skip to main content

Cacti & Succulents House Plants

Repot/prune this rescue jade? Change soil?

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

Hi all, I got this rescue jade from someone's garage. It looks healthy, if a bit droopy and limp. I can't tell what soil it's in. I'm wondering if I should change the soil? Would it shock the plant? They told me it's been in this pot for 2 years, got new soil last summer.

Also, should I repot into a larger pot, or keep it here? And, finally, should I prune it?

Thanks in advance!

PS: I live in New York City, in a zone 7b I think.

Featured Answer

rina_Ontario,Canada 5a

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

If that was my plants, I would most likely divide. It looks like there are several stems, so I would pot each individually. BUT that is just me - I prefer single plant. If you like group, that's OK too. I think pot is large enough for all that you have. Amending soil would be great IMO. It looks very peaty, and probably doesn't drain that well. There is always some 'shock' when repotting - but it isn't ever my concern: getting plant into better mix and growing conditions is much more important than worrying about any shock. It really isn't that great of a shock :)

Plants are also quite etiolated - they were not getting enough light. No wonder, if it was in garage.

What I would do is repot into much better mix (divide or keep together - you decide); put it into better light (gradually if you can get much stronger light); and start pruning in couple of weeks, after roots got established.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

Laura
Original Author
6 years ago
Thank you! I will repot and introduce it to better light. Do you have any recommendations for pruning it?
Related Discussions
just rescued a Jade on the road, what do I do now?
Q
Comments (6)
Ok, Thanks all for the advice. I unpotted, and tried to wash away all the soil - it was really tough,even under running water, half the roots came off even though i was super gentle. I washed most of the soil from the roots, and put it in a clay pot with better draining soil. Since 1/2 the roots were gone and the growth was spindly anyway, i lopped off 1/2 the plant...from strands of about a foot per stem, to 1/2 a foot long, so it's just 3 sad-looking stalks now, no leaves. I'm gonna wait a week, then repot the cut stalks into soil. Now it's in a north window (not escape). Is there anything I should have done differently? Toni? Susan? Pirate Girl??? Thanks!!
...See More
'Hummel's Sunset' Jade re-potting
Q
Comments (1)
I think it looks SO much better in it's new pot.
...See More
Pruning and Re-potting a Neglected Baby Jade
Q
Comments (4)
It looks like it's been getting enough light, whether it has been getting fertilizer is secondary right now. That leaves us with water and soil, and they very much go together. I cannot see the soil, but that is what I zero in on. It looks healthy enough to handle a repot into some fresh, quick-draining soil so from what I can see that is where I would start. Perhaps minimal pruning right now, enough so that you can get your hands in there to do the work. Once repotted, give it healthy amounts of food, light, water and temperature until Spring. At that time, you can prune for shaping. When you repot, if it looks marvelously healthy you could consider a harder prune right away. The key will be firm trunks and lots of healthy roots. You can search for images on google to see how crassula ovata grows in nature, but if you like the jungle look I'm sure it will comply to a degree. Btw, the term baby jade(I assume your using that term because it's small) was mistakenly given to portulacaria afra as a nickname, a similar plant in similar habitat. ez
...See More
Ficus rescue - do I repot after pruning?
Q
Comments (11)
Let's use your second picture, the closeup, for this discussion. The larger branch that sticks up from the dominant trunk has to go, so cut it off flush with the trunk with a fine saw, then paint the wound carefully with waterproof wood glue. The glue seals the wood, prevents it from drying, prevents a large scar that takes a long time to heal, and helps the callus tissue that forms at the edge of the wound to roll over the wound without resistance. As you follow the trunk line up, you come to another branch that sticks up, then has a branch that moves off to the right. That stays, but the little stub that sticks up gets the same treatment I described for the first upright branch off the trunk. The branch underneath the higher branch that moves to the right and looks like a continuation of the main trunk line and appears parallel to the upper branch should be removed. Your trunk will move to the right, then move upward a short distance, then continue to the right. That little 'crook in the trunk line adds interest. The reason the lower branch should be moved is, it competes with your eye as the apex. Even though the trunk line your keeping is higher than the branch, it still confuses your eye. All the branches on the subordinate trunk should move to the right, but no branch should be directly above another. The lowest branch should move right and toward you. The next should move right and be in line with the trunk, the third branch should move right and toward the back. There should be no branches on the dominant trunk that move to the right. Coming off the dominant trunk, you should have 3-4 branches arranged alternately that move to the left. These should be longer branches to offer visual balance (so the tree doesn't look like it's going to fall over to the right). There is a branch that is growing off the really short stub that sticks up where the dominant trunk line makes a jog. It appears to be growing to the left. That is a key branch. Train it so it grows toward the front and moves left. No branches should grow directly toward the front of the composition, so they look like they want to poke you in the eye. Did you get all that? FWIW, I'm a bonsai judge, and 30 years of practice at bonsai allows me to see the tree in the tree. It also allows me to see problems and offer plans that allow the grower to work around the problems or in some cases turn them into a feature. Comments? Al
...See More
Laura
Original Author
6 years ago
I went for the repotting - the soil was completely wet and the roots are breaking off very easily. Is this rot? What should I do?
Laura
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Ok, one more question - are the white spots spider mites? Are the brown spots something too? What should I do??
rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
That is damage from roots being in water retaining soil = wet feet. I would put them on something absorbent like paper towels, newspaper or even some cloth, to get rid of excess moisture. You can leave them overnight like that. Then inspect roots and cut off any broken, dry or probably soft & mushy - that is what happens when they start rotting. Check all stems to make sure they are not soft (they don't look like they are, but I am only looking at photos). If there is any softness to stems, it would have to be cut off.

