Jade plant is also known as lucky plant or fortune plant. The glossy and fleshy Green Leaves of the succulent enhance its beauty from winter to spring with white and pink flowers. Jade plants are very popular indoor plants due to their low maintenance and less watering requirements.
The Jade plant is one of the favorite indoor plants among gardeners. Jade plant is available in over 1000 varieties all over the world. Some most popular varieties are a silver dollar Jade and bluebird etc.
How to grow a healthy Jade plant in your home
You can easily propagate a Jade plant from a single leaf or stem cutting. This is a popular type of propagating money plant. Take a healthy leaf and snip off it with your hands carefully, don’t break the bottom of the leaf. Mix half potting soil and half vermiculture in a small pot and plant the leaf at the top of this.
Make sure the cut node of the leaves should be covered with the soil. Keep the soil wet and mist it regularly, the roots will appear in 3 to 4 weeks. Water it from time to time but don’t overwater the plant; after developing some leaves you can repot it in a larger pot.
By stem cutting
Select a healthy branch and snip off a 4–5 inches long healthy stem with the help of scissors or pruning shears. Remove extra leaves from it but make sure it consists of some leaf nodes. Allow it to dry for 3 to 5 days after this dip it in a rooting hormone. Take half part of vermiculture and half potting soil and plant the cutting in the pot. Water it regularly and don’t let the soil dry completely.
How to care
Light requirement
For optimum growth of the plant, place in full sunlight for 3 to 4 hours per day. It will nurture the plant which is leading to stunted growth. Keep the Jade plant at the southeast window while growing indoors. You can also keep it in bright indirect sunlight.
Temperature
Temperature between 65 degrees to 75 degrees Fahrenheit is suitable for better growth of the Jade plant. Don’t leave the plant below 50 degrees Fahrenheit in winter; bring the Jade plant indoors in the winter season.
Watering
Water the Jade plant regularly during the summer and spring season. Allow access water to skip through drainage holes and don’t overwater the plant. When the topsoil feels dry then water it and reduce the amount of water in winters.
Soil
A well-draining soil is ideal for Jade plant growth. Select soil with PH around 6 to 7 that is used for growing succulents and cacti. You can also use your mixture. Three parts of potting soil, two parts of coarse sand, and one part of perlite. Mix all of them and use this oil for the Jade plant.
Fertilizer
The Jade plant does not need too much fertilizer but you can use a water-soluble fertilizer twice a year to enhance the growth of the Jade plant during the growing period. Fish emulsion and liquid tea, compost of tea leaves are some organic options for fertilization.
Pruning
To make the Jade plant look bushier, pruning is very helpful. Take sterile scissors and prune the plant when it is very small, approx 5 to 6 inches. It will be better for branching.
Repotting
Make sure the soil should completely dry before repotting. Take a pot two sizes bigger than the previous one and remove rooting rots before transferring it. When your Jade plant seems to outgrow then it is the right time to report it in a bigger pot during the summer or spring season.
Pests and diseases
Spider mites and mealybugs are harmful and can damage the Jade plant; they form white patches around the stem and leaf nodes. Use Neem oil on infected parts or you can keep them away with a steady stream of water.
Don’t use any insecticide on the Jade plants because they are very sensitive to chemicals and can damage their foliage. Plants can develop fungal infections if it is sitting on the waterlogged soil for a long time.
