Last weekend I was invited to see my neighbor's bonsais. For my surprise he has one jabuticaba tree (jabuticabeira) among many other beautiful plants. Each one was perfectly prune and placed in handcrafted pots.
Although he was very proud of showing me his beautiful "jabuticabeira", he couldn't stop talking about his frustration of not having seeing any flower or fruit since he bought it, 10 years ago.
So, as Brazilian who was born and raised in Minas - one of the states where you see the most jabuticabeiras in the country - I left his garden decided to help. I didn't have a jabuticabeira where I used to live, neither I know how to make bonsais. So, the best way for me to help him is finding a good Brazilian bonsai website where I could read more about this intriguing plant.
All that said, I spend a few hours to find reliable information to translate to my friend, and that's what I'll post in here today.
The basics about jabuticaba you might already know...
Note: Although the correct spelling is jabOticaba, the popular name you'll find more information is jabUticaba.
Transplant – annually
Minimum sunlight a day – 4 hours
When to start framing – Spring
Don’t like shallow pots, but it's fine with cold winds
Leaves are always green
Grow fast, loves heat
It’s a tree from Brazil (Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais states) - It has the sweetest fruits we know. They are small black balls and they grow attached to the trunk and branches. Its trunk has a beautiful peeling effect.
 |
| It's the end of Winter in Brazil (August/September) and the Jabuticabeira's trunk is full of white, delicate flowers. Photo from my parents backyard in Minas Gerais you see better here. |
Sunlight
The jabuticaba tree is sensitive to cold, and it has low grow in low temperatures.
We should protect it from the wind if the
temperature is below 50F.
During spring we should let
it get direct sunlight, usually before 10am or after 4pm. It can be done if you
have a porch, or under other trees. Sunlight is a must for its flowers and
fruits.Water
There are two things we need to know before we water a jabuticaba bonsai: how and how often.
Watering a bonsai is watering all the soil that's inside the pot. Place water over the top of the surface until it begins to come out from under the holes in the pot.
During warm day one can also wet the crown and the branches.
The frequency will depend mainly on the size of the pot and the weather such as temperature and humidity of the air. Usually pots up to 11” in length and / or very shallow vessels should be watered every day when the air humidity is low and the temperature above 68° F.
Beware of extremes: On hot days (above 89° F) we recommend water twice a day. On very cold days (below 59° F) water every two days.
Pots larger than 11”, usually need less frequent water, but be very careful, usually a bonsai does not remain more than two days without water.
Trees in the general DO NOT like a lot of moisture on their roots. Therefore we should generally water the bonsai only when the potting soil is almost dry.
Our "constant observation" of both the climate and the humidity of the earth is worth a lot. Checking the soil moisture can be done easily by touching the earth with your fingers.
Vaporization of the leaves is only necessary when the air humidity is low. In this situation it is convenient that we make a light vaporization only on the leaves preferably the shade with drinking water, at least three times a day. Another important function of Vaporization is when done on thin roots exposed in certain particular styles (example "Root Exposed", "Root on Stone" and others). It is also important in moss cultivation that, if used, should not occupy more than half the surface of the bonsai land, so that it can "breathe". Moss should be sprayed lightly about three times a day without the bonsai soil becoming moist.
From spring to autumn the growth of Jabuticaba tree is very intense and this makes the consumption of water in this period abundant. In winter consumption is moderate. Jabuticaba tree likes soggy soils, but only in summer. Constant humidity in the trunk and roots favors the appearance of fungi (White Powder), these can even cause their death if they are not treated. To avoid problems with high humidity, outside the summer, it is recommended to wet its soil only when it is already dry.
Watering a bonsai is watering all the soil that's inside the pot. Place water over the top of the surface until it begins to come out from under the holes in the pot.
During warm day one can also wet the crown and the branches.
The frequency will depend mainly on the size of the pot and the weather such as temperature and humidity of the air. Usually pots up to 11” in length and / or very shallow vessels should be watered every day when the air humidity is low and the temperature above 68° F.
Beware of extremes: On hot days (above 89° F) we recommend water twice a day. On very cold days (below 59° F) water every two days.
Pots larger than 11”, usually need less frequent water, but be very careful, usually a bonsai does not remain more than two days without water.
Trees in the general DO NOT like a lot of moisture on their roots. Therefore we should generally water the bonsai only when the potting soil is almost dry.
