Your Dwarf jade bonsai care guide
Click on any link below or scroll down for a professional guide on how to care for your tree!
Light
Dwarf jade loves sunlight.
Keep your tree outdoors whenever temperatures are safely above 55°F. Give it several hours of direct sunlight each day, but acclimate it gradually if it has been indoors or in lower light.
When moving your tree into stronger sunlight, increase exposure gradually over several days to avoid leaf burn.
More light generally means stronger growth, tighter internodes, and better bonsai development.
Water
Don’t water on a schedule.
Check the soil first. When the soil has dried out, water thoroughly until water flows freely from the drainage holes.
Then allow the soil to dry before watering again.
Dwarf jade stores water in its leaves and stems, so overwatering is a much bigger concern than letting it get slightly dry.
When in doubt, wait. A slightly thirsty dwarf jade is much easier to recover than one that has been kept constantly wet.
Soil
Use a free draining bonsai mix.
Avoid a moisture-rententive nursery or potting-soil-mix.
Dwarf jade is much more tolerant of drying than of sitting wet.
Pot
Drainage is important.
A small pot isn’t a problem! Dwarf jade can still do well, even if root-bound.
The pot should be appropriately sized for the tree and its development goals, rather than oversized.
Temperature
Warm weather is excellent.
Protect it from frost/freezing temperatures. Rule of thumb: 55 degrees below, your plant should be inside!
During the growing season, it can spend some time indoors without issue, but its normal home should be outdoors when conditions permit.
Pruning
Your plant loves to be pruned over time.
Let new shoots extend, then prune back to develop ramification and maintain the desired silhouette.
For major structural cuts, allow the tree time to recover and push new growth.
Fertilizer
use a balanced fertilizer
During active growth, use a balanced fertilizer at a moderate strength on a regular basis.
Reduce / stop fertilization when growth slows substantially.
pests
Sometimes pests can infect your tree. the most common culprit: Mealybugs
Inspect branch junctions, leaf axils, and undersides of leaves regularly.
Isolated mealybugs can be removed manually with alcohol on a cotton swab, but avoid repeatedly saturating healthy tissue with alcohol.
Sprays that will treat the entire tree are available at a garden centers and online