The jade plant has many positive benefits, including the potential to bring good energy and financial wealth into your home. With its small root system, the jade plant prefers a smaller pot with well-draining soil. It is also known to be long-living, with potential to live up to 70 years with proper care. Follow these tips, and your jade plant could be the lucky charm you’ve been looking for!
Caring for a Jade Plant – Tips and Tricks
Jade plants are popular houseplants because of their attractive foliage and easy care requirements. When it comes to light, jade plants need at least six hours of bright, indirect sunlight per day. While larger and more established jade plants can tolerate more direct sunlight, younger plants should be kept in locations that receive bright but indirect light.
A great spot to keep your jade plant is in a south-facing window, as this will provide the four hours of direct sunlight the plant needs. However, it is important to note that jade plants prefer dry environments and should not be kept in rooms with higher humidity such as bathrooms or kitchens.
When it comes to watering, jade plants should be watered only when the soil is completely dry. During the growing season in the spring and summer, allow the soil to dry out between waterings. During the fall and winter, let it get even drier before you water again. When you do water your jade plant, make sure not to splash any of its leaves.
Surprisingly, if you want your jade plant to bloom, it needs replicating its native growing conditions. Lack of water, cool nights and bright days help the plant form buds and flowers. It’s a bit of a trick but you can fool your plant into producing small white to pink flowers in the spring.
When it comes to common problems with jade plants, the main issue is usually too much or too little water. If the soil does not drain quickly and frequently, root rot can occur. In addition, if the plant is allowed to become excessively dry, leaf drop can happen. The most common insect in jade plants are mealybugs.
One of the best things about jade plants is their longevity. With proper care, jade plants can live for between 50 and 70 years, making them a great plant to pass down generationally.
To ensure your jade plant lives its longest life, it is important to consider the size of the pot you choose. Do jade plants need big pots? If you have a free draining mix, either type of pot will keep your plant happy and healthy. The pot should be slightly bigger than the plant. A 5” pot is suitable for about a year or two if your plant is about 4” in diameter.
Once new shoots have formed on the leaf, reproduction is considered successful. Although it only takes a few weeks for the first roots to form on the leaf, it can take much longer for the young plant to form new shoots.
When it comes to the placement of your jade plant, it is important to keep it as close to the entrance of your home as possible. The southeast corner of your living room is generally considered the best place for this plant, and it is not beneficial when kept in bedrooms or bathrooms. This will ensure that you get all the benefits that come with having a jade plant in your home.
In addition to being a popular houseplant, the jade plant also has several medicinal uses. In some regions, it is used to treat wounds and sores. It can also help with issues such as indigestion and diarrhoea, as well as dealing with warts. In South Africa, this plant is used to treat nausea and corn.
Caring for Your Jade Plant: Watering, Feeding and Mistings
However, when it comes to jade plants, overwatering is a common problem. What does an overwatered jade look like? The main signs of an overwatered jade plant are the leaves turning yellow and droopy stems. Seemingly healthy leaves may begin to fall off as a result of too much water being given at once. If this occurs, it is important to act quickly and adjust the watering schedule accordingly.
In terms of feeding your jade plant, during the spring and summer months, you should feed it with a diluted succulent fertilization weekly. For mature jade plants, it is best to use a balanced 20-20-20 fertilizer at one-quarter strength. For younger plants, we recommend using a less nitrogen fertilizer.
Will leaves grow back on jade plant? While it is true that jade plants lose some leaves as they age, those do not grow back. However, if the conditions that caused the leaves to drop off are corrected, then some may be able to grow back.
The best way to get your jade plant to grow more leaves is to remove the newly sprouted leaves from the end of each branch. Although it may seem counterintuitive, cutting off the newly grown leaves will encourage more branching and make for a better jade plant.
In addition to proper watering and feeding, it is important to keep your jade plant’s leaves clean. The leaves accumulate dust and grime, which not only ruins the plant’s appearance but also decreases the leaves’ ability to absorb light and oxygen, potentially affecting the plant’s health. To prevent dust build up, you should wipe its leaves off with a damp cloth every few weeks.
Finally, when it comes to misting, jade plants don’t like high humidity so they don’t benefit from being misted.
In fact, too much humidity can cause the leaves to rot. For a jade plant to flower, it needs to be at least 3-4 years old, so if your plant is still small, you’ll want to wait a few years before seeing tiny flowers.
Jade plants are known for their symbolic meanings. Good luck is associated with the jade plant, which is why it’s also known as the fortune plant, lucky plant or money tree. It is said to bring good energy and attract wealth.
Growing a Jade Plant Outdoors: Tips and Tricks
If you want to grow a jade plant outdoors, it is important to keep in mind that they need well-draining soil and plenty of sunlight. Jade will grow best in a sandy loam soil; if the soil is wet, slow-draining, compacted or clayey, the plant may be prone to root and crown rot and other fungal problems. Jade plants can tolerate full sun to dense shade; however, those grown in direct sunlight should be monitored for signs of distress or dehydration.
To ensure proper drainage, you should use Miracle-Gro® Cactus, Palm & Citrus Potting Mix when planting jade indoors. When watering jade plants, it is important to wait until the top 1 to 2 inches of soil is dry before adding any more water.
In terms of pot size, jade plants have small root systems and prefer a smaller pot. Overwatering can occur in larger pots with more soil mass, so it is important to find the right size for your plant. Generally speaking, three jades in 16” ceramic pots will do just fine.
When it comes to where you should place your jade plant, it is important to keep in mind that they do not thrive in bathrooms. The Jade plant is a popular gift in Asia as it brings positive financial energy into the home, so placing this plant at the front of a house can be beneficial. However, bathrooms are too closed off for the jade to thrive and should be avoided.
Finally, do jade plants need pots with holes? The answer is yes. You can put your jade plants in a container with more than one hole; this will allow excess moisture to drain away from the roots and prevent overwatering. As Cunningham states, “The jade plant thrives in well-draining soil, which is why I recommend using a container that facilitates the removal of excess moisture.”
Conclusion
The jade plant is a unique and beautiful houseplant that has been used for centuries to bring good luck, positive energy and wealth. They grow best in well-draining soil, in a container with more than one hole, and in bright light. They do not need to be misted, should have their leaves cleaned regularly, and should be fertilized weekly. When cared for properly, the jade plant can live for up to 70 years and should be placed in the southeast corner of your home for the best luck.