Our "constant observation" of both the climate and the humidity of the earth is worth a lot. Checking the soil moisture can be done easily by touching the earth with your fingers.
Vaporization of the leaves is only necessary when the air humidity is low. In this situation it is convenient that we make a light vaporization only on the leaves preferably the shade with drinking water, at least three times a day. Another important function of Vaporization is when done on thin roots exposed in certain particular styles (example "Root Exposed", "Root on Stone" and others). It is also important in moss cultivation that, if used, should not occupy more than half the surface of the bonsai land, so that it can "breathe". Moss should be sprayed lightly about three times a day without the bonsai soil becoming moist.
From spring to autumn the growth of Jabuticaba tree is very intense and this makes the consumption of water in this period abundant. In winter consumption is moderate. Jabuticaba tree likes soggy soils, but only in summer. Constant humidity in the trunk and roots favors the appearance of fungi (White Powder), these can even cause their death if they are not treated. To avoid problems with high humidity, outside the summer, it is recommended to wet its soil only when it is already dry.
 |
End of September, the beginning of the Brazilian Spring and we start see its fruits.
Yes, they are vivid green before they turn deep purple, almost black. When they are black, they are ready for you!
This tree is in located in the Serra Negra Farm Fanpage here.
|
Fertilizer
Plants feed on the nutritive salts they extract from the soil. As bonsai live in small pots, the tree can consume all the nutrients of the soil after a time, we will have to go replacing these nutrients with fertilizers. It is necessary to fertilize mainly in the times of great growth of the plants and this fertilization must be done without exaggeration. It is much better to fertilize in small amounts more frequently than to do so sporadically in large quantities. We recommend the use of products of excellent origin and with clear instructions of use.
For beginners we suggest a very simple fertilization using castor cake and bone meal, which are easily found in grocery stores. These can always be used separately every other month, ie if you use one in *January* (Brazil winter), I will use bone meal in March. So we will have 6 applications per year.
Always use recommended dosages. If there is no dosage indication for bonsai use half the recommended dose for small pots. Use only good quality products from specialized stores. Always follow a professional orientation.
In periods of growth (when it is sprouting a lot) it tolerates and requires some type of fertilizer. The most indicated fertilizers are the organic ones rich in Phosphorus (P), and can be liquid fertilizers by foliar route or solids in the earth. As a suggestion, choose trace amounts of N-P-K (Nitrogen - Phosphorus - Potassium) in the order of 04-14-08. Don’t forget the micro nutrients as (Ca {Calcium}, Mg {Magnesium}, S {Sulfur}, B {Boro}, Cl, Cu, Co, Fe, etc) are also required. Don’t use fertilizers within one month after transplant. Best times for fertilizing the Jabuticaba tree is spring. Never nurse diseased or newly transplanted plants.
.
Their suggestion of fertilization agenda for the Jabuticabeira:
Transplantation
Pot Transformation (Transplantation): In the natural development of the trees the roots grow in search of water, air and food. The roots of a bonsai grow and can occupy the entire space of the pot, slowly expelling the soil that existed there. Therefore periodically we must reduce the root volume inside the vessel by pruning. In this same process we also take advantage of the fact that we can change part of the soil that no longer offers all the characteristics for a good development of the plant. Jabuticabeira needs a soil with good drainage. The recommended mixture is 40% sifted sand (2 to 5 mm) and 40% industrial soil conditioner and 20% refractory clay of good sifted origin (2 to 5 mm). In the exchange of land, prune at most 50% of the roots. Jabuticabeira soil must be changed annually or every two years, usually in early spring when it begins its intense budding. Never nurse diseased or newly transplanted plants. To get a detailed how to do the land exchange click on: Learn more about Transplantation.
Pruning
Bonsai Art seeks, as inspiration, to seek forms existing in nature. This search takes us to a rich spectrum of textures, shapes and colors, making our hobby one of the most interesting and creative. The purpose of bonsai (vase tree) practice is not just to keep them alive and healthy, but increasingly beautiful. For this it is necessary to make regular pruning to maintain the form of "mini tree". Pruning is stylizing the formation of a tree. With the pruning, we eliminate the branches that leave the silhouette of the bonsai, branches defective, dry or unnecessary. For pruning we must use appropriate tools such as sharp scissors. For larger concave-cut pliers, they make clean, precise cuts and easy healing. When pruning wounds are large in size (larger than the size of a cigarette's diameter) it is convenient to cover them with sealing paste to ensure their perfect healing. You can use egg white or PVA ink.
