How do you care for a jade plant so it grows thick? These methods you need to master

The jade plant (Crassula ovata) is a fairly ornamental succulent that many plant lovers enjoy growing in pots, especially when its branches and trunk grow thick and sturdy, as it can then be appreciated both for its form and its leaves. But quite a few plant lovers report that their potted jade plants grow weakly and stay thin and small. So, how do you make a jade plant grow thick?

The jade plant is a plant with a fairly slow growth rate, but if we can master the care techniques in the following four areas, we can not only speed up its growth and make it grow vigorously, but also easily get its branches and trunk to thicken. Let's take a look below.

1. Good potting soil

The jade plant rather likes loose, breathable sandy loam with strong water permeability, since its root system is not very developed, and a good soil environment is also very helpful for promoting root growth. When the roots are strong, their ability to absorb and supply water and nutrients increases, so they can deliver more ample nutrients and water to the plant, which naturally makes the plant grow more vigorously.

2. Plenty of light

The jade plant rather likes light, and reasonably increasing light can not only speed up the plant's growth but also make the leaf color more glossy green. But at the same time it does not tolerate the scorching sun of summer, so apart from needing timely shading in summer, it should be given more sun in other seasons, and can even receive full sun. In summer the jade plant is generally in a semi-dormant state, so it should be kept out of rain and shaded, while watering is controlled.

3. Timely fertilizing

The jade plant's branching is fairly simple, but it lignifies rather quickly. If you want to thicken the branches and trunk while quickly forming lignification, then you need to keep it growing quickly. And fast growth consumes more nutrients, so timely fertilizing is very important. Normally nitrogen and potassium fertilizers are the main ones, such as rice-washing water, dried chicken manure, etc., and the principle of light fertilizer applied frequently should be followed.

4. Regular pruning

The jade plant often grows fairly quickly when given ample light, suitable temperature and humidity, and sufficient water, and it is a typical plant with apical dominance. If its branches grow too fast and too long, it very easily ruins the plant's shape and is also not conducive to thickening the branches and trunk. So we need to regularly pinch off the tops and prune the branches, letting the nutrients flow back, thereby thickening the branches and trunk, and at the same time we can take the opportunity to shape the plant.