As a plant, jade grows to be fairly top-heavy. In the long run, there’s not much you can do about it except make sure the pot your jade plant is in is sturdy enough to keep the plant upright.
In my post on the best pots for jade plants, I explain that terracotta clay pots with drainage holes are the finest plant containers for jade, as well as any succulent.
Succulents shouldn’t be over-watered because they’ve evolved to take in as much water as they can when they get it because they’re from locations where rain is scarce. They’ll continue to absorb moisture to the point of decomposition if they’re over-watered. This can eventually drive a plant past the point of no return, where you’re no longer able to save it and it dies.
Terracotta as a pot material, if left unfinished, helps to avoid the risk of over-watering any plant potted inside of it. The terracotta clay layer wicks moisture away from the soil, and because it is exposed to the air, the moisture evaporates more quickly, allowing the soil in the pot to dry out more quickly.
Because terracotta clay is also a somewhat heavy substance, the weight of a terracotta pot helps to keep top-heavy jade plants upright. Changing to a terracotta container with a drainage hole is generally enough to keep a jade plant alive for the long haul.
Do you dislike the appearance of terracotta clay? You can employ drainage holes in ceramic plant pots, which come in a variety of shapes, colors, and styles. Do you prefer a sleek, modern, and industrial look? Cement pots with drainage were ideal for the job.
For your jade plant, how about a ceramic vase or a cute ceramic mug? Have you ever had a problem with over-watering? Give it a try, especially if you have an extra cutting on hand. If you’re careful not to over-water it, it should make for a lovely plant and pot combination.
Or, if you’d rather be safe, do what I do with my outside succulent makeshift plant pots: enlist your husband’s help for the evening, and have him use his trusty drill + masonry drill bits to drill a single hole in the bottom of your favorite vases and mugs, fill them with soil, and plant away. If you’re watering your pot indoors, place a tea saucer or a normal old plant saucer underneath to protect the surface it’s resting on, and make sure to dump the runaway water that collects here after you’re done.
You might need a little more aid weighing down your jade plant if you have a trixie tiny cat at home that likes to swipe at plants or dogs who rush past it. If this is the case, look into the bonus area.
What can I do with a top heavy jade plant?
A jade plant’s top can become top-heavy as it develops and matures. Because of the way jade plants develop and branch out, this is a rather regular occurrence.
It is possible for a jade plant to tumble over if the top becomes too heavy for the bottom stem to hold it. When this happens, you can clip the part of the plant that has fallen over and repot it in a new, fast-draining potting mix.
You can also avoid this by pruning the plant from time to time to regulate its development and restructure it.
How to prune small jade plants:
You can trim your jade by topping off the trunk if it’s still little (less than 6 inches) and has no branches.
From your cut, two new sets of leaves will sprout, forming two new branches.
This topmost section can also be used to propagate the jade; simply place it in its own pot or press it into the soil alongside your original jade. To start fresh jades, we like to insert the tips as well as clipped leaves into soil.
How to prune too-tall jades or long branches:
Examine the jade and cut it into quarters visually. The top 1/4 of the plant or branch will be chopped off.
Cut along the ring with a sharp pair of pruning shears or a knife about 1/4 of the way down the stem from the top of the jade or the end of the branch.
This section of the plant will produce two new branches, but be patient; it will take some time!
You can also delicately remove a couple of the leaves emerging out of the trunk if you don’t want to top off your jade but want to encourage branching. This will induce the formation of new branches where the leaves have been removed. Remove no more than 2-3 leaves at a time and be extremely careful with this process.
How to prune a jade with a few branches:
Pruning a jade plant with a few branches will encourage greater development and aid to maintain the plant’s symmetry.
Simply cut or pinch off the newly sprouting leaves at the branch’s end. Cutting off the newly formed leaves may seem paradoxical, but it will actually encourage further branching, resulting in a fuller jade plant!
How to prune over grown jades:
If you’ve always pruned your jade, but it’s now out of control and has too many branches for the plant to maintain, it’s time to prune for its health.
To begin, clip off any diseased or dry branches close to the trunk but not into it.
