What are the correct fertilizing methods for the elephant bush (Portulacaria afra)?

When you see the name "elephant bush," you may wonder why it has such a noble and pleasant-sounding name. In fact, this has a lot to do with its ornamental value. So, how should you fertilize when growing an elephant bush?

1. How to fertilize an elephant bush

We can adjust fertilization according to the different seasons. During its vigorous growth period, which here mainly refers to spring and autumn, you can apply a diluted liquid fertilizer once every half a month or twenty days; during this period, you can mainly use fertilizer with the N element. In summer, because the temperature is very high, it is not very suitable for fertilizing, so you can appropriately reduce the amount and frequency of fertilization. In winter, this plant generally grows more slowly, or even stops growing, so from late autumn through the entire winter, you can gradually reduce the amount of fertilization until you stop.

2. Precautions for fertilizing an elephant bush

When we apply fertilizer, we must pay attention to the concentration. For this plant, no matter which season it is, it is not suitable to apply fertilizer with too high a concentration.

In addition to adjusting according to the season, you can also make specific adjustments according to the plant's growth condition. For example, when its growth is not very good, you can apply a fertilizer relatively rich in the K element to regulate it and promote its growth.

In order to avoid poor plant growth and also to reduce the pressure of fertilizing later, everyone can pay attention when choosing the growing soil, choosing soil that is rich in nutrients, or mixing in a little fertilizer in advance.