Howdy! Pachira aquatica will do well in a soil that drains quickly, indeed. Yes, you'll need to water more often during the growth season - but the trade-off is that the roots will be healthy and won't rot during the winter months. I'd make a 1:1:1 mix of bark, pumice, and perlite. Instead of pumice, you could also use Turface, or Napa diatomaceous earth, part #8822. These ingredients are similar in that they have a solid structure and great internal porosity (to hold moisture and nutrients). I use quartz gravel and perlite together - the gravel gives some weight to the mix, while providing excellent stability and air-circulation and while holding very little moisture. I've also read that rough, sharp grit in your mix will promote fine root-growth. The bark that I use is called Micro Bark: it is pine/fir bark. I screen my particles so that they are between 1/8 and 3/8 of an inch. Ideally, however, all of my ingredients would be just about 1/8 of an inch. This is the critical particle-size at which a container mix will retain moisture (under 1/8 holds water - over 1/8 gives up water). This is a general rule, assuming equally-sized particles. There are many ways to modify this basic blend to get the mix right for your growing conditions. Since Pachira aquatica (Malabar Chestnut) comes from wetland areas in South America, I have always assumed that it likes to be flooded...and then allowed to dry. Outside in partial shade, my Pachira is drying out every 2 - 3 days. During the winter in the house, I cut watering back to once a week (sometimes longer). Oh! Almost forgot a final piece of advice! Avoid the braided Pachira...in my opinion, they're nothing but trouble (often, one of the trunks is totally rotten from the start). A single trunk, with healthy foliage, will serve you better. Josh

Thanks Josh, Here are some photos, I already cut pretty far down to where the braid starts, it still has a green branch, though the leaves are not developing. It's trying to make green buds, and at the same time the trunk is shriveling almost half way down to the base. I added Osmocote in the soil, last few times I watered it with regular MiracleGro All Purpose (small scoop per gallon). The 2 trunks that are fine produce good looking leaves finally. Couple leaves are larger than a foot across, and continuing to make new leaves.

You could be living in the sunniest desert ever, and that wouldn't matter if the plant was plopped down in a room with no windows-light can't penetrate walls the last time I checked :p I would slowly introduce it to the balcony-don't immediately shove it out. The leaves will sunburn and drop, and the plant will have to expend even more energy to grow more leaves. I would leave it out in the morning when the sunlight isn't at its strongest, and leave it there for an hour before bringing it back in. The next day, leave it there for two hours, then the next day for three hours, etc. until it gets used to the sun.

Well, you just have to continue the braid. As long as the stems are supple, it'll be fine. When you tie the braid, make sure to use something soft, so it doesn't cut into the stem. I would keep moving the tie upward every few weeks or so. Josh