Hi there,

I'm glad you decided to post this here...I didn't think you'd get much advice on the other forum. I'm just going to repost what I said on the other forum because I'm hoping you'll answer the questions I posted.

Has it been in the same pot for 5 years? If it has doubled in size, and if the soil has mold, I think it's time to repot. I'm not sure if you posted a picture (I'm at work and pictures don't show up here), but if you didn't you probably should post one to help us answer the questions you have.

Jades like to be rootbound but depending on the size of your pot, you might need to go up in pot size if you want the tree to grow more and if you want it to be stable. Also, you really should change your soil at this point. I think you're "technically" supposed to change your soil every 1-3 years (depending on what kind of soil you use).

If you're tree is getting top heavy and leaning over, then you should prune it. You'll get great new growth if you prune. And you don't want it toppling over or having a branch break from the top heaviness. I pruned my jade in November and it looks great now. Do some searches on jade pruning on the cactus and succulent forum and I'm sure that'll give you the courage to prune!

You haven't said how much light it's getting, so it would be hard to answer whether it's getting enough light. Jades need a lot of light. But if it's been inside all Winter, you might want to slowly acclimate it to the outdoor sun. The brown leaves could be from too much sun, but I'm not sure. Are you sure you're not overwatering?

I really think if you repot, prune, and give the plant fresh fast-draining soil, it will be much happier. If you don't have a pic to post, try describing some things a little better so that we can better help you (how much light is it getting, how much are you watering, what size is the plant, what size is the pot, does the pot have drainage holes, what type of soil do you use, etc.)

Hope that helped,
Gabi

Hi there.

I think it sounds like your leaves are sunburned. Is there any way for you to post a picture?

Do the leaves look like this?

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:535129}}

I was thinking sunburn, but mine have never been on the lower epidermis, only on the upper where the sun hits. I suppose it could sunburn all the way through. We really need to see a picture

Thank you all for your suggestions!
I don't have the technology to post a photo but it does look like the one you all posted.
Where do you prune on these? I don't want to kill it or cut at the wrong point. I looked at the other posting about pruning but am still confused about where exactly and how.
Also, should I pull off the sunburned leaves? This would almost be all my bigger leaves. ???
Thanks again!

I would say it is definitely time to repot. It is best to pot up every 2-3 years depending on the size of the pot. They like snug roots, but eventually, it won't get any bigger because the roots can't do anymore growing. Do searches on soil mixes. I will attach a post in which I talk about soil that I make and that works well for me. I am in a very moist environment so I like my soil to be especially well draining.

As far as pruning, a lot of that depends on where you want the plant to go. (This I copied and pasted from another post I responded to the other day.) Do you want the trunk to fatten up. Do you want it to be bushy or have only a few main trunks that are very prominent, or do you want it more like a tree with a single trunk with a ball of leaves at the top? If you have a few main trunks and want to keep that look, I would take about 1/4 to a 1/3 of the length of each main trunk. I personally like them bushier. I would take a little more than half the length off of each trunk and cut each limb off the main trunks back to about 1-1 1/2" stump off the trunk. If it is otherwise healthy, I would also defoliate it. Where the leaves come off, it will send out shoots. This would give the plant a lot more bushiness. This also allows for smaller leaves and a more compact looking plant (if it is getting enough sun). And, of course, that is the last thing. When you can, put it out in the sun. They grow happier in the sun. By the end of summer, your plant will fill out and be a lot sturdier. Of course, this is all opinion. With jade, you can chop it back to two inch stumps above the soil and it will live. Until you decide how you want to prune it, you can just pull those sunburned leaves off. Again, little shoots will come out of the joints where the leaves were, causing your plant to "bush" out, or branch out, depending on how you want to look at it.

