That link didn't work but hopefully the file upload will instead!

Hi & welcome to Gardenweb! Cute little plant but looks like it's struggling with not enough light, agreed. Yes, many people put them outside for summer, to get pretty red tips. I think your plant is the same kind but not totally sure. Does your pot have a drain hole in the bottom?

Your Jade is etiolated from not enough sunlight. Going outside for the entire year may be a problem with cool weather and all of your rain.... definite Rx for rot and dead plant. I would cut all the way back leaving 2 or 3 leaf scars on each arm as I have marked. You can callous the cuttings and re-pot them after a week or so and have more plants. I wouldn't do anything at this time of year... wait until May

This post was edited by bikerdoc5968 on Tue, Feb 5, 13 at 18:46

Hello and another welcome to the forum.
I think you have already answered some of your questions, but I'll try to help you...
Yes it should have had much more light than it appears to have been given.
In my opinion it needs to be cut back, drastically. I would cut all the main stems to a similar height as that front one and any remaining side branches to an inch.
The branches are green when young later maturing to brown.
I too question if the pot as a hole in the bottom, I guess not? Bad news if not, especially if you have been overwatering as you state. They can go for ages without water.
What is the compost like? Should be gritty and fast draining. No peat...try to go for something like 1/2 grit, 1/4 perlite, 1/4 good quality peat free cactus mix.
Yes they can go out in the garden during the summer, (if and when we have one!) but mine don't.
You could use the strongest of the prunings as cuttings, as I honestly think it could be the easiest way to a better plant. Pinch the growing point cleanly out, leave 3 or 4 pairs of leaves on and pull the bottom ones off, cut just below where the bottom leaves were attached, let the bottom ends dry for a day and then plant in some of the same mix mentioned above, no water and leave alone till you see growth....mist if it goes floppy. You have nothing to loose by trying, and I don't mean to be nasty in saying that :) Here's a couple of pics of my plants last year, they are 12 yrs old..I think with out going into the g/h to check.
Gill from the UK.
{{gwi:496309}}
{{gwi:496311}}

Hello Bikerdoc!...you beat me to it! Hope you and your plants are well. My Adenium var 'Howard' is still small but he's alive and kicking!
I do hope Mrs Lux's plant pulls through as it looks so sad like that :(
Gill from the UK.

I would cut it back to stumps, it will come back like a new plant. Follow Gill's advice, and your plant will thrive.

Christopher

Was thinking about you, Gill. Yes, all is well as I freeze with our wonderful winter weather.... did the rain ever stop? My daughter couldn't believe how much it rained over there this summer. My Adenium just opened with tons of seed everywhere!

Wow Gill, they are very impressive & beautiful - fingers crossed mine will look like that one day.

Thanks everyone for your replies.

Unfortunately no drainage hole & no idea about the compost, l bought it as it is from ahem *whispers quietly* homebase. Will buy a new pot at the weekend & soil - is there a bag of soil that l can buy? Bikerdoc says to wait until May, is that for just repotting or everything? Sorry gardening isn't my thing but I'm desperate to keep this jade as this was the first thing we purchased when my husband & l bought our house together 13 years ago. So in theory mine *should * look like Gill's :/

Many thanks
Charlotte

Wow...beautiful Jades Gill!! Great job growing them!!

Nancy, thank you, these plants are quite special to me, in fact I think ALL my plants are!!
Hi Howard, yes it did eventually stop raining...but it turned into snow! Unfortunately your dtr chose the UK's wettest year since records began back in 1910 to visit our green and pleasant land! Hope she has better luck next time, for all our sakes ;) Congrats with the DR. seeding again.
Hello Charlotte, has it been in the same compost for those 12 years then? If so, there is really no wonder it looks so errrr, 'jaded'!!!!! I'm not aware of a bag of mix that would do the job on it's own, despite what they claim on the bag...that's why I mix my own for this and similar kinds of plants. You could omit the perlite and go equal parts grit and cactus mix, that should be OK, I just know what works for me. Drainage holes are a MUST for any potted plant, clay pots give better stability as Jades can get big and then are very top heavy and easily tip over. A plastic pot would do for now though, but not tooooo big, just enough to take the rootball and a bit of the new mix around it. I went to B&Q today for some more of the horticultural grit...a 25kg bag was GBP5.98. They have small bags of coloured grits i.e. Cotswold yellow for GBP3'ish'. Small grade aquarium gravel would also do. I too pick up plants from the DIY stores, there's nothing wrong with that, lol! Got a bargain 3ft tall palm for my collection today for GBP2.70 as 2 frond tips had minor cold damage....result!
As for when to do the job, personally I would go for it now. If you can keep the plant reasonably warm in the brightest spot poss, it 'should' work. It may sprout quicker in May, but that's another 3 months away...it's your call really. Yes, mine will be 13 in a month, so yours will get there..in a year or two! In the meanwhile keep us posted on its progress.
Gill from the UK.

If the plant has been in that pot with no drainage hole for 13 years, it is truly amazing it survived at all.

As for taking cuttings and repotting at Jades at this time of year, it has never been a problem for me. This is a Jade I cut back this winter, and you can see the lush new growth that has come in.

And the cuttings, for me anyway, don't need any soil to start rooting. I just leave them lying out of direct sun, and wait for roots to develop before I pot them. Jades are winter growers, so it does not harm to repot now, from my experience.

Christopher

'Jade' Plants are winter growers, so can be transplanted now. It can be grown outside even in the snow. It does need good draining soil and kept on the dry side suring the summer months if you want it to flower for Christmas and it likes to be pruned in October. It only flowers on new growth. Old branches may be brown, gray, green or even a silver color depending on the variety of the species tht skin or bark may be different as well.
Two varieties have pink flowers. The leaves may be a different color as well, shape and size incluuded. They love to be pot bound. Well I hope I responded to most of your questions. I grow mine very dry like African plants.
I am sorry I can't figure out how to make the print larger. I'll learn how tomorrow, Norma

Hi all, thought l would post an update.

My jade was trimmed but as you can see from the picture hasn't done much yet, l'm kidding myself really as it looks as dead as a Dodo!!

The other plant however has gone from strength to strength. I replanted this at the same time as the jade & it now has some buds. Is this a Kalanchoe?

Charlotte

Don't give up. Don't water, just wait.
Here's a picture of a piece of jade given to me in September - just a stick, no roots. It finally started to sprout in March, and it still looks the same. My plant room is on the chilly side and it is very slow to grow, even under lights. I assume yours has at least some roots, so just be patient and you'll see some sprouts soon.
Lennie in Michigan USA

Not long after l last updated the stem fell off & today when l had a poke about the stems are all dried out & l can lift the root ball out of the pot!

I think it's safe to say its not going to grow back!!

Thanks for all your advice & sorry l couldn't get it to grow again.