- 1). Fill an individual pot for each cutting or seed with half peat and half perlite four to six months before you wish to plant the Jatropha curcas outdoors. Plant seeds at a depth equal to the diameter of the seed. Plant cuttings with one or two nodes below soil level.
- 2). Water the potting medium until moisture flows out of the holes in the bottom of the pot. Place plastic wrap over the pot to increase humidity for the plant. Place the pots in room temperature in an area away from direct light.
- 3). Check the pots daily, making sure the medium stays evenly moist. Remove the plastic wrap when the seed sprouts or when new leaves grow on the cuttings, depending on how you decided to propagate the plant. Transplant the seedlings into larger pots as they grow.
- 4). Plant the Jatropha curcas outdoors in an area with full sun and well-drained soil of almost any kind. Plant multiple plants 7 to 10 feet apart. Water the Jatropha deeply and keep it moist until it start growing vigorously in its new environment.
- 5). Weed around the Jatropha curcas; it does not compete well with weeds early in its growth cycle. A 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch around the plant will help prevent weed growth.
- 6). Fertilize the Jatropha annually in early spring. Use a fertilizer marked 10-10-10 and follow the directions on the package for application. Each brand will differ, depending on the concentration of the items in the fertilizer.
- 7). Prune the Jatropha curcas with pruning shears annually in winter. Cut off dead, broken and diseased branches. Shape it as a hedge if you wish or leave it to grow naturally.
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