The jade plant (Crassula ovata or Crassula atropurpurea arborescens), also called money plant or money tree, is a popular succulent with small, fleshy leaves and tiny pink or white flowers. When grown indoors, the plant rarely flowers; but the lustrous green leaves are a delight to behold, and look pretty in any setting. These plants are often trained to grow as miniature Bonsai in small pots; however, without pruning, these plants can grow as tall as 6 feet in height. They can also be grown in hanging pots and will grow to trail over the edges of the pot.
Jade plants are considered to be very lucky, and are thought to bring prosperity especially if they are given as gifts! This makes them among the most popular (and much welcomed!) housewarming gifts. They are among the best indoor plants that you can cultivate, and can add to the aesthetics of your living room or home office.
These plants are commonly grown indoors, often as living room plants, and require minimal maintenance. Even if you have a brown thumb, you’d find it very hard to kill one of these plants! If you’re wondering how to take care of jade plants, here’s the ultimate guide.
How to Take Care of Jade Plants Indoors
Jade plants are among the easiest house plants to grow. Just keep a few tips in mind, and you’ll be very happy with the way your drop-dead gorgeous, lush green succulents are looking! All you need to keep in mind when growing jade plants indoors is that you should give them the right amount of sun, water and fertiliser; and of course, a whole lot of love!
How to Take Care of Jade Plants – Lighting Conditions
Succulents love the sun and love to soak up a lot of it. Around 6 hours of direct or indirect sunlight will help your plant to thrive. If your jade plant has been freshly re-potted or is very young, then keep it in indirect sun as direct exposure could accidentally scorch the leaves.
The ideal spot would be a window sill facing south or west, as east-facing windows might have light that is too harsh. If your plant is usually kept on a bedstand or on your desk, then do ensure that you move it to a sunny spot for a couple of hours a day.
You’ll know if your plant isn’t getting enough light—it will start to get top-heavy and will look weak and limp. A few hours of sunlight should get it right back in shape. And while there’s no such thing as too much sun for a mid-sized plant, if it’s left out in the sunlight and forgotten, the leaves will start to take on a reddish tint.
How to Take Care of Jade Plants – Watering Your Jade Plant
The jade plant is a succulent, and like all succulents it is not too fond of water. Too much water will, in fact, make the roots rot and the plant die.
These plants hold water in their leaves, and so do not need to be watered as often as other plants. In fact, watering them once in two weeks should suffice. When you’re trying to figure out how to take care of jade plants, there’s no need to stick to a strict schedule. Instead, keep watching and let the top 1 inch of soil dry out between successive waterings. How quickly the water dries out will depend on the place where you keep your pot.
The plant is active during spring and summer and needs to be watered more frequently during such growth spurts, than during the winter, when it is dormant.
One of the most important things when you’re learning how to take care of jade plants, is that you should try to understand what your plant is trying to tell you! If the leaves start to fall off, look shrivelled or get brown or yellow spots, then you aren’t watering it enough. And if the leaves are becoming waterlogged and no longer feel firm, then you need to water it less.
How to Take Care of Jade Plants – Repotting Your Plant
Jade plants are very happy in a small pot. If you’d like your plant to stay small—you can even prune it and train it to grow as a Bonsai—then you need not even repot it at all. To encourage growth, you can repot the plant in a pot that’s one size larger, every two to four years or as often as needed. Use only organic fertiliser; chemicals can be harsh on the roots and they might get scorched.
How to Take Care of Jade Plants – Propagating a Jade Plant
Like most succulents, jade plants can be started by breaking off and replanting single leaves or cuttings. You might even find that a leaf that accidentally breaks off and falls into the soil takes root all by itself!
If you want to start new jade plants in fresh pots, here are the steps you should follow:
- Ensure that the soil is well drained and there is some gravel at the very bottom of the pot, so that even if you over-water it by mistake the roots don’t get water-logged.
- Use a potting mix with soil that is moist but not wet.
- Take a stem cutting from a mid-sized plant, and place it upright in the soil.
- Put your pot in a warm place that is away from direct sunlight. Young plants should never be kept in direct sunlight for the first few months.
- Do not water the pot for a week or two.
- You will soon see the stem giving out roots. Refrain from watering till the plant is firmly rooted.
- Never water too much; allow the soil to dry out between waterings.
And It’s a Wrap!