Remove any leaves that are yellowing, burned, shriveled, or patchy and dispose of them.
Finally, carefully inspect the plant for any branches that are growing at an odd angle or blocking the light for other branches, and cut all or part of those branches.
Remember that you may always cut more, but once you’ve made the cut, you can’t go back. Start slowly so you don’t end up chopping off too much!
After you’ve finished pruning the jade, make sure it gets enough water and light.
Because jades are slow growers, it will take some time to witness the benefits of the trimming, but your jade will be bushy and healthy in no time!
Not got a jade plant?
One of the nicest plants to have in your home is jade. Learn how to cultivate a jade from scratch by borrowing a few leaf cuttings from a friend. Here’s a guide on how to do it.
How do you fix a top heavy plant?
Pruning a top-heavy plant with care can assist. Remove any dead leaves or branches, making sure to cut safely for the plant type. The quantity you can prune, the time of year you should prune, and the pruning method you should use all depend on the plant. Cutting off more than 10% of the plant at once might be harmful to the plant. Pruning shrubs should focus on the older branches to keep the plant from becoming top-heavy.
When should I cut back my jade plant?
The best season to prune jade plants is in the spring or summer, but they can be pruned all year. Because the plants are in active growth, pruning jade plants in the spring or summer will simply result in a speedier recovery than any other time of year.
You can keep your jade plant looking shapely and full now that you know how to prune it. Also, because jade plant cuttings are incredibly easy to root, you can create a few more plants for friends and family each time you prune your jade plant.
How much is a large jade plant worth?
The jade plant’s leaves are simple and oval, resembling teardrops or butterfly wings in shape. Because succulents store a lot of water in their leaves, it’s quite simple to figure out when to water them. It’s time to water when the leaves have shriveled or puckered. Jade plants are sluggish to develop, yet they live a long time. They can grow to be many feet tall and wide in a few years under favorable growth circumstances. The pride and joy of your houseplant collection is likely to be these varieties of jade plants.
Plant Overview
Indoor Size and Growth Habits: In the correct conditions, it can grow rather huge, but it is a slow-growing plant. Leaves have a teardrop form and a small size.
Potting Mix, Fertilizer, and pH: Fast-draining, slightly acidic soil is excellent. In the spring, he prefers water-soluble fertilizer.
Placement: Light, Size, and Décor
You should offer the jade plant as much bright, indirect light as possible. In addition to indirect sunlight, most plants can grow in some direct sunshine. A wonderful spot is directly in front of an east-facing window. This plant should thrive as long as it is not placed in low-light circumstances.
Jade plants come in a variety of sizes and hues, as well as varied foliage patterns and growth rates. Because even within the single species of crassula ovata, there are various different types of jade plants, or cultivars, that have been formed by selective breeding. Botany Bay, Harbour Lights, Crosby Red, Minima, Pink, and Bonsai Jade Tree are all popular jade cultivars.
Several jade plants put closely together can resemble a tiny forest. A huge jade in the right pot can be used as a focal point in a room or living space. At the same time, don’t overlook how adorable these plants are in their teeny-tiny sizes. Interior decorators who want to precisely adorn houses and offices would appreciate the unlimited alternatives.
It’s never a bad idea to plan ahead, but once you’ve found a nice position for this plant, it should be content for a long time. You might even get your jade to flower with small white or pink blossoms if you give it good care for a couple of years.
Care: Water, Potting, and Soil
Allow at least 1-2 weeks between waterings, with this gap increasing to a month or more throughout the winter. If you’re still not sure, wait until the leaves are withered and drooping. Saturate the soil with water from all sides of the pot until the water drains out of the bottom. Although this plant tolerates and even enjoys slightly cooler temperatures throughout the winter and at night, it is still a tropical plant by nature. The plant may begin to exhibit indications of discomfort in temperatures below 50 degrees outside or in particularly chilly, drafty windows where temperatures drop below 55 degrees.
Although this drought-resistant plant thrives on neglect, you shouldn’t ignore it completely, especially if you have dogs or small children. Jade plants are highly poisonous and can cause gastrointestinal upset and irregular heartbeat if consumed in large amounts. Make a point of looking for and picking up any fallen leaves as soon as possible.
