thanks,
Kathy

Kathy

Al

If you're in a cold climate, and the jade was getting little light, it doesn't need fertilizer..did u feed by any chance?

You mention dull colored leaves..when I hear that it makes me think of spider mites or other insects. Inspect leaves, under and over and between branches for bugs. Webbing, white cottony patches, and bumps that can be scrapped off..Toni

Gabi

Josh

Also,I repotted it just before doing all this research because I thought it needed a bigger pot, but while doing the research, I learned that I shouldn't have repotted it yet because it's supposed to get root bound before repotting. I repotted it in regular potting soil for house plants, and learned that I should have potted it in cactus soil. I potted it in a plastic pot, and learned that it should have been potted in a clay pot. So, I need to know if I should move it now and change the soil type or wait, and how long.

I learned that I'd been watering it incorrectly. It was getting a little water often instead of a lot of water only after the soil had dried out. So, its root base is very shallow and does not support it very well. And I'm scared to repot it for fear that it won't stand up right and I may break the roots that are there.

The plant needs to branch out near the base. (Ben is in 3rd grade, and the plant is a school plant that is judged every year.) There is one branch on one side. Then the main part goes up a little then splits pretty evenly into two branches. I'd like to round it out a little by cutting the leaf that is growing directly opposite of the lower branch on the main stem to get it to start growing there. Then, I'd like to try to plant that leaf in a new pot.

The plant was fertilized once a week with miracle grow that was mixed into the watering can right after I repotted it, which I found out I wasn't supposed do. I found out that it's supposed to dry out for a while after replanting and not be fertilized.

After repotting it and then placing it in more sun, though, it has grown many new leaves, and for the most part, I think it is doing better. There are now dark red edges around the leaves and on the stem and the base of the stem is starting to look woody. Before it was all green. I think this is good.

What I want to know is what I need to do, and in what order to do it. Could you help me out, please? Thanks so much!!!

It's not good to keep making multiple changes to the plant & all at the same time (then one can't tell which change is responsible for which improvements). Best to make one or 2 at a time & then stop & observe.

Perhaps just take a month, read all the Jade stuff at the Cactus & Succulent forum (sort of next store) & let the plant be for a while. Then, if one observes closely, the plant can sort of show you what else it wants by its reaction in the next month.

In case you don't know, in nature, these plants can have it pretty rough in rough conditions & crappy soil & they do just fine. These plants are not delicate or fragile.

It's hard to say for sure without a picture. Based on the info you gave, I would say that the plant is far from done for. I'm pretty much an amateur, especially compared to Josh and Al (tapla), but I do know that jades are very hardy and forgiving, as long as they are planted in an appropriate mix and you DON'T overwater.

That said, jades can take a significant amount of abuse and bounce back. Just do a search on the forums here for whacking jades. Many people remove all the leaves from their jades when they prune. So I say take those branches that broke off and turn your 30 year old jade into 30 year old jades. Then trim the rest of the original plant so it looks balanced again.

Should work.

Good luck.

Al
(the different al)

Al

Most C. o. problems are caused by improper (not-porous-enough) soil, too much water, and/or not enough sun. Improve those conditions, along with not fussing with the plant and/or overcomplicating the issue, and you'll have a good-looking plant (perhaps good enough so your cat will pose with it) in months if not sooner.

And a picture of your plant's current condition(s) is worth a thousand words....

Cactus, I have the same, brown bonsai pot. Without the kitty, of course.. :)

His/her colors are beautiful..Calico?

Are you rooting variegated Jade cuttings, Toni

Almost all calicos are female - the unlucky male ones (if you can call them that) are sterile.

Yes, that was a cutting that's rooted. I need to practice some caudiscipline on it to prevent it from getting too tall (anything more than 3" is excessive).

Why is anything more than 3" excessive? Or is that simply what you're deciding given the proportions of that pot? Nice plants & cat.

It happens that this particular green & white Jade is one I tried to grow several times after buying it at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, only place I'd ever seen it. Must have tried 3 times, to no avail, I don't remember why or how they failed, but they did, either they didn't like me or NYC, or the humidity.

I really liked this particular variegation & shape combination. I so envy your ability to grow it!!

Thank you, and you nailed it in one. Anything more, well, that's positively bacchanalian in its excessiveness.

I pretty much laid it on top of a thin layer of soil and mulched it with twice-screened top dressing. Winter sun and near-constant 65F temps took care of the rest.

Never put it together. A few friends had Calicos..All were female..

Caudiscipline...hmm, is this word found in the dictionary? Any dictionary? lol

Karen. I have two variegated Jades.. Would you like cuttings? I can root before sending. Same care as other Jades, only slower-growing. Toni

I was given the plant two years ago as a gift and want to see if there is any hope in helping this plant survive. It seems to have out grown it's pot and has started to "weep" and I have thought i needed to repot the plant anyway.

#1: can this plant be saved?
#2: how do I replant/repot/separate?
#3: since it has started to "weep" is there a way to get it to stand straight again?

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you ,
Brittany

Here's a pic of my Jade started from one leaf many moons ago.