Make better mix; simple and easy one would be mixing Cactus&Succulent soil with coarse perlite, in 1:1 ratio. Pot them up. If any roots are left, start watering after a day or two. If plants were very wet, you could wait few days longer. I would keep them in good light, moving slowly into strongest light you can. Subsequent watering should be when potting mix almost completely dries up. You could find by sticking wooden skewer or chopstick or even pencil deep into soil (at least 3/4 deep). If it feels damp, do not water yet. Give it another couple of days, check again. When they feel firm in the potting mix, that would be time to prune; shouldn't take much longer than week or two.

You can see that distance between sets of leaves = internode, is big. Green color could be too light, but that may be just photos. Those things happen because of insufficient light.

ETA: I saw your questions about bugs: I can't tell if there are any mites on the leaves. They are tiny, and often you may find webs usually on underside. Do you see any movement? Take piece of white paper and shake leaf over it; if there are mites they will fall off on the paper. There is slight chance of mealy bugs - but they are bigger, and make cottony mas/webbing. I do not think you have any.

Bigger brownish spots look more like scabbing after minor damage. If you see round or oval and slightly raised bumps, that could be scale (I do not see any). Just take cotton ball or paper towel moistened with rubbing alcohol and wipe over it. If scale, r.a. will kill it. Smaller brownish pimple-like bumps could be oedema. That happens from too much water and/or humidity. If that is the case, bumps are quite hard, do not come off with wiping - you would have to scratch them off. BUT do not do that if they are. Just make sure plants don't get overwatered and that there is good air circulation. It isn't a disease, but disorder. Affected leaves will live, and as they get old they will dry and fall off.
Laura thanked rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
laticauda
6 years ago
Oh, rina, please post the diagram Al made. Going from three to two branches. It helped me a great deal.
Laura
Original Author
6 years ago
Thank you so much, Rina!! I really appreciate it. I hope this jade will thrive!
rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Here is drawing by Al:

Laura

You could consider taking clear close-ups of plants-roots; post and ask any questions you may have...

JMO, but if you want them to branch, it may help to keep fewer in same pot. They won't 'interfere' with each others space.

Jades look very nice if potted as a 'forest' - but best if they are in appropriate container and pruned often. And it takes time. And know-how. Here is a teaser (not my plants!- do not know who to give credit to):

Related Stories

CONTAINER GARDENS Little by Little: Why Growing a Bonsai Could Change Your Life

Tap into the gentle and intriguing world of bonsai and let it teach you the joy of patience

GARDENING GUIDES Common Myths That May Be Hurting Your Garden

By J. Peterson Garden Design

Discover the truth about fertilizer, soil, staking and more to keep your plants healthy and happy

GARDENING GUIDES New Ways to Think About All That Mulch in the Garden

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Before you go making a mountain out of a mulch hill, learn the facts about what your plants and soil really want

GARDENING GUIDES A Mom, a Garden and a Gift for the Neighbors

By Steve Asbell

Gardening can be therapeutic in unexpected ways. See how one gardener found peace and purpose in a patch of Florida soil

LIFE True Confessions of a House Stalker

By Alison Hodgson

Letting go when a new owner dares to change a beloved house's look can be downright difficult. Has this ever happened to you?

WINTER GARDENING 8 Tips for Keeping Your Houseplants Healthy in Winter

By Lauren Dunec Hoang

Reduce watering, stop fertilizing, move them into the light and more

GARDENING GUIDES Southeast Gardener's October Checklist

By Gardening with Confidence®

When you're not toting houseplants back inside or planting cool-season crops, you can start preparing garden beds for next year

HOUSEPLANTS 8 Essentials for Healthy Indoor Plants

Houseplants add so much to our homes — and can thrive when grown in the right conditions. Keep these tips in mind

GARDENING GUIDES Top Cold-Hardy Evergreens for Container Gardens

By Lauren Dunec Hoang

These tough beauties look good year-round and add consistency to container arrangements

GARDENING GUIDES 5 Best-Behaved Trees to Grace a Patio

Big enough for shade but small enough for easy care, these amiable trees mind their manners in a modest outdoor space

Sponsored

More Discussions

I need your help to improve this jade plant. (My first jade!)

31

Why are there brown blotches on my Euphorbia anoplia

0

Can I trim this plant?

1

ID this cactus please?

8

Jade in Need of Help

0