Edible Wonders: Pretty darn amazing! Politics & Policies Roots ‘circling’ around the bottom of the nursery pot is an indication that repotting is needed. Handmade in ZA and availabe in 2 Quirky Colous! 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. Subscribe to our Newsletter for only the good stuff! This is normal and growth will resume when temperatures increase. We hate Spam too. Roots can appear in a matter of days or up to a few weeks. Place the branches in a large vase indoors and they’ll absorb a multitude of pollutants. Simply cut or break off a piece of a spekboom, let it dry out for one or two days and then stick it in the ground. Take a stem cutting, approximately 10 to 50 cm in length with a clean, sharp knife or secateurs. Insert the Spekboom cutting into the soil and press lightly around the stem. Propogation of Spekboom: Break off a piece and plant it – it really is simple to grow this wonder plant. Spekboom is high in Vitamin-C and has a zesty taste, making it a perfect addition … 1. Eat the spekboom. Use rubbing alcohol to wipe affected areas, or spray the plant with insecticidal soap or neem oil. Spekboom isn’t a thirsty plant, which is excellent news given that South Africa is a water-scarce country and is in the midst of a water crisis. 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). All Through Spring and Summer, this succulent plant likes to be watered well using water at room temperature, then allowed to almost dry out before its next drink. Portulacaria afra (known as elephant bush, dwarf jade plant, porkbush and spekboom in Afrikaans) is a small-leaved succulent plant found in South Africa. Use rubbing alcohol to wipe affected areas, or spray the plant with insecticidal soap or neem oil. is an easy going succulent that has an attractive growth habit, with small green succulent leaves on a red coloured stem. 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. Farm Management How to Propagate a Portulacaria Afra Plant: Obtain a few stem cuttings or leaf cuttings and let them dry for a day or so. If the roots of have started to rot, take stem cuttings of your Portulacaria afra and root in potting mix as detailed below. Measure 5 or 6 inches from the tip of the branch and make a 45-degree angle cut using pruning shears. Select a few healthy cuttings from a vigorous Spekboom, preferable in late spring. The Spekboom doesn’t like having wet feet so make sure the planter has drainage holes. Use a balanced fertiliser at half the recommended dilution level. It’s really easy to prune your Spekboom when the stems get particularly long to keep it looking neat. It’s almost entirely free of pests and diseases. Rooting will take place within 14 to 20 days. 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. Ideal in coastal areas, but not on the Highveld, as heavy frosts will kill it off. This is normal and growth will resume when temperatures increase. Propagating a plant is easier than it seems. Grow Your Own. This houseplant likes a warm, draught free location and will grow happily in temperatures of 12-27°C, but try to avoid sudden drops in temperature and cold windowsills. Step 3. The cost of planting spekboom cuttings ranges from R2000 to R5000 (US$270 - 670) per hectare, depending on the soil type and proximity to intact spekboom-rich thicket. Step 3: Dip the cutting in root growth hormones. If the plantlets around the mother plant already have a good root system or have started to root in the soil and have plenty of leaves, you can cut them off with a small section of stem and pot them up in individual containers. But as a houseplant bright, indirect light is best - a location that gets a few hours morning sun would be the perfect spot. Allow the cleanly cut edges of the cuttings to dry out for a few days before planting it in well-drained river sand. (Optional) Dip the cut end in rooting hormone. Planted in the ground and allowed to grow to its full height, Portulacaria will tower up to 15 feet high. How much does a Spekboom cost? Prepare a rooting pot that have several drainage holes at the bottom. Native to South Africa, particularly the Eastern Cape, the Spekboom can be found growing on rocky, or sandy terrain in shrub-like form. Continue to leave the cutting in water until there is a nice network of roots about 2-inches long. Sustainable Agricultural Practices, ​You will need the following list of products. All About Growing Portulacaria afra. Place the potted cutting in indirect sunlight for at least five hours a day and apply water once a week. Spekboom (Portulacaria afra) Well-known for its unique carbon-absorbing properties, this