Jade Plant

Question:

I have a very old jade indoor tree and the last year or so I notice that it is losing a lot of the jade off the tree. I try not to over water, however, every now and then I find a whole branch on the floor and notice the tree is thinning. What can I do?

Answer:

You haven’t provided any information about how long you have had your Jade, the light that it receives and your watering routine, all of which have important effects on Jade Plants. So, I will provide some general, basic care instructions for Jade Plants and let you determine where you may have gone astray.

First, let me say that a very common problem with very old Jades is lack of pruning. Stems grow ever longer and eventually the weight will cause the stems to break. Jades should be pruned back by about a third at least annually to keep them looking compact and healthy.

Jades must be kept within a few feet of a sunny window. They are not low light plants. The window must be completely uncovered throughout the daylight hours. Without enough light, the plant will gradually thin, die bask and deteriorate.

Jades have small, fine root systems and never need repotting. Moving them to pots that are too large will cause the fragile roots to slowly rot as the soil stays moist for too long.

When properly potted, Jades should be watered only when the top quarter of the soil feels quite dry. Make sure the pot has drain holes for excess water to escape. Using drainage material in the bottom of the pot instead of a drain hole is a recipe for failure.

In sum, focus on providing lots of natural light, allowing the soil to dry out properly and pruning back your Jade regularly. That should solve your Jade Plant problems.