How to grow a jade plant so it thrives? A detailed guide to cultivation methods
As a plant with rather thick and fleshy branches and leaves, the jade plant (Crassula ovata) has quite tenacious vitality, but even the most tenacious plant cannot withstand being grown by growers who do not clearly know how to care for it. What should a grower do to produce a high-quality jade plant? Let us find out together below exactly how to grow a jade plant well.
1. Choosing the site and the pot
A good growing location and greenhouse can let growers achieve twice the result with half the effort. Judging from the jade plant's growth preferences, the chosen location should be on the warm and dry side, ideally not prone to water accumulation, and its soil should have strong permeability. Ventilation conditions should be good, and it is best if it can be in a wind gap area; many mountain passes in the countryside count as a fairly good choice. For the pot, ceramic types are best; if the grower takes later transport issues into account, a plastic pot can also be chosen. The pot size should be more than 1-2 times wider than the diameter of the root system of the transplanted seedling.
2. Seedling management
The seedling stage basically determines what the jade plant can grow into later, so growers should pay extra attention to jade plant seedlings during this period. At this time, if the temperature in the grower's location can basically stay above 20°C, outdoor cultivation is best; if it is often below 20°C, greenhouse cultivation is recommended. If the daily light temperature does not exceed 30°C, it is best to let it enjoy light all day; if it exceeds that, shade it. This is so the jade plant seedling can grow better at this stage and lay a good foundation for the later period.
3. Scientific fertilization
If growers want the jade plant potted specimens they sell to be attractive, then the frequency and types of fertilization must be more precise. Jade plant fertilization is generally based on organic rotten manure, as this kind of fertilizer is the easiest for growers to obtain. For young seedlings in the early stage, apply rotten manure about once every 10 days, and at the same time put in a certain amount of bone meal. In the middle and later stages, it can be controlled at 1-2 times a month. In the later leaf-growing stage, some compound fertilizer needs to be added, and a nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium mixed fertilizer is sufficient. Remember that the jade plant must not be fertilized too much, otherwise it is very easy to burn the seedlings.
For growing jade plants, the above three points are the areas growers need to pay attention to. Many growers find that even when they follow the same growing process as others, other people's plants are better than their own; this is still related to the environments each person is in. So when growing jade plants, growers must also adapt to local conditions, and only then can they grow good jade plants.