How to grow Portulacaria afra? Pay attention to this and even beginners can easily grow it into a full pot

Portulacaria afra is a flower that many people love to grow at home. Its leaves are small, and the foliage grows very vigorously and glossy, making it deeply loved by many people. Many even think it belongs to the succulent category, but actually it is not a succulent. Its leaves are purplish-red when there is plenty of sunlight, and green when there is not enough sunlight. So, how should Portulacaria afra be grown?

1. Soil requirements for Portulacaria afra

Portulacaria afra likes loose, fertile soil. During normal care, be sure to use soil with good drainage. You can use leaf mold, garden soil with a small amount of sandy soil, and you can also add some nutrient soil. Only loose, fertile soil with good breathability can let Portulacaria afra grow better and prevent root rot.

2. Appropriate temperature and light conditions

Portulacaria afra likes plenty of sunlight, but it should avoid direct sun exposure in summer. So, give it plenty of sunlight normally, and provide appropriate shade when summer comes. The growing environment Portulacaria afra likes is a temperature of 15-25°C, so it is best to place it in an environment where the temperature is neither particularly high nor particularly low. When the summer temperature is too high, move them indoors in time; when the winter temperature is too low, also move them indoors in time, so they stay at a suitable temperature.

3. Give Portulacaria afra appropriate watering and fertilizing

During the growing season of Portulacaria afra, water it appropriately more to keep its potting soil moist. When the summer temperature is relatively high, to keep Portulacaria afra moist, you can spray water on the leaves to increase the air humidity around Portulacaria afra. In winter, after Portulacaria afra has passed its growing season, its growth is not so rapid, so you can water it appropriately less. Fertilizing Portulacaria afra is very simple; applying decomposed fertilizer about once every half a month is enough. In winter, be careful to stop fertilizing.

4. Portulacaria afra needs repotting and routine pruning

If Portulacaria afra has been grown for two years, be careful to repot it once. When repotting, look at Portulacaria afra carefully; if there are some old roots or rotten roots, clean them off in time. For the soil, you can choose a mixed soil of potting soil and garden soil. If Portulacaria afra grows especially vigorously and has especially many new shoots, affecting its beauty, then you can prune Portulacaria afra appropriately and cut off the relatively weak branches that affect the plant's shape. This will be more beneficial to the growth of Portulacaria afra.