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Last Updated: Jan 10, 2007 - 10:15:57 AM |
The Jade plant (crassula argentea) is a very popular houseplant that is a native of South Africa. They are easy to plant from cuttings and are relatively maintenance free. Jades have a long life span and can be grown as shrubs or small trees. Jades usually bloom in December when left in a room with natural light that remains dark most of the night.
If you live in zones 10 and 11, you can actually plant your Jade outdoors. This PDF file from Florida State University will give you more details on keeping your Jade outdoors and some additional horticultural information.
Here are some basic tips to maintain your Jade as a healthy and happy houseplant:
Soil: A good, basic potting soil should work fine for your jade plant. You may want to add a little sand to help with drainage and a scoop of bone meal. A recommended pH is around 6.5. Soil that has around 50% organic material is suggested.
Watering: Jades like the soil to be moist, but not soaked. Watering about once a week, depending on the time of year, should be sufficient. Let the soil dry out a bit to allow the roots to descend deep into your pot and help your plant stay sturdy. Keeping your soil too wet may result in root rot. As your plant grows, you’ll probably want to move it to a larger pot. A sign that your plant is ready for a larger container is that you may have to water it more than once a day to keep the soil moist.
Fertilizing: You can fertilize with a good liquid organic fertilizer about every three months. Don’t fertilize in the late fall through early spring as the plant has a short dormancy period.
Location and Temperature: Jades are succulents and like sunny and dry ambient conditions, but can sunburn if you’ve been growing them in a partially sunny area and move them to full sun. Daytime temperatures should be kept at between 60 and 75 degrees. 50 degrees is about as low as you want your nighttime temperatures to reach. During the winter, you’ll want to move your jades to a warm spot away from windows and cold drafts.
Pruning: Jades are easy to prune and the cuttings can be used to start new plants. You can shape your plant how you wish. Place your cuttings in potting soil and water them infrequently. The root system should develop shortly after you plant the cuttings.
Diseases and Pests: Jades are robust plants that suffer from very few pests and diseases. You’ll want to watch out for scale, mealy bugs, and spider mites. Using a fine mist sprayer with a mix of water and castile soap can help keep pests from becoming a problem.
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