Hi Amany: I haven't been in here for awhile. The plants that I started from leaves at that time, are now about 5 inches tall. They are in a 4 inch pot, so they dry out fast. I watered them after the mother leaf dried up , like Norma said. Now I water them about once a week or when the soil is dry. The cuttings that were twisted, I tied to pieces of pine branches are still OK. They are in pots now. When they are rooted good ,I'll put in some Photo's. LOL, LOU

I would give it a total makeover. In that I mean that I would bare root the thing, carefully so as not to damage too many roots, and give it a home in the gritty mix. Jades are a tough plant, usually only being vulnerable to root rot, and occasional mealy bugs, which can be a serious problem if left unchecked. Anyway, it won't be easy to do this kind of work on such a large plant, which is why I never buy anything that big. But, for $9, I don't know that I could have passed it up either. I don't know you, so I have to take your word that such a large plant costed only $9, and if you truly did, someone made a mistake or is a complete moron. I was at a nursury looking around, and they had several large jades. They had a 6 foot variegated one for $1500. The 2 to 3 footers themselves were around $100. Enough on that. As for how to approach such a job, well, it'd probably be easiest to make some contraption to gently snag on the trunk, and hang it from something. If you use rags or old cut up t-shirts to make straps, you can snug them up around the trunk below some thick branches. You'll need a few to keep the pressure off any one spot. You then strategically loop a rope through the straps, and hoist it up. Then you'll have to sit injun style and loosen up the roots, which can be tough when they intertwine. After removing ALL the peat soil and washing the roots, remove any that look rotted. Then lower into the new pot, one that is big enough to fit the root ball, with a couple inches to spare around the edge. Fill with gritty mix, making sure to get the soil in around all the roots. For support, you can use plastic spring loaded clamps, found at your local hardware store or big box store. Also get some romex cable, the type used for electrical wiring in houses. Romex cable is thick enough not to damage the tree when you wrap it around the trunk. It is a bundle of solid wires, so it bends good, and provides rigid support. Put 3 or 4 clamps on the pot rim, and use these to run your support cables to. Do this while to plant is still supported by the hanging contraption. Then, you need to figure out how you're going to move this monsterous heavy tree. Hold off on watering for a week after the repot to allow any damaged roots to heal. Again, this project is going to suck, and you'll be asking why in the tarnation you bought it. For a piece of mind, I've done this before, only with a 7 foot tall madagascar palm tree. I had to wrap it in fiberglass insulation to prevent breaking the huge thorns before making the custom noose. As for where to set your jade, well, if it was in shade, then start with that. Slowly acclimate it to the sunny spot where you intend to keep it. Good luck! Joe

#3 confusing To clarify look at old-n pics you can see the outer pot at about 3 inches from the base of trunk and the jade is centered in the pot. Also notice the base of the jade trunk is viewable and not sunken in the pot.. #5 I cant see the roots in any of the pics either but old-n saw his roots at one time. I think they meant the roots shouldn't have contact with the bottom of the pot and seems to suggest roots shouldn't be exposed in a pot that's to shallow. Yes your pot is in my view to deep and also to big in roundness. I also think you should re-pot in a better size pot in a good draining soil first and wait a week (plus or minus a day or two) to do any pruning. Pruning : No I wouldn't hard prune yours even though it can handle a hard prune as suggested yours can take a nice shape as well Where to start as a guide: Bottom to top then inside to outside Expose the trunk working upward cut the stringy, thinner, looser or drooping growth on the outside to the firmest section even if it is a hard cut to a firmer branch. Inside : crossing branches are blocking better branches growth they cant be easily seen by the pic with it's fuller foliage. If you twist the leaves in pairs they should easily remove and you can get a better view of whats inside by twisting leaves that are inside and finger pruning toward the out side. I like razor cutting over growth foliage wall paper razor knives.... hardware shop old-n has a very nice " see though the tree " in pics and is a good guide. Kind of funny, but it's harder to block drainage if all the soil is rocks but I highly suggest that you dont go the all rock route.

Thank you all for your suggestions. I will wait a while to introduce them anyway, but to get a head start on info is good. And the condition that goes with adopting a kitten is that it be neutered before leaving my home or within 2 weeks and I want proof, I work for an animal rescue group that is doing this for free but I will ask each new kitten owner to make a minimal donation to help cover those costs for the rescue. This will also ensure that the people really want the kittens as pets, not to abuse. I see too many "free kittens" that are used for horrible purposes, so if the new owners are willing to make a donation I know they probably have good intentions. I actually took Amy to get spayed a week before her delivery, it was breaking my heart to do it knowing she was pregnant. After I dropped her off in her carrier, I sat in the parking lot and pondered my decision. Then two cars pull up to the MASH unit (a mobile surgical hospital that does spay/neutering as well as all necessary shots for those with low income) and out of the first one comes a pug that looked just like the dog my sister just had put to sleep a few months ago. The second car out jumps a white collie mix that looks like the dog my dad hit on their farm when she ran in front of his truck. I burst into tears, knowing Jade and Francie (the dogs) were telling me something. I ran out of the car, banged on the door and told them I didn't want to do it. They just tested her for FIV and other diseases, if she was infected I would have just put her down but she came up free and clear and healthy. I can't believe I almost did that now that the kittens are here. I am a FIRM believer in spaying, I have three full-blooded Ragdolls but had them all spayed because, as cute as they are too, the line has to be drawn, and I like this MASH unit because it benefits low income areas like mine to prevent any more "accidents". Thank you all. We have a screen door that might fit in the bedroom door frame, I will try that, but will wait. Laurief, the room is a spare, so it has a bed which she had her kittens under and room enough for them to explore and get their legs build strength, although the berber carpet is a challenge with those tiny claws! She can live there as long as she likes. My second question is this; once the kittens are weaned, is it not a good idea to let them out of the room since Amy will be not be with them? I want to raise them "underfoot" where they have the run of the house until they are ready to go to new homes. Last question: how old do the kittens need to be to get them neutered and how long for Amy? I have great knowledge of cats, but I know nothing of raising kittens!!!