Jade Plant Cultivation Methods and Care Tips

The jade plant is also known as the Crassula tree, glass tree, succulent evergreens, and so on. It is a multi-succulent subshrub plant of the genus Crassula in the family Crassulaceae. Its crown is upright and elegant, its stems and leaves are emerald green, and it bears white flowers at the top, making it very elegant and distinctive. If paired with a pot stand and gravel to make a small bonsai, the decoration is even more beautiful. If cared for well, it blooms every year; if not, it may not bloom even once in 20 years. Now let us take a look at the cultivation methods and precautions for the jade plant.

Growth Habits of the Jade Plant

The jade plant is native to southern Africa and likes a warm, dry, and sunny natural environment. It fears strong light, is slightly shade-tolerant, and is not cold-tolerant. The winter temperature must not be lower than 7°C. The growing soil is best as fertile, well-drained sandy loam. Its flowering period is late spring and early summer, with tubular flowers 2 cm in diameter, white or pale pink, but the sap of the leaves is toxic.

Propagation Methods of the Jade Plant

The jade plant is often propagated by cuttings, and soft branches or leaves can be used for cuttings. This can be done during the growing period, but before insertion the cuttings need to be dried in the shade. For soft branch cuttings, during the growing season cut off full, vigorous soft branches, let them dry slightly, then insert them into plain sand or sandy soil. After insertion, maintain a certain humidity, and they will root in 20-30 days. For leaf cuttings, during the growing season, twist off 1-2 year old leaves from the base, let them dry for 8-10 hours, and insert them into plain sand or sandy soil, preferably at a slant, with a depth of 1/4-1/3 of the leaf length. After insertion, spray a small amount of clear water, place in a shaded, ventilated spot, and keep slightly moist regularly. In about 30 days they will root and produce young shoots.

Cultivation Methods of the Jade Plant

1. Flower pot: The jade plant can use clay pots, plastic pots, porcelain pots, or ceramic pots. To coordinate with home decor, porcelain pots can be used. Generally, pots with a diameter of 16-28 cm are chosen for planting. The north is usually relatively dry, so porcelain pots are very good; in the south, tile pots are recommended, because the jade plant is a succulent and too much accumulated water easily causes black rot.

2. Soil: The jade plant has low requirements for soil, and loose, well-drained sandy soil is suitable. For potting soil, use 5 parts leaf mold, 2 parts garden soil, and 3 parts river sand. It is extremely drought-tolerant and avoids overly wet soil. It likes dry air and relatively dry soil, and avoids moist soil. Moist potting soil easily causes root and stem rot.

3. Watering: During the growth period of the jade plant, keep the potting soil moderately moist regularly. If the potting soil drains poorly and too much water is given, root rot will occur due to water accumulation. If the potting soil is too dry, the weather is stuffy and hot, and the air is not circulating, leaf drop is easily caused. The amount of water should be controlled according to temperature. In summer, watering can be appropriately increased, and at the same time pay attention to indoor ventilation and cooling to promote growth. In winter, watering should be controlled; generally watering once every 7-10 days is enough.

4. Fertilizing: The jade plant has low fertilizer requirements. Topdressing begins in spring after new stems grow. During the growing season, apply once a month a fermented 15-fold liquid fertilizer mixed with an equal amount of 1000-fold potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution, or 1000-fold "Huaduoduo" general-purpose fertilizer. Do not fertilize when summer temperatures are high or winter temperatures are low. When the plant is large, apply only base fertilizer and no topdressing, in order to control height. Base fertilizer can use fermented soybean cake fertilizer, soybean milk residue, and other organic fertilizers.

5. Temperature and light: The jade plant is relatively shade-tolerant. For home care, it can be placed year-round in a place indoors without direct light, or in a spot with bright scattered light. Keep room temperature at 6-10°C. Too high a temperature easily causes leggy growth, leaf drop, or pests and diseases. Low winter temperatures can promote flower bud differentiation. Below 5°C the plant enters a dormant state.

Four-Season Management of the Jade Plant

1. Spring: Jade plant seedlings grow relatively quickly. Repot once a year, and repot mature plants once every 2-3 years. Repotting should be done in spring when the temperature is stable above 10°C. Stop watering for several days before repotting, so that after the potting soil dries the plant can be removed from the pot. Because its branches and leaves are rich in water and easily broken, handle them gently and place them lightly to avoid breaking the plant. After removing from the pot, prune away dead roots and broken roots, let it dry for 1-2 days, and then plant. After planting, place in a semi-shaded spot, do not water for the time being, water lightly after 2-3 days, and keep the potting soil on the dry side.

2. Summer: The jade plant likes strong light. When summer temperatures are not high, shading is not needed, and an appropriate water supply should be maintained. When placed indoors, a certain amount of light should be maintained and indoor ventilation should be noted. When summer temperatures are relatively high (above 35°C), growth is in a stagnant state. Attention should be paid to controlling water to prevent root rot from too much water at high temperatures. At the same time, shade from the light around noon, and stop fertilizing. After the temperature becomes cool in late summer, fertilizing can continue.

3. Autumn: In autumn, the jade plant should be placed in a spot with sufficient light for cultivation. Water after the potting soil dries completely. As the weather gradually turns cool, gradually reduce the amount of watering and stop fertilizing, so that the potting soil is dry but not parched. When the temperature drops to around 5°C, promptly move it into a closed balcony or room with light for cultivation.

4. Winter: In winter, the indoor temperature for the jade plant should be kept above 5°C; at this time growth is in a stagnant state. Potted plants should be placed on a windowsill with sufficient light or in a closed balcony for cultivation. Pay attention to controlling water so that the potting soil is dry but not parched, and do not fertilize. If conditions permit, the pot can be moved into a warm shed; if conditions do not permit, a plastic film cover can also be used, but attention must be paid to the humidity inside the cover. If too much moisture is found, promptly uncover the cover for ventilation to prevent leaf rot.

Precautions for the Jade Plant

1. The jade plant likes a warm environment with sufficient sunlight. Under indoor scattered light conditions, it can grow well. It avoids direct strong light. In hot summer, exposure to the sun easily causes sunscald, leading to leaf shrinkage and yellowing.

2. The jade plant begins to resume growth after spring temperatures rise. Sufficient light should be maintained, and the amount of watering should be gradually increased. When the outdoor temperature is stable above 15°C, it can be placed on a balcony with light but without rain for cultivation.

3. During the growth period of the jade plant, watering should be controlled to prevent rot caused by overly wet potting soil. It is advisable to water after the soil dries completely. On rainy days, the frequency of watering should be reduced.

5. During the growth period of the jade plant, moderately prune overly long and overly dense branches to keep the plant shape symmetrical and the tree vigorous.

6. The jade plant is usually moved indoors in mid-October and placed in a warm spot with sufficient light. The minimum overwintering temperature must not be lower than 5°C. Strictly control watering, and just keep the potting soil from drying completely.

7. Turn the pot of the jade plant once every half month to avoid slanting branches and leaves that affect appearance. If light is insufficient, pay even more attention to preventing root rot and leaf drop from damp heat.

8. The sap of the jade plant is toxic. Do not let young children accidentally ingest the sap, otherwise it will cause skin redness, swelling, pain, and blistering. If it accidentally splashes into the eyes, it can cause blindness.