Re: Top-heavy Jade plant

I have a lot of north wind where I live, and my reed-stem orchids (the ones
that used to be called epidendrums) always blew over because they were in
small pots but were tall plants.  I solved this by setting their pots into
much larger, heavy clay pots (with drainage holes).  This might work with
the jade plant.  Cathy

> From: Tony and Moira Ryan <tomory@xtra.co.nz>
> Reply-To: tomory@xtra.co.nz
> Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2004 11:16:33 +1300
> To: Organic Gardening Discussion List <OGL@LSV.UKY.EDU>, Mediterannean Plants
> List <medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>
> Subject: Re: Top-heavy Jade plant
> 
> Susan Setzler wrote:
>> It isn't only that the pot falls over, the plant can fall over pulling
>> the small root ball out of the soil.
>> 
> susan
> This perhaps actually a natural problem as quite  a few plants in the
> wild do seem to mange with astonishingly small root systems. Proteas are
> apparently a prime example of this, but I can see it applying equally to
> those succulents which occupy a similar eco niche. Let me explain..
> 
> It seems it may be an adaptation to growing in rocky ground where the
> plant may be more or less confined to quite a small soil pocket. What
> these wild plants seem to do is to try and get at least the odd root
> firmly into a crevice or under a heavy stone, which serves to anchor
> them quite securely. I know I have often seen it recommended for outside
> growing  that one finish off the planting for such subjects by putting
> some heavy stones over the root area so they can get the support they
> need. For Proteas is specially important in the windy sites where many
> of them prefer to grow naturally. I had one ( a King Protea,
> P.cynaroides) which I grew on a high stony bank which faced straight
> into the prevailing (very strong) wind. When it was planted I put three
> very large stones over its root area. Though it eventually became a very
> large bush and suffered a few major storms it survived for over 40 years
> (some sort of record I believe) before simply dying of old age.  At one
> time half the bush actually shattered above ground level and fell away,
> but there was never the slightest sign of the roots being disturbed and
> it eventually grew back as big as before.
> 
> Though not really germaine to this discussion people may be interested
> to know that this bush was probably so hale and hearty because it lived
> it all its life on the most spartan of diets. I never fed it at all
> beyond a little compost at planting, and only under the most severe of
> drought conditions did it ever receive even a drink of water, but it
> grew enormous, always looked healthy until its last year and flowered
> with the utmost profusion, producing up to fifty huge blooms each
> season. Proteas seem happiest and longest lived when growing on the
> "smell of an oily rag".
> 
> I am not sure if this idea of using stones for support could be modified
> in some way for plants growing in pots. Perhaps your ingenuity will
> suggest a way.
> 
> Moira
> 
> -- 
> Tony & Moira Ryan,
> Wainuiomata, North Island, NZ.     Pictures of our garden at:-
> http://mywebpages.comcast.net/cherie1/Garden/TonyandMoira/index.htm
> NEW PICTURES ADDED 4/Feb/2004
>
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