Your Jade plant: Placing in a shadier spot and watering more was a mistake.

Jades are succulent which mean, leaves and stems hold water. If soil is constantly wet, roots start to rot.
Soil type makes a difference, too. Jades should be potted in porous/well-draining Succulent/Cactus soil or a home-made mix.

Watering by schedule, 'every two weeks,' is a no-no. Water when soil is crumbly dry.
Pour enough water until soil is saturated. Then before adding more, wait until it's dry.

How long is your rainy season, and how cold does it get?

Brittany. Yes, your Jade can be saved. Read what I wrote to Isabel about cuttings and leaves.

Repot in a container 1-2" larger than the rootball. Pinch or cut broken stems. Or, you can prune your Jade; new stems/leaves will grow.
Many people cut their Jades down to the soil line, hoping for a bushier plant.
Give your Jade a drink, (not an alcoholic beverage, lol) and place in very bright light. In a week or two, fertilize.

Brittany, would you happen to have a pic of your Jade? There are different types, including some that weep/hang naturally, when mature. Toni

This may sound like a silly question but how can I load a picture on this site for you to view?

You'll need to use a photo hosting site like Flicker or Photobucket.com (which I use so I know that one). They are free. Once you open an account there, you upload your pix there. From there you'll copy the 3rd line of code to here & while it'll look like gobbledy-gook at first, when you see it in Preview, the image should appear. If not, pls. try again. It's not unusual for it to take a couple of tries to get it right.

Right Toni? ;>)

Brittany, there's only one picture...but you accomplished posting, and Karen was a great help. To post more than one photo, each is done individually. Although, you probably figured that out.

Before the fall, was your Jade standing upright? In other words, was it ever droopy?

If not, it needs more light. Stems need strenghtening, sun is the answer.

Eventually, it will form a trunk/trunks..unless it's a weeping type Crassula/Jade.

You surely have enough stems to start a small forest. lol.

Is the plant in the picture the main plant? Toni

The initial 'trunk' has branches that grow off it, but they seem to grow outward, over the lip of the container and then take a sudden dive down then loop back up again.

Do I just cut these loopy branches off and re-root? Should I just cut all branches off from the main trunk? Do jades sprawl, and need a larger container to grow and root itself in?

Any advise to save the poor old plant would be wonderful!

Also, I live in southern Maryland, do you think they could survive spring/summer outside in patio containers and then bring in for the fall/winter?

Thanks in advance for all the advice!

The drooping, sprawling limbs are due to low light conditions.
I would agree that the limbs should be pruned back to the trunk. Don't re-pot, however,
unless there's some problem with the soil. The Jade will be fine with more light.

Prune it, give it light, and it will backbud like crazy.

Josh

Susan

Thanks again,GK

The part I had to replant is also thriving! Also, I was able to save a few of the leaves that fell off and are now starting to grow roots! So, in the end I guess 2 destructive little boys were good for the plant in the long run!

Again, Thanks for all the advice and for helping me save my Jade!

Brittany

First post here, but I'm hoping you all can help me out a bit. I have a jade that has been very happy for the past 2 or so years that I've had it (came from a cutting from my mom's jade.) Recently, I was out of the country for a month and left all of my plants in the care of a friend. I think she over watered the jade, though I'm not sure.

It's leaves are all thin and floppy, and some of them are browning a bit. I've included a picture so you can see. I know it missed me while I was gone, but I've been back for 3+ weeks now and it hasn't seemed to improve yet. Does it look like it was over watered?

Thanks in advance for any help!

Help please!

Al

Sulfur powder = flowers of sulfur at a compounding pharmacist's

I ordered a jade chunk (24 inches tall with some branches) that apparently was left in this guys back yard on the grass for almost a year... That wasn't in his description but i digress. I got this tree like stump in the mail and it was shriveled and quite pathetic looking (i mean if i was left on the grass only getting watered once a month i'd look all shriveled and pathetic as well). Anyways, i contacted the seller. He said 'stick it in a shallow bowl of water for a week or until you see small roots forming it'll bounce back, trust me'... I with hesitation (since i had heard jades rot easily in water) placed it in a shallow dish of water. Put it in a sunny spot... and within 3 days saw little white buds popping out along the callous rim. After a week i did as directed and potted it up in good old regular Miracle grow potting soil and gave it a good soaking. I have been soaking it about once a week and it's doing amazing. I have new growth all over it's once stumpy arms and have a canopy forming. Checked the roots just last week and they're filling the pot nicely (nice enough no soil fell off when i took the plant out of the pot). I got the plant in august.

Things i found out while caring for my jades. Although they are a succulent they do infact love a good watering:)

I also found that they love clay pots... (something i dont like) but they like them! so they get clay:)

I've also found... the more light you can give them the better.

This summer i will be doing exactly what Al said above... sticking them outside. I will have jades scattered throughout my flower garden lol.

So long story short the above answers from everyone who has chimed in are completely right.

Good soil, good light, and patience definitely pay off when growing Jades indoors.

Oh yes, and don't be afraid to pinch new growth or pop an arm off... they are very resiliant and will grow back:)