When repotting, I find it hard to put several plants in one pot. If it were my plant, I would just separate them.

That's what I was thinking too but I had a similar situation with my crassula perforata recently and they werr very small and easier to put into one pot together, at least for the time being. I'll probably separate, I just wanted to see if it really made a difference

Separate, and keep them moist.

Josh

I had no idea I had to keep them moist! Thanks! Should I repot into fast draining mix still?

Moist is relative. Yes, still give it a well draining mix.

Okay! So in this context is the definition of moist not quite letting the soil dry between waterings? Hahaha

You will want to let it dry between waterings, but my guess is you will be watering more often.

Awesome! Thanks!

Pot in a fast draining mix, and water a couple times a week. I don't let my green or variegated Port. afra dry out completely. They have delicate leaf tissue, and they will shed leaves if they dry out. Even during the Winter indoors, I make sure to keep the mix evenly moist.

Josh

So pretty. I bought a small pot that came with six in it and I separated them, but two pots each...I don't have the space for six right now! I definitely water them more often than my other succulents. When i first got it they were in the hardest dried out peat and their leaves were so shriveled! But with the right water and light, they now actually appear quite bushy with all the new leaves that have grown! I love them. Enjoy yours! :)

Is there a right or wrong answer? At that size you could keep it as a small bush and grow more from pruning in Spring.

Pete, there probably isn't a right answer, I was just looking to draw on people with more experience than me. I'm going to wait until I do the repot before I make a final decision, once I see the roots and how many there actually are in there. Thanks everyone!

Thanks Rina, I'll repot when I get home on Sunday

Josh is right, Port a's will drop leaves alarmingly if they dry out for too long, they don't need to be sopping wet, just damp, it's a bit of a balancing act! Mine dropped loads of leaves as I assumed being from S. Africa it would appreciate hot dry conditions, it didn't like it one bit. It grew back though. Now I know better.

Gill

Even though I know it's not a jade, I had kind of assumed the care would be similar. I usually water when the leaves start to feel less turgid, would this work for the P. afra too? Or is the dropping off of leaves easier to tell?

P. afra needs more regular water, as it doesn't hold as much in its smaller, more tender leaves. Feeling the leaves for turgidity does work, but by the time the leaves soften, the plant will be in real need of water. This limits the growth potential.

So I haven't yet gotten around to reporting yet but I was thinking of turning one (slowly) into a bonsai. I read on old threads here to basically leave it alone for a while so it can get a nice trunk then whack it back? I've never bonsaied anything before and I'm new to the P. afra so any tips would be really appreciated

There are a few ways to go about it.

The first is to select a single plant from a pot of cuttings, and then pot it small, and pinch it to shape. Then, wait many years as the cramped plant develops into a stunted, interesting form. I'm guilty of doing this to the plant I posted above. It has virtually zero root-room, it's growing in pure Turface, and I seldom fertilize it. When the branch-tips extend in the Winter, I pinch them back. This method will take a long time, but it's also very convenient for fitting the plant on a windowsill.

The faster method is to put the plant in a larger container of fast draining mix, give it lots of morning light, then water and fertilize copiously during the Summer. This will grow the plant larger and create a thicker trunk in a shorter period. Essentially, let it grow rampant, but keep an eye on the future branches and where the trunk will be chopped. Once you've gotten that trunk, prune, wire branches in place, pinch tips regularly, and eventually pot down into an appropriate bonsai container.

Josh

Plenty people already answered but I'll also say I separated my plants.

@greenman28 That bonsai looks amazing, it's exactly what I want to do with my P. afra. Would it be correct to assume that the faster method will produce larger bonsai plants?

Thanks! I separated what turned out to be 5 plants today and put them in slightly too large pots if I'm being honest and my plan is to let them adjust to their current situations as well as for me to make sure if gotten the hang of the care. Then I'll make decide more of what type of look I'm going for and which growth I want to encourage etc. Basically the faster method for now!

Purple, that's correct.

Josh