How to Grow and Care for a Jade Plant
Even though jade plants are hard to kill, you should follow proper care techniques closely for the best growth and longevity. Take a look at the care guidelines below to see how you can keep your plant strong and healthy.
Sunlight: A jade plant is one of the best plants to keep in an area of your home with direct sunlight. They need full sun in order to continue to grow happily and avoid becoming stunted and short. A good rule of thumb is to allow your jade plant to have at least four hours of direct sunlight a day, or leave in a sunny spot for the whole day.
Water: The plant requires different watering schedules in the summer versus the winter. In the winter, the plant might only need watering once every two to three weeks. In the summer, be sure to water the plant once a week. You never want to over water the jade plant, but if you accidentally do, make sure before you water the plant again that the plant has had time to soak up the extra water. A quick test to see if the plant needs a drink is to touch the soil. You want the soil to stay moist, it’s time to water when it dries out.
Temperatures: Jade plants grow best at room temperature, such as 18º to 23ºC, and prefer direct sunlight. Jade plants are not able to tolerate the cold since they are not frost-tolerant. Once temperatures drop below 10ºC, we recommend finding a warmer place for your plant. They will do just fine in temperatures above 23ºC for shorter periods of time.
Toxicity: The jade plant is a great addition to any home, but it can be toxic to children and pets. Touching or eating these plants will potentially lead to ill effects. like vomiting, fatigue and itching/burning skin.
Pests: The most common pest that attacks jade plants are mealybugs. To detect these pests, look for cotton patches along the joint between the stem and leaves. These pests will feed off the plant’s sap and eventually create an infection known as sooty mold due to the sticky substance that mealybugs secrete.
To solve the mealybug issue and protect your jade plant, clean your jade plant with rubbing alcohol several times to fully get rid of the bugs. In extreme cases, you will need to dispose of the jade plant.
Problems: One of the only issues that a jade plant will face is becoming droopy. The leaves will begin to sink towards the floor, meaning the jade plant is dying. The most common factor leading to droopiness is over-watering in the winter. Instead of fully watering your jade plant during colder weather, mist your plant with a spray bottle.
During the summertime when fully watering the plant, make sure the jade is placed in a drainage pot, so that excess water can escape and the roots do not drown.
Repotting: Repotting a jade plant might be unnecessary unless you see mold or unhealthy soil surrounding the jade plant. Try to hold off from repotting a jade plant for several years. Repotting might cause the plant to slow in growth as it adjusts — do not be concerned by this.
Propagation: Rooting jade plant cuttings is a pretty easy process and does not cause distress to the plant. To find where to take a piece of the plant off to propagate, find a healthy branch that has no diseases or browning surrounding the leaf. The branch should be at least three to four inches long in order to root the jade plant into another pot. Make sure to use a sharp knife.
When you have successfully cut the branch, make sure to let the wound of the jade plant dry for one to two weeks. This is because if you plant the branch wet, the piece will develop a disease and will not be able to grow. You may dust the wound with rooting hormone, which might quicken the rooting process. After waiting, you may plant the branch in your soil mixture by first making a hole with your finger or a pencil, then placing the branch inside. Do not water the plant until roots start to grow (two to three weeks).
Whether you’re looking to buy a jade plant for yourself or a friend, we hope this guide covered how to properly take care of your jade plant. There are many ways to showcase your new jade plant, such as a plant stand or as a centerpiece for your dining room table. Your jade plant isn’t the only greenery that needs your care.
Source: Proflowers
