Hi iso, the plants do well in the gritty mix. Just make sure you provide water when needed and a "weak" solution 1/4 to 1/2 of the recommended dosage fertilizer when needed and it should be fine. If you want to add some soil to your gritty mix to bind everything together and retain a little more moisture...you can add maybe 10% or so...

puglvr1, thanks.

So without the fertilizer and soil, would the plant receive enough nutrients from the gritty mix? I assume the gritty mix is what I think of as typical soil but in a different visual form (bigger chunks)

I guess I'm under the impression that typical soil is needed for nutrients. Maybe that's not the case.

iso

As long as you fertilizer your potting mix when the plant is growing or you can use 1/8 to 1/4 tsp per gallon of water when ever you water. Soil is not necessarily needed in the mix. I have many plants that have NO soil and I fertilize them with a weak solution and they thrive and do well...

Thanks puglvr1. Now I need to find all the elements to make the gritty mix. That's going to be difficult.

iso

Iso,
Even in "traditional potting soil" it provides very little nutrition to the plant. I switched to the gritty mix a few years, and my plants have loved it. We had 19 days of rain, and I never worried about my jades having issues with rot like they did before I switched.

Let us know where you live. We might be able to help you find the products.

Rob

I am with Rob and Nancy on this one...By the way, wishing you all well!:-)

Mike

Thanks guys.

One last question. Do I need to fertilize more by going with the gritty?

I don't fertilize any of my plants (I am new at learning the right way to do things outside just dirt and water LOL) and need to learn how etc.

Will the gritty require more diligence in fertilizing?

I purchased this stuff for my jades but have not used it yet.
http://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Gro-1005301-Liquid-African-8-Ounce/dp/B00004RAD8

When I get the gritty mix I will probably need advice on transplanting. i.e. do I wash the old soil out, don't fertilize after replanting etc.

I am in northern nj. I think I can get the materials I need. But I may have to replace the granite for chicken grit. I think I found a supplier for the Turface. I purchase this for the reptile bark:
http://www.petco.com/product/4956/Zoo-Med-Premium-Repti-Bark.aspx?cm_mmc=bazaarvoice-_-RLP-_-4956-_-image_link

Thanks,
iso

Hello, all!
Yes, you must fertilize the Gritty Mix, or other porous mixes.

Josh

I use fert at about 1/4 strength about every other time I water. The MG will work, and the bark looks like the same stuff I use. You're on the right track.

Ok. So here is where I am at.

I got the chicken grit, Turface All-Sport and fir bark. I screened the grit and turface (with an old window screen) and will hand remove the bark pieces that are too big.
I thought it was 3 ingredients, but I think I am missing the gypsum. Will have to research where to get that and how much to add.

So once I get the gypsum I guess I can begin mixing.

I guess I am going to do some searches on the best way to repot these Jades. Unless someone wants to throw in any tips.

Will keep everyone posted. Thanks for the help so far.

iso

depending on how you fertilize, you dont need the gypsum. it provides magnesium and sulfer (i think i am remembering correctly). if you use the foliage pro fertilizer this has both ingredients. you could also add epsom salts (sp?) to less complete fertilizers. i just recently switched to the gritty so i am no expert. peruse the threads again or maybe someone else will chime in.

Ok. I just repotted one of my jades in the gritty mix. (pics to come)

I removed as much old soil as possible under the sink with the sprayer and then let the plant sit outside for a couple hours to dry out a bit.

I couldn't remove all the old soil, but I got most of it. I was afraid that picking at the roots would end up damaging the plant. The major roots are still there but I lost some fine ones in the process.

I had to put some rocks in the pot to support the branches as the gritty mix doesn't seem to compact as well as typical soil.

Here are a few questions:

I guess the next step is to wait a week and then begin normal watering???

When can I first fertilize this plant?

Should I place the plant in it's normal sunny spot. I have east and south facing windows. Any one better than the other?

Should I expect the plant to go through some shock, dropping leaves or something similar from the repotting process?

Thanks for the help.

I have about 5 other jades to repot.

iso

1) A few days is enough (two or three)
2) In the first watering would be fine - they're going into their main growth cycle and some diluted fert would be fine.
3) Yes - they don't like change without getting used to it (like so many of us), but if it was there before it should be there again.
4) No, it might take a few days to get going again, but the fresh soil and the watering / fertilizing will have it growing again sans the shock.

cactusmcharris, thanks. I will follow those instructions.

Here are 2 (1) I guess I can only upload one at a time? photos of the completed repot with the stones supporting the weight.

Closeup of the gritty/stones/trunk.

Here's the next plant to repot.

Should I separate out this plant into single plants?

Maybe 5 separate plants or maybe 3?

What are all of the chopstick things for?

Iso, NICE job with the repot!

Ariel...my guess for the chopsticks are to hold up the leaning trunks and also great for checking the soil for moisture?

Yes the chopstick were to support the plant.

Once I repot the next one (with the many branches), I plan to prune it and that should alleviate the need for the sticks. I will probably still need some rocks to support it for a while.

I may just repot the next one as 2/3 plants, otherwise I may run out of living space in the aprt. if I break it out into more. LOL

The plants themselves were doing fine. i just felt like they could be better and show more growth. I hope I didn't do more harm than good by repotting in the gritty mix.

iso

I didn't know jades would need support. I've killed both I had in the past, and the current one (well, I guess I have a gollum, too) is just a wee guy, so it never occurred to me.

Good luck with all the repotting. I've been doing a bunch of that lately. Between squatting in the yard with the hose to blast away crappy soil and hunching over on the deck, I'm sore!