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Jade plants are a favorite of many gardeners and can be found in a variety of settings, from traditional houseplants to outdoors landscaping.
Because jade plants grow slowly and need less water than other plants, they can be a good choice for someone who wants a low-maintenance plant.
Jade plants (also known as Crassula Ovata) can take years to grow to their full size, so it’s important to repot them appropriately.
They can often become pot-bound and suffer from root rot if they are not repotted on a regular basis.
Repotting Jade plants is not difficult, but it is important to follow a few guidelines to ensure a successful repotting outcome. In this article, we will go over tips on when and how to repot jade plants.
Looking for types of Jade Plants to grow in your home? Read further about:
How Often Should You Repot a Jade Plant?
For older and mature jade plants, you should repot jade plants every 4 to 5 years.
As for younger and new jade plants, after the initial repotting, they should be repotted every 2 to 3 years.
Repotting them should ensure they continue to grow and that they don’t become root-bound.
When Should You Repot a Jade Plant?
Consider repotting jade plants if they have ceased to grow or they look like they are overcrowded.
Jade plants can grow in clumps and although overcrowding in the container is not detrimental to the plant, it does restrict future growth.
Jade plants grow to the maximum size permitted by their root system, so if you want them to grow you’ll need a bigger pot.
What Time of Year is Best to Repot a Jade Plant?
The best time of year to repot a jade plant is in the early spring when it is the beginning of a jade plant’s growing season.
Don’t repot jade plants during winter because it is when these plants go dormant.
In addition, don’t repot during the summer months as your plant is experiencing the newest growth then.
How to Repot a Jade Plant
When you’ve determined that your jade is ready for a new container, you’ll first want to check to ensure that the soil is completely dry.
Before you start, the tools and materials you’ll need to get are:
- small spade or similar flat tool
- new potting soil
- a clean and larger pot
Begin by sliding a spade or other flat instrument lightly along the container’s inside edges. Doing this will help to loosen any roots that are still sticking to the side of the pot.
Depending on the size of the plant and container, you can either turn it upside down to allow it to fall out or gently tug on the stem near the soil region.
If the plant has multiple stems, lightly circle them with your thumb and index finger before inverting the pot.
If roots appear to be lodged at the bottom, pry them free with a clean instrument.
As a side note, this may be a good time to divide multi-branched plants into two plants to propagate your jade plants. If you wish to divide your jade plant, make a clean, rapid cut through the root ball with garden shears, or you can use a sharp knife.
Continuing on, tease out the roots of the plant once it is removed from the pot to determine how much growth you may anticipate.
Eliminate as much old soil as possible. Trimming the roots of a jade plant is rarely necessary, but a minor cut occasionally spurs growth in the new container.
When repotting jade plants, ensure you place them as deeply as possible into the new pot. Allow no contact between the leaves and the soil.
As jade plants mature, their stems become thicker and they take on the appearance of a tree. When established, they will grow in height and produce new leaves.
Water after at least two weeks, longer if the bottom leaves do not start to wilt or crinkle. Letting your jade plant rest enables root damage to be repaired and new growth to begin.
What Kind of Soil To Use When Repotting Jade Plants?
When repotting jade plants, use a porous, well-draining, all-purpose potting mix for your jade plants. The soil should drain evenly and have a loose texture.
A well-draining potting mixture ensures the roots can breathe and drains out excess water, which helps prevent root rot.
You can make your own soil mix or you can buy a premixed soil that is designed for succulents.
If you decide to make a DIY jade plant soil, mix 1 cup of coarse sand, 1 cup of gardening potting soil, and 1 cup of perlite or pumice.
What Kind of Pot to Use to Repot a Jade Plant
A terracotta pot is the best kind when you repot your Jade plant, but ensure that your pot has a big enough drainage hole at the bottom.
Alternatively, it can also have a few smaller drainage holes. A pot that drains well coupled with the well-draining soil mix ensures that excess water drains away.
Your new pot into which you transplant your succulent should be a third bigger than the entirety of the roots of your huge jade plant.
