Jade Plant Care Methods, Pruning Techniques and Precautions Explained

The jade plant is a very common succulent. Its leaves are fairly emerald green and thick, making it highly ornamental. It is currently distributed in flower markets of all sizes in our country, and many people choose it when buying plants. The jade plant is also very easy to shape; after buying it and bringing it home, it needs regular pruning and care.

Jade Plant Care Methods

1. Potting soil requirements: The most suitable time for repotting and planting is early spring. The potting soil should be loose, fertile and well-drained. You can use 2 parts leaf mold or peat soil, 2 parts garden soil, 3 parts coarse sand and 1 part limestone gravel, or 3 parts each of leaf mold, garden soil and coarse sand, plus 1 part each of bone meal and plant ash, thoroughly mixed as a culture soil for the pot.

2. Temperature requirements: A temperature between 20-30 degrees is most favorable for jade plant growth. Spring and autumn are the most suitable growing seasons for the jade plant. The jade plant fears strong light. When summer temperatures are high, take care to place the plant in a shady spot and avoid direct sunlight. When the growing environment temperature exceeds 38 degrees, the jade plant's growth rate will begin to slow and it may even enter a brief dormancy. In winter, take care to manage the temperature well, place the plant in a greenhouse, and preferably in a spot with light. Room temperature must not drop below 7 degrees. Below 0 degrees, the plant will freeze to death. For a jade plant in its growing period, except for the shading needed during the hot summer, it should always be placed in a spot with ample sunlight.

3. Watering requirements: When the jade plant is in its growing period, the watering frequency should be controlled to once every two to three days. There must be no waterlogging, and the potting soil should also be kept from becoming too wet. When growing a jade plant in summer, control the number of waterings well and strengthen ventilation to avoid leaf drop. When growing a jade plant in winter, reduce watering. The specific principle depends on whether the potting soil is dry or wet. Slightly dry potting soil is best.

4. Fertilizing requirements: During the jade plant's growing period, fertilizer can be applied appropriately. Generally, apply 2 to 3 times a month a well-rotted, diluted cake liquid fertilizer. Before changing the soil or planting, apply enough base fertilizer; well-rotted organic fertilizers such as chicken manure, pigeon manure, bone meal, human and animal urine and feces, and various cake fertilizers can all be added into the culture soil as base fertilizer. To keep the plant shape full, fertilizer and water should not be excessive, so as to avoid leggy growth.

Precautions for Jade Plants

1. First, the jade plant grows relatively quickly, so every spring it should be repotted, with fertile soil added, and placed in a spot with ample sunlight for care.

2. Apply a thin fertilizer solution once every 10 days to half a month, and water once every 2 to 3 days, following the principle of watering when dry and letting it dry between waterings. During the high heat of midsummer, the jade plant is in a semi-dormant state and fears strong light burning its leaves, so shade care should be done well at this time. Summer

3. Stop fertilizing in summer, pay attention to ventilation, and prevent the leaves from turning yellow and dropping. If there is continuous heavy rain, avoid having the plant battered by torrential rain, so as to prevent water from accumulating at the roots and causing root rot and death.

4. From August to October, when autumn arrives and it turns cooler, the jade plant begins to resume growth, and sunlight should be strengthened again, with shading equipment removed; at this time, fertilizing and watering are in principle the same as in spring.

5. Before Frost's Descent, move it into a greenhouse and place it in a sunny spot indoors, stop fertilizing, and be restrained with watering, basically watering once every half a month, with the amount of water being half that of summer.

How to Prune a Jade Plant

1. Winter pruning. Winter is the dormancy period of the jade plant. At this time, reasonable and appropriate pruning should be done to the jade plant, cutting it shorter so that the growing branches do not take away too much nutrition.

2. Post-bloom pruning. The jade plant's flowering period is in spring and summer. After flowering, the branches that have bloomed do not supply enough nutrition, so they should be cut back to encourage new branches to grow.

3. Growing-period pruning. The jade plant grows relatively fast during its growing period, so it is necessary to prune the diseased branches and the branches that do not meet the desired requirements. Because the jade plant grows fast during the growing period, water less to avoid being unable to control the overall shape. The pruning method is pinching: cut off the tips of unsatisfactory branches so they do not continue growing in that direction.

Jade Plant Pest and Disease Control Methods

The main things to control are the harm from anthracnose and leaf spot disease. In the early stages, spray with a 1000-fold dilution of 70% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder. When indoor ventilation is poor, the stems and leaves are susceptible to scale insect damage; when this occurs, spray with a 1000-fold dilution of 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate to kill them. When watered too much, root rot is easily triggered, and the leaves will also turn yellow and may even develop gray mold spots and rot; attention should be paid to ventilation and drainage, and if necessary, carbendazim wettable powder can be sprayed for control. In addition, mealybugs can also harm the leaves, forming white waxy powder; diseased and pest-infested leaves should be removed promptly to prevent spread.

Growing a jade plant is actually quite simple; generally you start with several aspects such as light and soil. The jade plant is not tolerant of waterlogging, so drainage work must also be done properly. When growing a jade plant, fertilize as needed; winter care differs from summer care, with shading needed in summer and a sunny position in winter.