How to prune your Dwarf Jade. Tips & strategies!
Why we prune our trees:
- Maintain the overall shape of our tree’s canopy as they grow.
- Cause dormant buds to push and develops more branches and denser foliage.
Basic Tips:
- Trim back to branches that have already started growing.
- Trim flush with a set of leaves.
- Unless you are completely removing a branch, leave at least one pair of leaves on a branch.
- Clean your scissors before trimming!
At the base of each leaf on the branches of your Dwarf Jade is a dormant bud. When branches are pruned flush with a set of leaves; the dormant buds are encouraged to grow and will develop into new branches over time.
As new branches grow and develop; trim them back as needed. Branches that grow outside the desired style or design should be trimmed back, or off completely. Branches that grow with your design can be grown to the desired length and thickness, and then pruned back no further than one set of leaves.
Once pruned, branches will continue to divide, grow, and develop smaller leaves. After a while the foliage will grow denser and denser.
As branches are trimmed, keep and eye out for two leaves emerging from a single spot on the tree. Where two leaves emerge is the start of a new branch. If possible, trim back to branches that have already started. It will save you from growing branches from scratch.
On other branches, trim the length as needed, but no further than the first set of leaves. You want to leave at least one set of leaves on a branch to ensure future bud development.
As you continue this process, your tree will fill out with branches and small leaves. Continue to trim outlying branches and foliage back to your design.