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How to repot a jade plant (Portulacaria afra)? Master these few tips and you are all set

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A jade plant needs repotting once every one or two years. The pot bottom must have drainage holes, and one third of the soil around the roots should be kept. After repotting, the plant is in a recovery period, so do not water it right away and do not expose it to direct sunlight; after one or two weeks you can care for it normally.

1. Timing

Pay attention to the timing of repotting: do not do it during the growing season, because temperatures are higher then, bacteria are more active, and the plant may develop water-soaked tissue and die from disease. Water evaporates fairly quickly, and the roots cannot supply water immediately after repotting, so the plant is very likely to lose water and die.

The best time is at the start of winter or in early spring when the temperature is suitable; the survival rate is much higher at these times. Generally, repot it only once every one or two years.

2. Steps

First, take the plant out of its pot, keep one third of the original soil around the roots, and be careful to protect the roots; then add a certain amount of new soil. The new soil is best as a mix of leaf mold and garden soil, and of course adding some coarse sand is even better, and this also makes it more nutritious and greatly helps with aeration and drainage. The new pot needs the roots to recover, so we cannot water it right away and must wait three or four days before doing so. There are also requirements for the new pot: it must have drainage holes, otherwise root rot is very likely. During the recovery period, do not let direct sunlight hit it, do not let it suffer cold damage, and give it some ventilation; wait until the soil has dried out completely before watering it again. After about two or three weeks you can manage it normally.

3. Points to note

① If the plant develops a problem and that problem is related to repotting, then we should not repot it again, and we should not change the soil either, otherwise the problem will worsen; the best approach is to leave it alone.

② Misting is not really necessary, because it tolerates drought well; just water it when its surface has dried.

③ During the recovery period, sunlight, fertilizer and the like are not needed.

④ Losing a small number of leaves is normal; if it loses many, then you need to look at your care practices.

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