Portulaca care guide

Pets and children

How often to water Portulaca

Spring–Summer (Mar–Sep)

Every 3 days

The fleshy leaves store water, so as a guide water thoroughly only once the soil has dried well, even in midsummer.

Autumn (Oct–Nov)

Every 5 days

Cooler weather slows drying; generally wait two or three days after the soil dries before watering.

Winter (Dec–Feb)

Every 10 days

Plants kept indoors over winter want only sparing water a few days after the soil dries, as a guide.

Light and placement for Portulaca

Give it full sun outdoors all day, as a guide; the flowers open in direct light, so in shade they stay closed and the stems stretch, and it dislikes constant rain.

Overwintering Portulaca

Overwintering guide: 5°C (41°F) or above

Frost-tender and usually grown as an annual; to keep it, root cuttings in fall and hold them on a bright windowsill above about 5°C, watered sparingly.

Fertilizing and repotting Portulaca

Fertilizer

Feed lightly: slow-release fertilizer at planting and dilute liquid feed about once or twice a month while flowering; too much gives leaves instead of flowers.

When to repot

Spring–Summer (Mar–Sep)

Common problems with Portulaca

• In too little sun the flowers stay shut and only the stems grow.
• Overwatering or long rain rots the base of the stems.
• Left outdoors until frost, the plant dies.

Tips for growing Portulaca

• Cuttings of the long stems root easily in soil, so it is simple to multiply.
• Flowers close by afternoon and barely open on cloudy days, so placement in sun matters most.
• Trimming leggy stems in summer keeps it compact and flowering into fall.

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