The mold may be from lack of air circulation being indoors all winter. They really don't need much water over winter. I have some from 2 inch pots to 12 inch pots. I only watered them three times over winter. Where do you live? That has a lot to do with it too. You can do a lot by searching the forum for different things like pruning, soil mix, etc. Almost every question has been asked so you can find a lot of info. I know this was long, but I hope it helps.

Here is a link that might be useful: Post about soil

You all have been very helpful. Excuse the dumb question but where exactly to you cut the plant? I really have the three main trunks, no shoots off the trunks. Do you cut at an angle? Do you put something on the open wound?

I want the bushy appearance so can I replant the parts of the main trunk in the soil next to the mom?

It depends on how drastic you want to go. You can cut each trunk to a couple of inches above the soil. This is very drastic but will fatten up the trunk. I don't know if I would go so drastic. I have a single trunk jade that was about 6-7 inches tall. It branches into three limbs at about the top third. I trimmed each of the branches back to withing 1-1 1/2 inches of the main trunk and took off all leaves. It has no less than 8 new leaves on each limb and that was only two weeks ago, maybe three. Without seeing it, it is hard to say where to prune. I am sure that each of the main trunks has secondary limbs. I would find where the first secondary limb is from the top and whack it down to about 1 inch above that limb. Prune each secondary limb to within 1 inch of the main trunks. Yes, this takes off all the leaves, but that is okay. It will put out more within weeks and be full by mid-summer.

Let all of the cuttings lay out on the counter out of direct sunlight for about a week. If they are really big in diameter (more than an inch) leave them out longer. The place where you cut should be calloused before you plant them. As a general rule, I go about a week for each 1/2 inch in diameter. Once it is calloused, put it in soil. Make sure you've taken off the leaves from the bottom third of the cutting as you will need to plant it about that deep so that it can stand on its own. Otherwise, you'll have to secure it another way. Wait until you see new growth in the the form of a bud that will appear right on top of the top set of leaves before you start watering. When you have new growth, you have new roots. Then you know it is time to water. I would not do this in the same pot as the mother plant. Do it separately and get them established before you move them to mama. This way, you can keep mama watered well to put out all those amazing leaves. Keep mama minimally to moderately moist during the growing season, as well as the others once they're growing. Allow them to dry, but not completely between waterings. Fertilize every 3-4 weeks with Schultz C&S fertilizer or regular house plant fertilizer diluted by a fourth of the directed amount. Only fertilize in spring and summer.

To propagate the leaves, place them on well draining soil or high fired clay. Leave them alone and new roots will grow down into the soil and create a new plant. Doing cuttings from leaves takes a long time to get a significant sized plant. By the end of a year, you'll have a three inch plant. Use your bigger cuttings. The rewards are seen much sooner.

I used to take a lot of Jade cuttings (other succulents too) and I would lay a pot on it'd side and put the cuttings in it. When I was through taking cuttings I set the pot upright and they wouldn't curl before they were ready to be planted.

The last 2 Jades I have purchased have had a stem that takes a right angle turn at the soil line.

Lizabet

I have a single stalk jade plant rooted from a beautiful jade tree of my uncle's, it is approx 7" in ht. I am hopeful this summer i can have my own "little tree and hopefully can get the advice i need here. Here's a little info on my Jade...
It has dropped a few leaves still green, i have left them in the soil in the pot because i have heard they can root this way,...Nothing yet.
It has white tiny spotings on some leaves, i heard this is from mealy bugs and alcohol swipes to the affected leaves would take care of this problem.
I have never fertilized the plant since rooting last year it has gone up in ht about 2" but i am a little afraid of fertilizer since ive never really used.
My soil is Miracle grow moisture control. I water the plant about once a week.
And i just put my plant outside to "summer" to see if this helps growing potential.
I am hopeful to make this a bountiful plant that i can be proud of as my uncle is of his he has a tree he puts on his patio. Any help would be greatly appreciated and will keep you informed on progress.

The white spots if they looked depressed into the leaf are not mealy bug. They are the pores of the plant excreting minerals it is getting too much of in the water. It's kind of like the hard water stains you get in your sink. You know the way they are white. It could be calcium or sodium.

