Grow Portulacaria afra this way, and it will grow into a big old trunk in just a few months
Portulacaria afra has fairly thick, sturdy branches, and its small, delicate, lush green leaves look very attractive! Many gardening enthusiasts grow Portulacaria afra precisely because they want to train it into a big old trunk, but to grow Portulacaria afra into a big old trunk, the following points are very key!
1. Prune it regularly
For a bonsai-style plant like Portulacaria afra, regular pruning is a must in its care routine. The purpose of pruning it is, first, to make its plant shape look more beautiful, and second, if you do not cut off some of the overlong branches, they will consume too many nutrients, which is especially detrimental to the growth of its main trunk!
2. Water and fertilizer must be sufficient
To grow Portulacaria afra into a big old trunk, water and fertilizer must be sufficient, especially in its faster-growing seasons. After the potting soil dries out completely, water it promptly!
Because you want it to grow roots, leaves and branches at the same time, apply a compound fertilizer with a balanced ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Using it twice a month is enough to maintain its normal growth!
3. Plenty of light
Portulacaria afra is especially fond of light. The more sufficient the light, the faster it grows! And if there is not enough light, no matter how much fertilizer we give it, it will not grow into a big old trunk!
So when growing Portulacaria afra, apart from shading it at midday in summer, let it get as much sun as possible the rest of the time! Moreover, if there is not enough light, the leaves of Portulacaria afra will grow relatively sparse, and it will look very unattractive!
Portulacaria afra is not hard to grow. As long as you remember these three points, it will grow into a big old trunk in just a few months!
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