Handmade in ZA and availabe in 2 Quirky Colous! Ideal in coastal areas, but not on the Highveld, as heavy frosts will kill it off. Best of all is the fact that spekboom is easy to propagate: simply cut or break off a piece, stick it in your garden bed or rockery, water every few days and soon enough you’ll have another one of these versatile carbon-munchers happily growing in your garden. Let your cuttings dry (not in direct sunlight) for 24 hours – this allows the cut area to seal a bit and protect the cutting from too much water or bacteria once you “plant” it. Spekboom can be propagated from cuttings, which must be kept dry to prevent rotting. Plant has stopped growing: Over winter, if temperatures are cold enough, the Spekboom can go dormant; or have a winter rest. Use rubbing alcohol to wipe affected areas, or spray the plant with insecticidal soap or neem oil. This step is not necessary, although it will increase the speed of the cutting’s root growth. Limited Range of XL Philodendron Hopes - Now in Stock! Keep the soil lightly moist and in a few weeks the cutting will root and you will have a new elephant bush succulent to share with a friend or add to your collection. Grow spekboom anywhere. Remove any leaves from the bottom third of the cutting. Subscribe to our Newsletter for only the good stuff! I do not really find the need to use a rooting hormone but some people prefer using it to speed up the process and also guarantee success. With basic guidelines, you can produce new jade plants by vegetative propagation methods. Step 3: Dip the cutting in root growth hormones. Allow the cleanly cut edges of the cuttings to dry out for a few days before planting it in well-drained river sand. Make a 45° angle cut and remove the leaves at the end of the cutting. Food and fuel. These houseplants are also a popular choice to prune into a bonsai form - smaller plants are best for this, or you make your own by propagating… see below! Prepare a rooting pot that have several drainage holes at the bottom. Scientific name: Portulacaria afraSynonyms: Spekboom, Bacon Tree, Pork Bush, Elephant’s Food, Elephant Bush, Dwarf Jade Plant. Plant: Leaf cuttings – You can place your leaf cuttings on top of the soil, the root is still able to grow regardless of it is placed into the soil or onto the soil. Look for vigorous branches with thick and healthy leaves. Farm Management Keep in a more shady spot until the plant has recovered. The spekboom cuttings… are harvested from healthy, dense spekboom stands. The ladies make sure to only harvest from bushes of a certain size (they identify the largest ones), and they know how many cuttings to take from each plant (no more than 6 for the largest plants). GROWING OR MULTIPLYING YOUR SPEKBOOM Find a healthy, vigorous mother plant to take a cutting from – your plant will be genetically identical. Use a balanced fertiliser at half the recommended dilution level. The main cause of leaf drop in the Elephant Bush is a sudden drop in temperature or being placed in a cold, draughty position, or too close to a heater. (We hate spam too), Cape Town Store Open BEST WISHES FOR 2021 . Continue to leave the cutting in water until there is a nice network of roots about 2-inches long. Spekboom - Portulacaria afra Kingdom - Plantae Clade - Angiosperm Order -Caryophyllales Family - Didiereaceae Genus - Portulacaria Spekboom - ook beskend as igwanishe, varkvleis, olifantkos of Portulacaria afra. Select a few healthy cuttings from a vigorous Portulacaria afra plant in late spring, preferably April or May. enjoy fertilising during their Spring - Summer growth period; once a month is sufficient. Portulacaria afra (known as elephant bush, dwarf jade plant, porkbush and spekboom in Afrikaans) is a small-leaved succulent plant found in South Africa. Propagation of a jade plant is usually done asexually by making leaf and stem cuttings, and then placing them in soil for encouraging root formation. Jade Plant Propagation by Cuttings. Planted in the ground and allowed to grow to its full height, Portulacaria will tower up to 15 feet high. Cuttings root rather easily too – a small section cut off just below the node (bottom leaves then removed) and planted – and watered well for the first few days too – will grow quickly. This houseplant needs a warm, bright spot to thrive. To plant, push the cutting into well-drained soil, Insert the Spekboom cutting into the soil and press lightly around the stem. Over winter, if temperatures are cold enough, the Spekboom can go dormant; or have a winter rest. Marketing & Finance How to Propagate a Portulacaria Afra Plant: Obtain a few stem cuttings or leaf cuttings and let them dry for a day or so. Lastly, water the cutting and allow the soil to drain thoroughly. Roots ‘circling’ around the bottom of the nursery pot is an indication that repotting is needed. In order to grow spekboom successfully, the soil must be well-drained. It’s really easy to prune your Spekboom when the stems get particularly long to keep it looking neat. Just use a sterile blade and trim into the shape you desire. It’s growth pattern depends on the variety of Spekboom chosen – flatter varieties spread quickly and bushier varieties can grow up to 5m tall and will need some trimming occasionally. Fill the pot with succulent potting mix or your own mixture of course and standard potting soil. The ideal cutting should be between 10 and 15 cm in length. Propagating a plant is easier than it seems. Look for vigorous branches with thick and healthy leaves. Place the cutting in a moderately lit area where temperatures are at least 65 F (18 C). To grow to a 2m height will take a very long time. Its sometimes referred to as a ‘dwarf jade’ plant due to its appearance but is actually not related to Crassula; it’s part of the Didiereaceae family. Its sometimes referred to as a ‘dwarf jade’ plant due to its appearance but is actually not related to Crassula; it’s part of the Didiereaceae family. The Spekboom doesn’t like having wet feet so make sure the planter has drainage holes. Moisten and dip the end of the cutting in a root growth hormone that will stimulate root growth. Portulacaria (Port-yoo-luh-CARE-ee-ah) is a small genus of upright, semi-woody succulents indigenous to South Africa.The stems are thick, succulent and brown to burgundy, with small, round jade green leaves. Allow for a 1.5 to 2 sqm area around the plant, as the lower limbs tend to lie on the ground and if you do not trim it, it will sprout roots and grow further from there. Evergreen, it reaches 2–4m high. Step 2. Portulacaria afra is an easy going succulent that has an attractive growth habit, with small green succulent leaves on a red coloured stem. Sustainable Agricultural Practices, ​You will need the following list of products. Over winter, if temperatures are cool enough, the bacon tree will have a rest period which will be signalled by slower growth. This is called etiolation and means that your Bacon Tree isn’t getting enough light; stems will be especially ‘stretched’ with big gaps between leaves; move to a brighter location. In order to grow spekboom successfully, the soil must be well-drained. At this point, reduce watering until signs of active growth resume. Simply snip a piece of 5–8 cm off a spekboom. Permaculture super plant! Keep in a more shady spot until the plant has recovered. Use a sharp, clean knife to cut the selected branch off the plant. Spekboom plays a number of different roles in a permaculture garden or farm. 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