Get rid of the Miracle grow moisture control and don't water once a week. Your plant will die. You must have FREE DRAINING soil. That means that about half of your soil needs to be some sort of soiless aggregate- oil dri, dry stall, aquatic soil, pea pebbles, unpainted fish tank gravel, perlite, pumice, etc. My personal mix is 2 parts landscapers mix (pine bark fines), 2 parts aggregate, and 1 part soil. Do a search on soils and you will get a multitude of threads to read up on and choose what works best for your needs. If you get the urge to water that often, don't. Jades, and most other succulents, survive on neglect. Now, out in the summer heat, with the right soil, you may water once a week. I bought a water meter at Wal Mart for $4. When it says Dry, in the red zone, then I water and water well. Sometimes this means letting it soak in a bucket with water about 2/3 up the side of the pot. If your collection is huge, this is unpractical. If you have only a few, it works. As far as fertilizers go, the only thing I've ever used is Schults Cactus Fert. It is low in Nitrogen which is what you need. I mix it as indicated for feeding with every water, but I only fertilize every other water (if I remember to =0). They really don't need a lot of fuss. I do tend to fuss over my Bonsai Jade, and she does get more fertilizer. She is a bit spoiled as compared to my outside multitude that get rain water. They get a lot more of what they need just from that. Where these guys grow naturally, the soil is not rich at all. In fact, it is mostly depleted. I think they grow better with some help, but don't overdo it or you'll burn the roots. Make sure your soil is already slightly moist when you fertilize. I actually water and wait two or three days and then fertilize. Good luck and know that it can quickly become an obsession.

Hi there how have you been?

I would like to give some input regarding your 'jADE' and their brown spots. Water like you usually do, then take your plant out of the pot and see if the water got to the root ball, the reason I asking you to do this, I think your brown spot could be due to a wrong watering practice. I would water very thorougly each plant that is that old for at least a steady five minutes on a low stream, or set them into a bucket of water that goes half way up the pot.
Put a chop stick at least 3/4 down the pot and not at the sides, and see if it comes up wet. You must water thoroughly or not at all, I let my go three months without water, they are in a large strawberry Mexican clay pot. I have no diseases or black spot or molds, they are out in full sun, but getting good air circulation. If they don't get good air circulation it will cause rot or mold, or worse. Take soapy water and toss on the plant, it will get rid of the mold or pest in the soil, it will also loosen it up. Perhaps it needs a larger pot and the roots cut back and plant trimmed. This is the time of year for molds, warm day time temps and cool nights, may be too drastic of a change for it. I don't know your soil conditions, or temperature condition or humidity which will play a big factor in the over all picture.

I didn't read the rest of the post before me, and hope I didn't repeat what has already been said, but I just bet they all said the same thing. My best to you, Norma

I know this is an acient post, but will post anyway. I hope your Jade came back to beauty. I guarantee the problem is NOT sunburn because my Jade 6 mos old, has been attacked and is not near direct, hot sun, nor outside, but plenty of light. HOWEVER, it was not until it was attacked with Mealybugs that leaves became brown / bumpy and dropped every day. I picked off 13 white fluffy Mealy's, but wonder if brown Mealy's (smaller and more like scale) OR root Mealy's are the trouble, because it happened to another succulent AND my BRAIDED Money Tree, which has HUGE chewing insect evidence as well. Before arrival, the house was empty 12 years, with 2 open crawl spaces until we renovated, had it spray-bombed twice for spiders and spider mites and sealed the crawl spaces completely. If I go near these 2 plants I walk away itchy and convinced an insect is involved. BUT WHAT? I sprayed the Jade with Safer's insecticide soap. Could this be why the browning? I don't want to lose my remaining plants. I am itchy again after handling the Jade!! UGH!! A humble thank you in advance y'all.