

This particular plant is the one left after I had removed 4 others like it (but smaller) to make room for more plants that weren't Crassula ovata. Yes, a number of cuttings of this plant (The Great Wall of Jade, Where Kitties Lurk) had gone out to various parts of the States over the years. But getting back to the four others that gave up their spaces so that other plants may live, I remember removing them in February, when they were all watered up from the winter rains. The dumpster was groaning under the wait of hundreds of kilos of the four chopped up plants, I tell ya.

The one pictured was about 8' tall at the time of the pic (likely in March, because the brown patches are spent flowers) and got no sun in the winter (the wall behind that prevented it). Yet, almost on schedule, you'd have flowers on Christmas Day.

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Jeffrey,

Norma is quite the lady.

Do you ever sit at your desk there in BC and reminisce of bygone days about the TGWOJWKL? Oh silly me, you just did. :-)

randy

Silly Randy,

Of course, but that's kind of going backwards, isn't it? I now can grow peonies and delphiniums and I get only 9 months to do it in! I'll save the reminiscing for winter, along with the scheming, planning and preparing for next spring. Winter's also the easiest time for me to move the 200lb boulders - you get a dog blanket, roll the rock on it and drag it across the snow. Not only is it good cardio, the dogs think it's great fun to ride along.

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Costco's already got winter clothing out and it's 28C here today. The one Crassula ovata I have here - I had severely trimmed it several weeks ago, and said trimming got a negative response from my better half. I guess I shouldn't tell her about the new buds on the denuded limbs.