posted
I have a jade plant that is now 2 years old. It has grown a ton in the last two years and is getting tons of new growth all the time, I do have questions though. This is my one and only Jade and I don't know much about it at all. Some of the leaves are HUGE and I didn't think they did that. I want to get advice to make sure I am watering it correctly and I also want to make cuttings for new plants. I know that you can use just the leaves but how would you do an actual stem cutting from a Jade?
Also is there a way to make a Jade grow more in width and not just in height? I have the main stem and that branches into 3 stems that have tons of leaves. Is there a way to get more stems?
Thanks so much and I know these are tons of questions but I am so excited to have found this site and they are all pouring out cause you all might actually be able to help me!!!!
posted
Hmmmmmmmm. About the watering. I water my jade when the soil looks dry. I'll water it gently, until water comes out the bottom of the pot. I have a shallow bonsai pot for my jade though, so it might be a lil faster than yours. But that's my general rule.
There's a thing that some people do where they wait for the leaves to stop feeling spongy, and look thin, but i don't like that one, because it requires touching the plant. >.o i don't like to touch plants unless i have to repot, prune, clean, or something like that lol.
If you want to propagate by stem cutting, make a slightly angled cut just below a node. Then put it in water. In a while, it'll probably sprout roots. You can use a rooting hormone too. I recommend taking the cutting, and just sticking it in soil. I'm not too sure how you'd get the stems to get any thicker than they already are though.
A way you can get more stems is to remove leaves. When you remove leaves, it leaves a scar. Most of the time, if you take good enough care of it, a new sprout of two leaves will pop out of the scar, and start a new branch.
posted
Well be careful not to remove too many leaves. Be sure to remove them right at the stem too. New jades can possibly start from the leaves, but i haven't been able to do it yet. I just collect the leaves off the ground that already have growth coming off of them.
If you remove too many leaves though, your jade will start working more on a root system. I think that's only if you pinch off new growth all the time though. I'm not sure >.o I think Will Creed would know more about that
Depending on how big your jade is, i think you should only pinch off 1 or 2 per branch. The nodes will take a bit to grow new stuff though, so be patient ^.^
posted
Well I tried one today so as not to leave my jade naked...lol We will see how that one goes and hopefully there will be some new leaves popping out eventually! I thought they grew a lot slower though. I have been surprised at how much it has grown in two years! So exciting! I got this plant when I was pregnant with my littlest daughter Paige and got a philadendron (sp) when she was born and for once have been able to keep plants alive. I have great hopes for the Jade to keep growing so when she is older I can say... I got that when I was pregnant with you. tee hee Thanks for the advice it is greatly appreciated!
Erin
From: Missouri | Registered: Jun 2004
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posted
I also have a jade plant. I want it to grow into a jade tree! I have had many problems in the past with the trunk not getting strong/thick enough to support all the leaves. They (trunk)end up growing very curvy and crooked. I'm not sure if this happend from over watering or under ferteralizing.... I have no idea.
This year I bought a new plant and am paying speacial attention to the watering and such. So if anyone has a answer as to how to get a strong trunk I would appreciate knowing that one!!
As far as propagating - I take the leaves and let them calius over, about 2 days. Then dip them in rooting powder and barely cover the tips with soil. After a week, I lightly spray the soil with water three days or so. After about a month, I get new growth!!!
bbbbbbbbb -Tracie
From: boiling springs, sc | Registered: Jun 2004
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posted
I'm pretty sure that mature jades have twisty trunks most of the time. Most of it is because of the weight, but after a while, the trunk will get thicker and stronger, and it'll look all cool and curvy n stuff. The 10 year old jade at the plant place in concord off the highway has a shape like a roller coaster! its got a big thick branch around the outside that goes around half of the outside of the entire plant. Its thicker than my arms put together, and very sturdy! I could climb on this thing lol. Its about 8 ft tall, and over 300 lbs. And it grows out of a bucket the size of a laundry basket.
My jade still has green where bark should be, and is shooting up new growth on the tops right now ^.^ its a lil thing from walmart, but its still cool I also got a neat-o green and white striped jade! its so cool!
Celebrating 10 years of helping your gardens grow!
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