Jade Plants, Perfect for Indoor Gardeners

Saturday, December 12, 2009 04:29 AM

A very easy to grow houseplant is the Jade Plant (Crassula argentea). This native to South Africa is a succulent and requires minimal maintenance and care, and yet the plant is very attractive. It has a treelike appearance with a stout trunk and branches and the thick, fleshy, green glossy leaves are rounded in shape and are 1-2 inches long. The plant itself can become quite large at 4 feet high and 4 feet wide.

Succulents are known for their fleshy leaves or stems which can store water and they grow in dry areas of the world so in their natural habitat they require well drained soil, lots of light and little water. This is important to know when growing them indoors as houseplants because a common problem can be over watering. If the plant is over watered it can rot and under watering will cause the leaves to wrinkle. The soil must be dry between each watering.

In the summer when the plant is growing it will need more water than in the winter when the plant goes semi-dormant. How often to water will depend on the surrounding conditions but in the winter it could be every 4-6 weeks and in spring/summer 7-10 days. Fertilize sparingly by diluting the solution by ½ of the manufacturers recommendations and use 20-20-20 or 15-30-15. Do not fertilize in the winter when the plant is not growing.

Jade plants require 3-5 hours of bright direct light every day. A south facing window is ideal and rotating the plant once in a while will give the plant even light. If it does not receive enough light the stems will become spindly. Sometimes when the plant gets lots of light the edges of the leaves will get a red tinge. Over the winter the Jade plant will become dormant and it can be kept in cooler temperatures. At home our Jade plant is in the sun room where winter temperatures are 10 Celsius and it does well there. Jade plants are not often bothered by pests but can sometimes get mealy bug. If this happens use an insecticidal soap or get a cotton swap dipped in alcohol to remove the mealy bug.

Propagating Jade plants can be done quite easily. It can be done by using a leaf or a stem. The stem method is done by cutting a 3-4 inch branch off the plant, then allowing the cut end to dry for 7-10 days by placing it in a warm dry place. Once the cut end is dry dip it in rooting hormone and place it in cacti mix or a mixture of ½ perlite and ½ soil. Water sparingly as you do not want it to rot. It will root in the next 2-4 weeks and once rooted give it the same care as a regular jade plant. A new plant can also be made by cutting a leaf off the plant and laying it on the same soil mixture making sure that the edges of the leaf touches the soil. Over the next 2-4 weeks little plantlets will form around the edges of the leaf and these will be the new plants.

When transplanting a jade plant use a pot one size bigger than the one it is in. Clay pots are ideal because the clay breathes which helps prevent root rot and also a jade plant can become top heavy so a clay pot will help weigh it down. Use a cacti mix as a soil choice. Spring is a good time to transplant and also a good time to prune back the plant. Pinching the new growth will encourage new growth as well as keep the plant nicely shaped. When pruning you can use the trimmed off pieces for propagation!

-Jos

Jos Van Hage owns and operates two Art Knapp Garden centres in Prince George,