A novice gardener’s guide to Jade plant care

Jade plants are succulent houseplants, which makes them fairly resilient and easy to grow indoors. Plus they’re capable of living a long, long time with proper jade plant care! The jade plant is a popular succulent houseplant with fleshy, oval leaves and strong, woody stalks resembling miniature tree trunks. It can grow to reach between 3 and 6 feet tall with a little care, but it grows slowly, growing approximately 2 inches per year.

Jade plants are native to South Africa and are supposed to bring good luck, money, and prosperity to their owners, hence they are frequently presented as housewarming gifts. As a result, one of their monikers is the money plant.Because jade plants are normally cultivated indoors (they require a hot temperature to thrive outdoors), they can be brought home or started at any time, either from a nursery or through propagation.

(A)Jade Plant Care- Before You Begin

1. How to Choose a Plant?

When looking for jade plants, look for the “straight species,” Crassula ovata, with its easy-to-spot, fleshy, oval leaves. If you can find them, several varieties of the plant are quite enjoyable to grow. Spoon jade plants, for example, have 2- to 3-inch-long tubular leaves that resemble fingers with spoons on the ends. All jade plants offered as houseplants have the same maintenance requirements, so you may treat them the same whether their leaves are flat or fingerlike.

2.Where to grow Jade Plant ?

If you’re growing jade plants as houseplants, choose the brightest area in the house. They can even withstand direct sunshine coming in through the window, which many houseplants cannot do without becoming sunburned. Jade plants can survive in areas with only a little direct sunlight, but they will not thrive. Jade plants, like most other tropical plants, dislike chilly temperatures, so keep them away from drafty windows and doors.

Want to enjoy your jade plant outside this summer? Move the container outside to a sheltered location once nighttime temperatures reach at least 65 degrees F. Allow the plant to adjust to being outside for a few days before relocating it to a more sunny location, as sunlight is more intense outside. Place your jade plant where it will get lots of early sunlight but will be shaded from stronger afternoon rays. When nighttime temperatures begin to dip again in the fall, bring plants inside.

3.How to plant Jade ?

1.Choose a container that has at least one drainage hole and is no broader than the root ball of your jade plant. (Jade plants don’t mind being crowded at all.)

2. Fill the container 13-quarters full with Miracle-Gro® Cactus, Palm & Citrus Potting Mix, which provides good drainage and a little food to help your jade plant thrive.

3. Set the plant in the pot so that the top of the root ball is approximately an inch below the rim of the container, allowing for watering.

4. Gently pat additional potting mix around the root ball.
5. Water your jade plant thoroughly and allow it to drain. Place a saucer under the pot and relocate the plant to its new home.

(B)Jade Plant Care Tips After Planting

1.Light

Jade plants require a lot of sunlight. They should, however, be sheltered from direct sunshine, which can scorch the foliage, especially of young plants. On the other hand, too little light might result in weak, lanky growth, causing the plant to collapse over. As a result, try to get at least six hours of bright, indirect sunshine per day. A south-facing window is great for displaying a jade plant in your home. West-facing windows should also provide adequate lighting.

2.Soil

A succulent-specific potting mix is your best bet when selecting a potting mix for your jade plant. The soil should ideally have a pH of neutral to slightly acidic, and it should drain efficiently to avoid excess moisture from gathering and contributing to fungal growth. If you do decide to use an all-purpose potting mix, add some perlite to help with drainage. You may also keep your jade plant in a terracotta or clay vase to assist it in wicking extra moisture from the soil.

3.Water

Water jade plants frequently during the spring and summer to keep the soil moist but not damp. (Just make sure their drainage is in tip-top shape.) In the winter, limit your watering to once a month. Also, if you water from below by placing the plant in a saucer of water, make sure to drain any extra water after a few minutes. Never submerge a jade plant in water.

4.Fertilizer

During the growing season, many people underfeed their succulents. Feed your jade plant with a controlled-release fertilizer at the start of the season or a weak liquid solution regularly for the best results. On older plants, use a balanced 20-20-20 fertilizer at one-quarter strength, while on young plants, use a fertilizer with less nitrogen.

5. Propagation

Is one of your buddies smitten with your jade plant? The good news is that these plants reproduce extremely quickly (or propagate). Simply break off a piece, remove the lower leaves, and allow the bottom of the cut piece (called a cutting) to dry out for a few days. Put the cutting in some potting soil and give it to a friend. That’s all! Tell them to keep the soil mildly damp until they feel resistance when they tug on the cutting, indicating that it has established roots and can absorb water. You may also propagate jade plants by placing a plucked leaf in the soil and watching for roots and small leaves to grow at the base.

6. Prune

Pruning jade plants is only necessary when you notice dead, dying, or withered branches. If this happens, simply clip them off. Jade plants are extremely forgiving and will continue to grow wherever you cut them. You may also prune them to make them look like bonsai trees if you want.

7.Potting and repotting

Use an unglazed clay pot with a diameter of at least 4 to 6 inches. To protect your jade plant from being soggy, make sure it has drainage holes. Repot the jade plant into a larger container if it begins to outgrow its container. Clean up the roots and check for fungus after removing the plant from the little pot. Place it in the soil and backfill it with the soil to distribute the roots. Wait a week before watering sparingly.

(C)Jade Plant Care and Common Problems

1.Common Pests

Jade plants, like many other houseplants and succulents, are vulnerable to a range of pests. The most prevalent pest is the mealybug, which can create white patches on the plant, particularly where the leaves join the stems. 3 Because jade plants (and succulents in general) are particularly sensitive to insecticides and oils4, you should remove mealybugs by wiping them away with a cotton ball or tissue soaked in rubbing alcohol. An infestation of spider mites or scale, for example, can be treated in the same way.

2.Other common problems in Jade Plant Care

(i) Shrivelled leaves

Jade plants retain water in their leaves, so wrinkling or shrivelled leaves are a strong sign that it’s time to water your plant more. They may be followed by drooping or a general “wilt” of the plant as a whole. However, if watered, they should perk up rapidly.

(ii) Leaves Falling

If your jade plant is shedding leaves at an alarming rate, it could be due to a lack of light. Move the plant to a location with bright, indirect light for at least six hours every day and see if the condition improves. If the majority of the leaves falling are old leaves, or if the dropping is accompanied by lanky growth, your plant may be too warm and should be moved to a somewhat cooler (but not chilly) location.

(iii) Yellowing All Over

It’s hardly the end of the world if your jade plant has one or two yellow leaves. However, if you observe your plant turning yellow all over, this is a symptom of a more serious problem. Overwatering is generally indicated by the all-over yellowing of a jade plant. Check for additional telltale indications (such as decaying roots) and reduce your watering frequency.

3.Precaution

Pet owners should use caution while placing a jade plant in their homes. Cats and dogs are poisoned by all parts of the plant. If you want to know about the houseplants safe for pets make sure to read our blog.

Conclusion

Jade plant care is simple. Many people enjoy having jade plants in their homes and offices, and they are seen to be good luck symbols. You don’t have to be lucky to learn how to properly care for and maintain jade plants. Follow these Jade plant care tips for healthy lush green and thriving jade succulents.