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Jade Plant: How To Grow and Care for Jade Plants

November 25, 2019

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Planting the jade plant was a fad of the 1970s because then and now, it remains to be one of the easiest houseplants to grow that require low maintenance and does not demand much when it comes to basic needs like water and sunlight.

Today, we will talk about jade plant care but before we do, let us look at some quick facts about the jade plant.

Table of Contents

It is a natural air purifier. It has purifying abilities to boost oxygen quality at home or in the workplace and it is specifically filtering benzene and formaldehyde from household products according to a 1989 research by NASA.

It has a very, very long lifespan. Believe it or not, when maintained well, it could live up to more than 100 years, especially when it is pruned like bonsai.

It is also called as the money plant or dollar plant. The jade plant is believed by the Chinese as a good luck plant that attracts good fortune. That is why the jade plant is a common housewarming gift for the Chinese.

Planting the Jade plant

#1. When to Plant?

The first thing to understand here is that the jade plant is not cold hardy because it is a tropical houseplant. As such, the best time to plant the jade plant would be during spring or early summer when the nighttime summer breeze gives off the right humidity for tropical houseplants.

#2. Where to Plant?

When growing them indoors, they need to be at the brightest spot in the house because chances are, that is where it will get an all-day sun and afternoon shade in balance.

However, if you plan to grow them outdoors, you will need to find a space where they would strategically get partial sun and partial shade.

#3. How to Plant

The key in planting the jade plant is good drainage. Choose a pot with at least two drainage holes in it and fill it with a fast draining soil mix.

Plant the jade plant just an inch below the surface of the soil mix and then add more soil mix after. Water the newly planted jade plant thoroughly and let it drain fully.

Care for Jade plant

#1. Soil

We have already mentioned that the jade plant is a tropical houseplant. Thus, the best potting mix for this plant would be cactus or palm soil mixes or those plants that are not dependent on water.

#2. Light and Temperature

This plant needs full sun or at least six-eight hours of sunlight a day. When they are grown in lesser bright spots, they will not flourish and will wilt easily. As for temperature, it will grow best within the 18-24 degrees Celsius temperature during the day and can handle 10-13 degrees Celsius at night.

#3. Water and Humidity

The jade plant is primarily a succulent so water is not needed. But during dry seasons, you will need more water so once a week would be good. But in normal days, light watering every two to three weeks would already be enough. As for humidity, it loves more humid spaces.

#4. Fertilizer

The jade plant needs to be fertilized especially during active growth phase or six to eight weeks after planting. It feeds on liquid fertilizer which after the active growth phase could be applied once a month.

#5. Jade plant propagation

It is not one of the easiest plants to grow for no reason. You can easily propagate the jade plant using leaf cuttings or offsets. All you have to do is stick these cuttings in a small pot and follow the how to plant section.

#6. Jade plant pruning

The only time that the jade plant requires pruning would be when burnt, browning leaves are present, when branches get shriveled or when leaves are already dead. Just cut them off from the branch or main plant and rest assured that new leaves will grow from where you cut them after a few weeks.

Problems

#1. Growing Problems and Diseases

The jade plant is pretty resistant to a lot of diseases. It could really fare well on its own. But it could be vulnerable to fungal diseases which cause rotting of stems, roots or leaves.

#2. Pests

This plant is also a favorite of mealy bugs. Once you see cotton like, white scabs in the leaves, that is when you know that mealy bugs are already niching on it.

FAQs

#1. When cared for properly, how long could a jade plant survive?

Don’t be shocked but when the Jade plant receives all its care requirements regularly, it could thrive to up to 100 years. This has already been established in scientific research.