A Detailed Guide to the Latest Techniques for Making Portulacaria afra Bonsai

Portulacaria afra has strong adaptability to the environment. It not only loves light and tolerates drought, but is also relatively tolerant of pruning, making it very suitable for pot cultivation on balconies and an excellent choice for making bonsai. Portulacaria afra bonsai can not only be made into a landscape on its own, but can also be planted together for viewing, and both have extremely high ornamental value. However, in the process of making Portulacaria afra bonsai, we need to have certain operating skills. Today, the editor will share them with you.

Creating bonsai is something that brings physical and mental pleasure, and it is also a means of training thinking and improving one's own skills. For bonsai creators, this process is an enjoyable one. It is just that we need to carry out the creation according to scientific and reasonable techniques.

1. Techniques for obtaining materials

Portulacaria afra generally obtains its stock through layerage, and layerage is best carried out in the three seasons of spring, autumn, and summer, but the effect is especially good when done in spring. However, during layerage, water control management needs to be done well, because once water accumulates in the potting soil, it easily leads to rot. The layerage process usually also takes 1 year.

2. Techniques for making

The pot can be selected according to the appearance of the plant, and the principle is that it should both benefit the growth of the plant and be beautiful and elegant. Once the layered propagation has been cultivated into shape, the bonsai can be made, and it can be shaped in all four seasons. But as for whether it is suitable for making a single-trunk bonsai or a multi-plant combined planting bonsai, this needs to be decided according to the thickness of the plant's stem, the way it extends, the direction of the branches, and other aspects.

Among these, special attention should be paid to aesthetics in pruning and wiring. Pruning should focus on removing branches that appear cumbersome because they are redundant, and on the retained branches, try to keep 2 leaves at each node; but we also need to properly address the distribution of the intricate and dense exposed roots, mainly the root system exposed on the surface, so that it appears more natural and reasonable. After removing the binding wire and pruning appropriately, if necessary, we can bind it again to shape it.

It is worth noting that Portulacaria afra that has undergone branch pruning and root pruning will leave quite a few wounds, so it is necessary to avoid contact between the wounds and the potting soil as much as possible, otherwise it is easy to become infected with pathogens, leading to rot, affecting the normal growth of the plant, and thereby reducing the ornamental value of the bonsai. Usually, after completing the above operations, the bonsai needs to be placed in a cool and ventilated place for about 1 week to allow the plant to maintain normal growth.

During this period of about 1 week, we need to keep the environment dry until the plant sprouts new buds, otherwise if the environmental humidity is too high, it easily causes leaf drop. Under normal circumstances, we need to wait until the plant sprouts new buds before watering it. Then move the bonsai to a place with light so that it can fully receive sunlight to promote photosynthesis.

3. Techniques for care

Normally, the bonsai should receive more light, so it needs to be placed in a spot with good lighting. Of course, in the summer environment with the scorching sun overhead, appropriate shading is needed, otherwise after long-term exposure to the sun, the branches and leaves of Portulacaria afra will become thinner and thinner, thereby reducing its ornamental value; in winter, in order to prevent the plant from being frostbitten, it should be moved indoors in time when the temperature is low, ensuring the temperature is not lower than 5°c for safe overwintering.

The potting soil should be kept fertile and loose for a long time, and watering should also be done carefully, especially because excessive watering easily causes water accumulation and rot, thereby affecting the normal growth activity of the plant; during the growing season, it is suitable to keep applying a diluted cake fertilizer water once a month, and in autumn and winter, water and fertilizer should be well controlled; tender buds that sprout too early on the main trunk should be removed in time so as not to affect the ventilation and lighting in the inner part of the plant; about every 2-3 years, repotting can be done once to increase the looseness and nutrients of the potting soil, encourage the plant to sprout more new roots, and improve the plant's growth.