This is my Portulacaria afra pseudo-bonsai. Originally the plant was growing in the yard but it got too big for its space so DH dug it up and I cut away about 90% of it and potted it last fall. Any suggestions on how I should trim it now? Should I remove the lowest big branch or cut it back shorter? Should I thin out some of the upper foliage? Anything else??? (Maybe take a picture on a brighter day?)
If mine appeals to you it may serve as a guide in starting a new one. I just cut off a branchlet and stuck it in a pot with soil some years back and this is what I got:
http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/16803/
Straight lines like this (red) are a no-no in Bonsai and the trunk(s) need to taper (green).
It is too late to do any wiring and I doubt that that works well with succulents anyway.
But you can make several new ones right from this one.
Enjoy.
Thanks for the suggestions. I guess it's hopeless as a bonsai. I'll just keep it as a regular ol' potted plant or find a new place in the yard for it where it can get big again. (This one did originally come from a cutting that I "stole" from someone's overgrown yard. Maybe I'll start over again and try to make a decent bonsai, if the feeling moves me.)
All you need is a pot to plant in.
Good luck and have fun.
