Detailed Explanation of Portulacaria afra Bonsai Making Techniques, Beginners Can Easily Learn
Hello everyone, I'm Xiao Hulu, welcome to read my article. Today Xiao Hulu will share with you the care methods for Portulacaria afra. Portulacaria afra is a flower that many people like, and it is also a great material for making bonsai. It has relatively strong adaptability to the environment. Although the leaves are small, they are glossy and very tolerant of pruning. But if you want to make a bonsai with high ornamental value, you need certain skills.
Portulacaria afra prefers a place with plenty of sunlight, but it cannot be exposed to harsh sun. Its requirement for soil is loose and fertile soil. You can add some nutrient soil, so that loose, breathable and fertile soil is best. Water more during the growing season. As for fertilizing, basically applying fertilizer once a month is enough.
The techniques for making Portulacaria afra bonsai mainly focus on two aspects. The first is obtaining material, which can be done by the layering method. Spring gives the best results, and it basically takes one year. The second is pruning. When pruning Portulacaria afra, you should focus on the overall layout and aesthetics. When pruning, remove excess branches. On the retained branches, try to keep 2 leaves on each branch and leaf cluster. For the distribution of exposed roots, it needs to be better arranged to make it look more natural. For the wounds left from pruning, be sure to pay attention and avoid contact with the potting soil, so as to prevent rotting and avoid affecting the ornamental value.
After pruning, note that Portulacaria afra should be placed in a shaded place. After one week, wait until it sprouts new buds before watering, then move it to a place with light and let it grow.
After Portulacaria afra has been grown for two years, it should be repotted and the soil changed. When repotting, clean up some old roots and rotten roots, so that Portulacaria afra can continue to grow.
Do you like Portulacaria afra bonsai?