Having indoor plants at home is always a good idea. Not only do they dial up the aesthetics of your home, but they are also proven to be good for your health and mental wellbeing. They freshen the air, eliminate harmful toxins, and regulate indoor temperatures. What’s more, just being around greenery helps us to relax and improves positivity in the home. All great reasons to fill your home with plants!
The jade plant is a very popular indoor plant, because it thrives on low maintenance and looks perfect in any setting. Besides, it’s very easy to know how to take care of jade plants! This plant tolerates a range of growing conditions, and is very easy to propagate. While it will thrive on a sunny windowsill, it can take pride of place just anywhere—your kitchen counter, bedside table or home office are all great spots to place your jade plant.
We hope we’ve answered all your questions and doubts on how to take care of jade plants. Need help with setting up your indoor garden? Get in touch with HomeLane!
Want to know more about Bonsai plant benefits? Read our blog to find out!
FAQs
1. How often do you water a jade plant?
If you’re wondering how to take care of jade plants, the most important consideration is to water them right! Always water your jade plant when the soil is dry. Don’t wait till it is very dry, though, as it will be hard to re-wet. The soil should be well drained and gritty, as is the case with all succulents. Also, it’s important to ensure that you never over-water your plant, as if there is standing water in the pot it will cause the roots to rot.
2. Does a jade plant need direct sunlight?
The second most important consideration when it comes to how to take care of jade plants, is the amount of sunlight that they get. Jade plants need some amount of sunlight to grow to their fullest potential. Your plant will thrive and get lustrous lush green leaves, if it is kept on a windowsill or in any spot that gets sunlight for a good couple of hours in the day. Six hours of sunlight is ideal.
On the other hand, too little sun will cause weak growth and the leaves will be limp and yellow. You can choose to keep your jade plant out in the sun for a few hours every day, in case it is kept in a spot inside your home where it does not get any sun at all.
When you take care of jade plants, do not keep a young plant out in the harsh direct sunlight, as the leaves can get scorched. If your jade plant is kept out in the direct sun all day, the leaves can get a light tint of red.
3. How long can jade plants go without water?
Jade plants should never be over-watered, as if the roots are left standing in too much water the roots will begin to rot and your plant will wilt away. Rather than watering your plant to a schedule, keep watching to see whether the soil is drying out. The plant should be re-watered when the soil is just dry (but not too dry) to the touch. You will understand this with some practice.
4. How to take care of jade plants so that they grow faster?
Jade plants will grow quickly under the ideal conditions of temperature, moisture and sunlight. In fact, they grow so quickly outdoors in their native Australia that they are often used as hedges to separate houses.
To take care of jade plants so that they can grow faster, here’s what you can do:
- Keep temperature settings around 18 to 24 degrees Centigrade during the day, and around 15 to 20 degrees at night. Temperatures in most places in India are normally well suited to these plants.
- These plants require at least 6 hours of sun, partial or direct, during the day. Choose an appropriate spot, or make sure that you move them to a sunny spot once in a while.
- Fertilise your plants with organic compost once in two to four months.
- Make sure the soil is well-drained, and that you don’t over-water the plants. Use filtered drinking water as these plants do not take kindly to hard water with minerals.
- Repot your plant every two years, choosing a larger pot every time. These plants grow very slowly and can be expected to reach a maximum height of 6 to 8 feet.
5. How to take care of jade plants indoors? How much sun do they need?
If you’re taking care of jade plants indoors, ensure that they get at least 6 hours of sunlight every day. In case they are not getting this much of sun, do keep them outside on your balcony or in the garden at least a few days a week.
6. How to take care of jade plants that are dying?
It’s very important to know how to take care of jade plants that are dying. If your jade plant is not doing very well, check to see if it has been over-watered, under-watered, or it is receiving too little sun. To revive a dying jade plant, focus on watering it the right amount, using well-drained soil, and giving your plant at least 6 hours of sunlight during the day.
7. How to take care of jade plants in the winter?
There’s no real difference between how to take care of jade plants in the winter and in the summer, except that you might want to keep the plant out in the garden more often as the hours of sunlight could be limited. Jade plants do not grow much in the winter, so if your plant is not sprouting new leaves or is seeming to be dormant, there is absolutely nothing to worry about.
8. How to take care of jade plants in the summer?
Jade plants thrive in the summer, as do all succulents. During the summer, just ensure that they are watered well and keep checking to ensure that the soil does not dry out too much. If your jade plant gets too much sunlight, the leaves could get a tinge of pink, but this is normal.
