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meyermike_1micha

My fertilized Crassula x 'Maruba Nishiki' Jade grew like crazy!

meyermike_1micha
11 years ago

Are your jades growing very fast? Mine were always slow growing year after year until my good friend Josh told me to fertilize and see what happens. Well, I did on this one, and bow did it work! i never thought to fertilize my jades on a regular basis, but now that has changed. I have also noticed that colors are more vivid on the ones I feed. Do you fertilize yours?

What a remarkable difference in just 3 months!

This is what it looked like then.

{{gwi:48815}}

Now this is what it looks like! I think I will be making some cuttings on this one soon. Now, to figure how to.

{{gwi:48816}}

{{gwi:635238}}

.

Do you have any growing this fast since fertilizing? Have you noticed a difference on yours when you fertilize?

MIke:-)

Comments (21)

  • rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
    11 years ago

    Mike

    That is very nice jade, and great growth.
    I did not fertilize mine, so no photo.
    Will you slow down/fertilize less for winter?

    Rina

  • americangolden
    11 years ago

    Ver nice growth on your Jade. What type of fertilizer do you use and how often??

  • Ron4310
    11 years ago

    I fertilize my jades and all my plants all the time. They do need food to live and grow.

  • scsva
    11 years ago

    I feed all my plants each time I water. I will stop around November and start up again in late March.

    All my succulents put on a lot of growth and prettier colors with plant food. I use MG houseplant food, with Superthrive and lately about 1/8 tsp of epsom salt per gallon of water.
    Susan

    Susan

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    11 years ago

    Excellent work, Mike!

    I took my direction from Al, of course, since I'm using such inorganic and lean mixes.
    It was last year that I potted a small pair of Jade cuttings with my Ponderosa Lemon.
    Well, I watered and fertilized the container according to the needs of the Lemon, full strength
    once a week, with frequent watering. The growth that I saw in those cuttings was incredible.
    I separated them eventually and gave them to my brother. Now that the fertilization has slowed
    the plant is much more compact.

    Anyhow, I saw how easy it is to grow Jades (relatively) quickly, and then to simply
    reduce the fertilization once the plant has achieved the general size desired. I don't
    heavily feed all my succulents, though. Many of them are growing "hard," with little water
    or nutrients.

    If using a gritty, lean mix like Mike's, one can fertilize lightly through the entire Winter.
    Succulents won't require as much water in the Winter, and so the opportunity to apply a liquid
    fertilize will be reduced as well.


    Josh

  • jeffrey_b
    11 years ago

    That is a beautiful plant. It's also motivating me to use fertilizer more often. I just recently saw a tiny cutting of this variety of jade on ebay for $40. The seller also had a variegated gollum and some other neat jades. All at lofty prices, too.

  • kaktuskris
    11 years ago

    Nice job, Mike, as usual!!! I do fertilize more often than not, but not always with noticeable results.

    Christopher

  • Colleen E
    11 years ago

    It looks positively fantastic. Amazing how you've gotten your hands on such fantastic plants.

  • meyermike_1micha
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Teatree..Thank you. I have some really great friends abroad, that is for sure for in which I am truly greatful. This plant will be more available with time since I have no problem sharing.

    Christopher, good thanks buddy. I'll be seeing you soon.

    Jeffrey, thank you.

    Josh, in fact I remember that conversation and how well those jades did! That is what made me consider fertilizing. It just never occured to me that succulents like food to. I remember many at the Cactus club saying they would never fertilize their jades which threw me off a bit. I wonder why? I shall have to ask if I see those members again.
    Thanks again, Your contributions here are always treasured.

    Susuan, thanks for sharing.

    Rina and Ron, thanks for looking:-)

    Americangolden: I use Foliage Pro and that is it. I feed at just about every time I water when I remember at 1/4 strentgh per gallon of water. Sometime I'll give a dose of one tablespoon per gallon once a week too.

    This plant gets no more than 3-4 hours of direct sun all summer, but more now that the strentgh of the sun is much lower. Now it is sitting up on my flat roof all day. I'll see how it reacts to the much cooler nights now, in the full sun by day.

    Mike

  • luvidaho_2010
    11 years ago

    Beautiful jade Mike! Thanks for sharing pictures of your plants and information on how you grow them. I have been afraid to fertilize my jade after reading all the info saying not to fertilize. I can't find Foliage Pro here so I will have to try to find it on the internet.
    Tami

  • TheMasterGardener1
    11 years ago

    Why is the new growth so pale, yellow? And the the old leaves are variegated and green? Is this normal?

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    11 years ago

    Yes, that's normal.
    In a month or two, the leaves will revert back to what you see in the first pic.

    Josh

  • TheMasterGardener1
    11 years ago

    Aw ok. I have a elephant bush that was doing the same thing. Thanks.

    That is growing so fast for a Jade!

  • rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
    11 years ago

    Josh

    Are you saying they will revert to almost green? Will they revert to yellow at any time? (Is it because of sun?)
    I like yellow on the leaves.

    Rina

  • americangolden
    11 years ago

    Thanks, I will have to search and find some folliage pro. Is the Dyna-Gro Foliage Pro 9-3-6 the one I should be using or is there a different one?

  • jeffrey_b
    11 years ago

    The 9-3-6 is the one I use.

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    11 years ago

    That's right, Rina.
    A combination of strong light and cooler temps will really color up a Jade.
    During the Winter, most of us can't provide that intense light, so the colors fade.

    Josh

  • americangolden
    11 years ago

    Thanks jeffrey_b

  • puglvr1
    11 years ago

    Wow Mike...that is some awesome growth! Great job, Congrats!

    I've definitely never had that type of growth on any of my Jades before especially this time of year.

    That is one beautiful Jade, the colors are so pretty!
    Thanks for posting!

    Hey Josh!

  • whip1 Zone 5 NE Ohio
    11 years ago

    Mike,
    here are some of mine. I water heavy thru the summer heat, and use fertilizer about 1-2 times a week. Clearly, they don't know they're not supposed to grow in the summer.....
    {{gwi:66648}}

    Rob

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