You obviously know how to water your plant having kept it alive for three decades, don't listen to your husband. Your plant needs a hair cut. You could trim off every branch, and every leaf, and it will not be harmed. Search 'jade.whacking' on this forum and you will see many examples. Some like to trim them into sculptural forms something like bonsai: Don't be afraid. Cut away. It's fun! Of course you can root cuttings, large or small. Just let the cuts callous over, and don't water until the cutting has roots. This may take months for large cuttings, weeks for smaller ones. You can repot later, after the plant has started to recover after the chop job. Brad

Nancy - we switched phone companies today, and had no access almost all day, so I just saw your post. I would have done it the same way Glenda suggested. Top over bottom on the outside, the better to shed rain or snow, and if the wind blows, it will tend to tighten the seam, rather than open it. Sorry I wasn't there for ya. ThinMan

I assumed that his recipes would be better than any old one off the net, being the egghead that he is. You are right but then we don't use or recommend "any old recipe off the net" when it comes to long term storage/food preservation anyway. We use only approved and tested recipes from USDA/NCHFP, BBB, Ball Complete Book, So easy to Preserve, extension services, and a couple of other books are tested and approved for home canning/preserving. I am not saying his recipe that you posted is unsafe to make. As Carol and I both said above as long as you keep it refrigerated rather than out on the counter you can do it if you wish however you wish. But understand that it won't keep for long. How long? Can't say - and neither does the recipe apparently. So it is not meant for long term storage if that is your goal - even in the fridge. Listeria still grows, salmonella isn't killed, molds and other bacteria aren't killed in the fridge. Only canning does that. Only processing allows for any long term storage. You say you are afraid to try "real canning". Properly processed canned goods based on tested and approved recipes are far safer then anything stored in the fridge. ;) Dave

I finally gave up. They mentioned their business name, but I can't remember it, and frankly, now, I'm not going to bother with them. Without their phone #, or names, it's just not worth trying to look up. I know they're not listed with their catering because they mentioned they were just starting up the new business. They never paid a dime...in fact, they had asked me at the yard sale if two things didn't sell, could they come buy them. Those items only came to $5. So when they were here and we arranged for the pottery, I thought they were going to get the things they'd come for. They never paid for them, nor did they take those things either. So, I guess I'm going to take those things they didn't buy (some wineglasses and a silk topiary) to the thrift store and get ready to sell the pottery. I'm pretty good at judging character, and I kind of lean toward these flakes as just getting in over their head and realizing they were extending themselves too thin. HOPEFULLY that's the case and not that they were scammers!