Jabuticabeira pruning can be easily done with sharp scissors by cutting the twigs that leave the unwanted area of the trunk or canopy, whose best shape is the shape of the triangular canopy. The most drastic Pruning should be done at the end of winter. The Jabuticabeira sprouts easily in old wood and it does very well there. Cleaning dried leaves is very important. Cutting new shoots that appear near new roots or branches are also desirable, they are in competition with existing larger branches. One can prune several times a year, but during winter to keep its original shape.
For beginners we suggest a very simple fertilization using castor cake and bone meal, which are easily found in grocery stores. These can always be used separately every other month, ie if you use one in *January* (Brazil winter), I will use bone meal in March. So we will have 6 applications per year.
Always use recommended dosages. If there is no dosage indication for bonsai use half the recommended dose for small pots. Use only good quality products from specialized stores. Always follow a professional orientation.
In periods of growth (when it is sprouting a lot) it tolerates and requires some type of fertilizer. The most indicated fertilizers are the organic ones rich in Phosphorus (P), and can be liquid fertilizers by foliar route or solids in the earth. As a suggestion, choose trace amounts of N-P-K (Nitrogen - Phosphorus - Potassium) in the order of 04-14-08. Don’t forget the micro nutrients as (Ca {Calcium}, Mg {Magnesium}, S {Sulfur}, B {Boro}, Cl, Cu, Co, Fe, etc) are also required. Don’t use fertilizers within one month after transplant. Best times for fertilizing the Jabuticaba tree is spring. Never nurse diseased or newly transplanted plants.
.
Their suggestion of fertilization agenda for the Jabuticabeira:
Transplantation
Pot Transformation (Transplantation): In the natural development of the trees the roots grow in search of water, air and food. The roots of a bonsai grow and can occupy the entire space of the pot, slowly expelling the soil that existed there. Therefore periodically we must reduce the root volume inside the vessel by pruning. In this same process we also take advantage of the fact that we can change part of the soil that no longer offers all the characteristics for a good development of the plant. Jabuticabeira needs a soil with good drainage. The recommended mixture is 40% sifted sand (2 to 5 mm) and 40% industrial soil conditioner and 20% refractory clay of good sifted origin (2 to 5 mm). In the exchange of land, prune at most 50% of the roots. Jabuticabeira soil must be changed annually or every two years, usually in early spring when it begins its intense budding. Never nurse diseased or newly transplanted plants. To get a detailed how to do the land exchange click on: Learn more about Transplantation.
 |
| This tree is in located in the Serra Negra Farm Fanpage here. |
Pruning
Bonsai Art seeks, as inspiration, to seek forms existing in nature. This search takes us to a rich spectrum of textures, shapes and colors, making our hobby one of the most interesting and creative. The purpose of bonsai (vase tree) practice is not just to keep them alive and healthy, but increasingly beautiful. For this it is necessary to make regular pruning to maintain the form of "mini tree". Pruning is stylizing the formation of a tree. With the pruning, we eliminate the branches that leave the silhouette of the bonsai, branches defective, dry or unnecessary. For pruning we must use appropriate tools such as sharp scissors. For larger concave-cut pliers, they make clean, precise cuts and easy healing. When pruning wounds are large in size (larger than the size of a cigarette's diameter) it is convenient to cover them with sealing paste to ensure their perfect healing. You can use egg white or PVA ink.
Jabuticabeira pruning can be easily done with sharp scissors by cutting the twigs that leave the unwanted area of the trunk or canopy, whose best shape is the shape of the triangular canopy. The most drastic Pruning should be done at the end of winter. The Jabuticabeira sprouts easily in old wood and it does very well there. Cleaning dried leaves is very important. Cutting new shoots that appear near new roots or branches are also desirable, they are in competition with existing larger branches. One can prune several times a year, but during winter to keep its original shape.
See the first post about jabuticaba below.
Want to know more curious facts about Brazil? Go here and scroll down the mouse.
Perfeito! Tudo o que é preciso saber e ótimas dicas para uma árvore miniatura.
ResponderExcluir