If you have a pot that is too big, there is too much soil that can become waterlogged, killing the plant’s roots.
If you want to repot your plant into a terrarium or glass container to increase the visual aesthetics of your home, then water less and less often.
These kinds of containers retain excessive moisture for longer, so you can easily overwater your jade plant.
What To Do After Repotting a Jade Plant?
There are a few aftercare tips to keep in mind after you repot a jade plant. Things like watering, where you place it in the sun, and fertilizing.
Watering
Do not immediately water your jade plant after repotting. Give it some rest for about a week.
Give your succulent time to settle in the new pot and also ensure it has enough time for the roots to heal.
After this week has passed, you can continue watering your plant as you normally would. Ensure the soil is completely dry before you give it water.
Thus, you’ll probably water your plant every few weeks during summer and about once monthly during winter.
However, always check the soil before you water, as you shouldn’t water a damp potting mixture-don’t let your plant sit in water!
If your plant starts to show any symptoms like leaf drop syndrome or notices yellowing leaves, this could mean the start of your jade plant is dying.
While a jade plant isn’t likely to die on you quickly, the easiest way to ensure your succulent lives and thrives is by not overwatering it.
Lastly, if you repot jade plants in the correct type of potting mixture, it will help prevent you from overwatering them.
Sunlight
Ensure your jade plant gets 5 to 6 hours of indirect sunlight a day.
You can provide direct sun, but be careful about how much you don’t want to scorch the plant.
If you have the plant indoors, put it in a south-facing window because it will be the perfect location for indirect light.
Fertilizer
Do not give any fertilizer to your jade plant for the first month after repotting.
After 30 days, if your plant seems sluggish you can give them a diluted general plant fertilizer.
The reason, why you want to dilute the fertilizer, is to prevent any overfertilization that may cause your plant to burn from the inside.
Then, resume a regular fertilizing schedule where you add nutrients monthly during spring.
Lastly, don’t fertilize your jade plant during winter when the plant is dormant.
FAQ
When should I repot my jade plant?
You should repot an old and mature jade plant every 4 to 5 years. Whereas, if you have a younger jade plant that is growing a lot faster, you can repot them every 2 to 3 years.
Does the time of year I repot my jade plant matter?
Yes, the time of year you repot your plant most certainly matters. The best time to repot is when the growing season for your succulents begins at the start of spring. Don’t repot during winter since your succulent is dormant or during summer when your plant is growing very actively.
Do jade plants like small pots?
The ideal pot for your plant is a third bigger than its root ball. You are repotting the Jade plant in a big pot, which means that there is too much soil, resulting in the mix retaining too much water. This isn’t ideal for your plant as the roots can rot, and your succulent can die if you don’t monitor it closely and fix the problem.
What kind of soil does a jade plant need?
Jade plants need a porous potting mixture that drains well. This means the texture must not be clumpy, and the particles in the potting mix should be large. This helps the water to move through relatively quickly, ensuring moist soil for your plant to grow.
Is a Jade Plant Toxic to Pets?
Jade plants are toxic to pets like dogs, cats, and even horses. Symptoms include vomiting, depression, and the inability to move around in a coordinated fashion. If you see any signs of poisoning, consult your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Conclusion
As your plant grows in your home or garden, it needs to be repotted in a suitable pot about one-third bigger than its root system.
Only repot when you bring a new succulent home from the nursery or during spring.
Remember these aftercare tips so your plant can thrive:
- Don’t water it for a week after repotting. Then resume your regular watering schedule, but avoid too much moisture. Only water when the soil is completely dry.
- Add fertilizer a month after repotting.
Good luck, and enjoy the benefits of growing jade plants in your home!
References
Lindsey Hyland grew up in Arizona where she studied at the University of Arizona’s Controlled Environment Agriculture Center. She continued her gardening education by working on organic farms in both rural and urban settings. She started UrbanOrganicYield.com to share gardening tips and tactics. She’s happy to talk about succulents and houseplants or vegetables and herbs – or just about anything in a backyard garden or hydroponics garden.