indigenous succulent grows easily from cuttings. A few rules on how to care for elephant bush will help you grow a specimen of interest that may be a stand-alone plant or part of an intricate succulent garden. Simply cut or break off a piece of a spekboom, let it dry out for one or two days and then stick it in the ground. Dit is 'n merkwaardige sappige boomplant wat inheems is in die Oos Kaap. Allow the jade plant cutting to rest in a dry, preferably warm, spot until a callous develops (in about one to two weeks). Permaculture super plant! Plant has stopped growing: Over winter, if temperatures are cold enough, the Spekboom can go dormant; or have a winter rest. Over winter, if temperatures are cold enough, the Spekboom can go dormant; or have a winter rest. 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. Look for vigorous branches with thick and healthy leaves. At this point, reduce watering until signs of active growth resume. Note: This plant is pet friendly and safe for people that like to nibble…it’s actually edible and used in salads (just wash before use!). Elephant Bush Succulents. up to 0.8 metre height / 0.5 metre spread indoors or kept in a container. 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. Spekboom plays a number of different roles in a permaculture garden or farm. Last week I had the great pleasure of taking cuttings from spekboom from a garden where a diversity of carbon sequestration plants grow in abundance.I prefer this way of sourcing spekbbom plants for it creates a virtuous cycle of sharing that supports the sustainability of the earth at many levels. But Spekboom can be grown almost anywhere in South Africa and is easily propagated, which is great news for budget gardeners. 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. Elephants are not the only ones who enjoy it. Environment Even though it has no special requirements to grow, compost and fertiliser will encourage quicker growth. Join our Newsletter to hear about it first Only the good stuff! Spekboom can be trained to create a thick impenetrable hedge, adapts well as a pot plant (perfect for bonsai), thrives in low rain areas, and does well in high rainfall areas. This is a sign of a watering issue and could be a result of either root rot or prolonged under watering. Portulacaria propagation is a breeze - trim stems and leave to dry off for a day or two before planting the cuttings in a potting mix for cacti and succulents and wait for the plant to root. Evergreen, it reaches 2–4m high. Increase pot size by just a few centimetres. Economy Just reduce watering until active growth starts up again. enjoy fertilising during their Spring - Summer growth period; once a month is sufficient. Lastly, water the cutting and allow the soil to drain thoroughly. Remove any leaves from the bottom third of the cutting. The plant will be ready for potting into a large container or planting out in the garden when it is well established and growing strongly. Beside this, is Spekboom fast growing? Spekboom leaves close-up Cuttings are simple to make. These houseplants don’t have any major issues with pests but a combination of really warm temperatures and lower humidity can sometimes invite mealy bugs, or scale onto the Spekboom. The ideal cutting should be between 10 and 15 cm in length. Make a 45° angle cut and remove the leaves at the end of the cutting. Fill the pot with succulent potting mix or your own mixture of course and standard potting soil. The leaves are perfectly safe to eat for humans. 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. The next step for starting a jade plant from a cutting is to allow the cutting to dry. These five simple steps walk you through making the right cuttings to letting them root in water, with pro tips from plant expert Joyce Mast. To plant, push the cutting into well-drained soil, This houseplant needs a warm, bright spot to thrive. Die Spekboom het 'n uitsonderlike vermoe om groot hoeveelhede koolstofdioksied uit die lug… Portulacaria afra also known as Spekboom, Elephant's food, Elephant bush, Dwarf jade plant or Porkbush is a fast growing succulent that belongs to the Purslane family.. Additionally, can Spekboom grow in shade? With basic guidelines, you can produce new jade plants by vegetative propagation methods. You can also use these cuttings to create a bonsai plant. Moisten and dip the end of the cutting in a root growth hormone that will stimulate root growth. To grow to a 2m height will take a very long time. Spekboom, Bacon Tree, Pork Bush, Elephant’s Food, Elephant Bush, Dwarf Jade Plant. 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