This is a plant that requires a fast-draining potting soil specifically designed for succulents and cacti. This will assist to limit the possibility of rot, which is one of the most common issues with jade plants. The ideal soil pH is around 6.0, which is somewhat acidic.
Pests and Other Problems
Jade doesn’t have many insect problems, but when they do, it’s usually due to a mealybug infestation. Wet leaves are also unappealing to the plant. Clean the dust off the leaves with a clean, dry cloth, but excessive misting might result in powdery mildew. It’s typical for this plant to lose some leaves now and again, but if it’s occurring frequently, you might need to give it additional light or change its watering regimen. Root rot and overwatering are two problems that this succulent is prone to.
Cost and Availability
The jade plant is an excellent example of how the growth patterns of a houseplant affect its price. Small jades that have recently been propagated can be purchased for as cheap as $5 to $10. A medium-sized jade in a beautiful planter might cost anywhere from $25 to $75. This slow-growing shrub is also popular among bonsai enthusiasts. A large, intricately formed jade plant could set you back several hundred dollars.
Propagation and Repotting
The jade plant is also extremely simple to grow and can be done at many locations. The simplest solution is to simply pick up the fallen leaves and replant them in the same or a new pot. You can either take larger cuttings and wait for them to root, or you can remove a full section of roots and stems and use them to start a new jade plant. Young jades can be repotted in a larger pot after a few years. Plants that are 5-10 years old or older may need to be repotted every 5-10 years or more.
Similar Types of Houseplants
Another member of the crassula plant genus is the first place to look. The silver dollar jade or Chinese jade plant, Crassula arborescens, has a silver tint to its tightly packed foliage. Portulacaria Afra is a separate variety of succulent, but because of its small size and resemblance to crassula ovata, it is commonly referred to as the dwarf jade plant. Aside from the various sorts of jades, the ZZ plant has a similar appearance.
Why is my jade plant so tall?
Lack of sunlight causes jade plants to become lanky, causing the plant’s natural defense to “stretch” for the sun. When there isn’t enough light, the nodes between the leaves stretch or elongate more than they should. Your plant appears spindly and unhealthy, rather than compact and full-looking. It may be followed by stem weakening and a darkening of the plant’s overall green color.
This is due to a condition called etiolation, which is caused by a lack of sunshine.
Etiolation is a process that arose from plants growing in the absence of light, either partially or completely. The growing tips are greatly drawn to light, and phytohormones will extend the stems of the plants in an attempt to reach the light source as a survival mechanism (light is required for photosynthesis, after all).
This quick, lanky development may be the difference between survival and perishing in circumstances where plants are growing under leaf litter or under the shade canopy of other plants.
The problem is usually not as grave with houseplants, but the aesthetics of a lanky jade plant aren’t as appealing as a compact, bushy plant, so it’s crucial to prevent and/or correct legginess.
How do you fix a droopy jade plant?
During the winter, water your jade plant by spraying it with a large amount of water from a spray bottle or drizzling it with water from a squirt bottle like one used for dishwashing solutions. Before watering your jade plant, make sure the containers are clean and well rinsed. Spider mites, which are common concerns with jade plants, can also be prevented by spraying the plant.
The leaves of your jade plant will shrink if it isn’t getting enough water, but they will immediately rehydrate once you water it. Instead of flooding the pot with water, the easiest approach to rehydrate the plant in the winter is to water it lightly two or three times.
What is a leggy plant?
A plant that has a lot more stem than leaves is said to be leggy. It’s a term used to describe a plant that has grown quite tall yet has few leaves. Some plants do this because it’s in their nature, but it’s usually a sign that they aren’t getting enough light. Let’s get down to business.
Do jade plants grow tall?
Because jade plants can reach heights of up to five feet, they may become top-heavy with time. It’s possible that you’ll need to move the plant from its current pot to one that can better handle its growth.
How do you weigh down a top heavy planter?
Select a little larger pot holder and add weight to it, such as sand or pebbles. For a natural effect, cover the pot’s surface with decorative components such as pozzolan, clay balls, or even soil.