a0c8c
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Help with Jade

I recieved a jade plant for my birthday the other day, which is planted in a square cement pot with no holes in the bottom. It have it outside currently since I don't have an east or west facing window to place it in. My problem is that it looks like its drying out and blistering. What should I do? It's real discouraging, considering I live in Texas where we have more Cacti than people.


I'm also not sure about our water quality, smells like a pool when I water so I'm wondering if there's too much chlorine in it.

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Kisal
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Jades aren't cacti, they're succulents, and while they do well with some sun, a plant that was accustomed to being indoors wouldn't be able to tolerate outdoor sun right away. You might want to move it into the shade, and allow it to slowly adapt to being outdoors.

I don't know offhand how sensitive jades are to chlorine, but you can allow water to sit in an open container overnight, and a lot of the chlorine will dissipate. I do that with my drinking water. :)

a0c8c
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I might have to bust out some containers and dissipate the chlorine. I just can't outside, we have mosquitos that reproduce in as little as 6 hours, and I'd rather not have an army of mosquitos in my backyard.

Hopefully shade will help, I don't have an iside spot that'll work. Would suck if my birthday gift dies in a week, lol.

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Kisal
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You can leave the containers sit indoors. That's what I do. I just fill them and leave them overnight on my kitchen counter, then water my plants the next day. I only do this for plants that are sensitive to chlorine, however, and from what I've read online, I gather that jade plants do fall into that category. :)

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vintagejuls
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I have many Jade plants outside in the shade and some in direct sun, some in pots and 1 large plant in the ground, but each were acclimated to their sun exposure first. They have all been cuttings from my larger plant. My water probably has a high clorine content and I water straight from the hose. The Jades do fine.

Kisal is right. Keep it in shade since it was grown with an indoor setting in mind and slowly introduce it to filtered sun. Or just keep it as a shade plant outside. They can add color just by being green on a shaded patio or deck area. I have found my root bound Jades in the pot flower during their flowering season. 8)

Good luck and keep us posted on it's progress. :wink:

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Gnome
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a0c8c,

I too have found that Jades can develop dry, corky patches on their leaves if moved directly into full sun after a stay inside, it did not seem to injure the plant in the long term though. They definitely can take full sun but give them a transition period in a location with some protection.

Something no one has mentioned is the fact that you have your plant in a pot with no drainage holes. This is sure death to most plants and Jades are no exception. They also do well in a coarse, gritty mix rather than a traditional potting mix.

I also get the impression that you are watering a lot. Jades don't require watering with the same frequency as other plants you may be familiar with. In my climate they can easily go without water for weeks at a time, especially if we get an occasional rain. You may have to water more often than I do since your climate is so different but the point is to make sure to allow the soil to thoroughly dry before watering well.

Sorry, I can't speak to the Chlorine issue as I have well water.

Norm

a0c8c
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Thanks for the replies!

My Jade's doing better. I've been keeping it on the deck under the overhang and I'm gradually getting it closer to sun. I don't water it much, thats why my friend gave me a succulent, cause they're easy to care for with little watering. It's also ina stone pot with no holes, so I'm guessing thats good (glad I didn't pull out the power drill and add holes, lol).

I have another question though, how easy is it to do cuttings? Mines a pretty small plant so I don't want to risk killing it by cutting off too much. Do I need rooting compund?

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Gnome
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a0c8c,

Earlier I wrote:
you have your plant in a pot with no drainage holes. This is sure death to most plants and Jades are no exception.
You wrote:
It's also ina stone pot with no holes, so I'm guessing thats good (glad I didn't pull out the power drill and add holes,
You seem to have misunderstood. I was suggesting just the opposite, drainage holes are required for most plants and for succulents in particular.
I don't water it much,
Just to clarify, you should not water often but when you do they like a good soaking. Without a drainage hole though this is inappropriate.
I have another question though, how easy is it to do cuttings? Mines a pretty small plant so I don't want to risk killing it by cutting off too much. Do I need rooting compund?
They are very easy, almost foolproof. No rooting hormone is required for Jade cuttings, they will even strike roots if not planted. A single leaf will even strike roots if planted vertically but it will take quite a while to develop a stem. I believe you can also simply lay them down flat, as they might fall in nature. This technique may go quicker but I have stopped experimenting with leaf cuttings since I have more stem cuttings than I can manage.

Read this thread for more information:
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14497

Norm

cynthia_h
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Whenever I trim my jade plants back (I have essentially a "hedge" of jade over 5' tall), I have to be careful and sweep up ALL the leaves.

Otherwise, they will become new jade plants, whether I want them to or not. They require absolutely NO care here. Drop them on the ground. Wait a few months. The former leaves will have rooted; the former branch will have new branches.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9
Last edited by cynthia_h on Fri Jul 17, 2009 2:12 am, edited 1 time in total.

a0c8c
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Hmm.... Guess I need to drill some holes in the pot then. I like the little square cement pot its in, nice for a small Jade plant. Surprised it came in a pot with no holes, oh well, not every plant comes in the perfect pot.

So if I just cut a few clippings and burry them in the dirt, they should sprout pretty easily? I have a spot where I'd love to have some jade growing.

cynthia_h
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I'd say yes. My only caveat is that the soil must have enough "body" (I.e., not 100% sand) to hold the jade upright when it achieves a good size. My native soil at this house seems to be mostly clay, with some organic matter and a very little sand.

I'd baby it along--well, "baby" for a jade plant--its first year or two. This is July. I would keep a good watch on it until maybe September or October 2010, whichever month your weather breaks for the fall.

Don't drown it, but don't let it go dry for more than a day or two until it's established. I've never fertilized mine, but I *do* grow other plants near the jade which I "fertilize" by scratching in compost every season or so.

Cynthia



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