That rot started several months ago, until it finally reached the branches. and you noticed it, Josh has a handle on this respond to his question and follow his advise. I don't know where you live, the leaves and branch coundn't handle the water it was getting at that time. Save the base, and follow Josh's instructions. Norma

Hello everybody! I'm really new here. I developed an increased passion in this Jade plant recently, and started taking care of my parents' really old trees! They were neglected and gradually I started to know how they should be treated... At this moment I'm in the process of trimming infected roots and trunk that appeared to have been burried deep in the soil! I started the cutting looking for symptoms of rots, and I'm not sure if I should extend the trimming any further... I would love to keep part of the roots since it is a propagated part of a really old tree (30 years old or so) ! Right now I'm really stuck and could thankfully APPRICIATE some serious ADVICE!!! (Note: It was in a very horrible position, and reached this level only after cutting five to seven centimeters of an even deeper trunk burried in the soil. I will see if I can upload the previous situation) Siba

D, I know that bark is organic, and that's why I said the mix was "primarily inorganic" - meaning that it is mostly a mix of Perlite, Turface, and Marble chips. While a mix like this is certainly capable of holding a good amount of moisture, it is also very durable and won't hold as much *saturated* water as an organic rich mix. I don't use mixes high in organics - the opposite in fact. When it comes to succulents, my mix is 1/3 bark or less. That's a ratio that many of us use: 1/3 organic (bark), 2/3 grit (turface, pumice, granite, quartz). Ron, the reason we add bark is because it doesn't hold an exceptional amount of water, but rather equalizes the moisture between the ingredients. Further, bark is very durable compared to something like peat or coco coir, and in general it lasts longer than one should go between re-pottings. The incidence of nitrogen immobilization is overstated, in my opinion and experience, particularly if one fertilizes. Remember, this is the *bark* we are using, not sapwood and not the bark from deciduous trees. In the proper ratio, bark is an exceptional material for any container mix. Josh

Yes, you can cut. Feel the stem. Is it squishy? You will want to cut the stem back until you reach healthy tissue (start at the roots, of course). I see some brown on the stem. I would start cutting there, and work up. Keep cutting until you reach tissue with no black or brown. You want creamy white-green. After you finish cutting, dust with cinnamon to discourage disease and rot. Let the cut stem sit out of soil for a few days (in a dry, dim, cool place). the cut end will feel rough and hard (not moist or juicy). Put it in new DRY soil. I would suggest using 60% perlite and 40% cactus and succulent mix. wash the perlite to get out the dust. Don't breathe in the dust, either- it is harmful to the lungs. Prop up the stem in the soil with rocks, so it stays upright. In a few weeks, you should see roots :) Don't check often for roots, or you may break existing ones. It is best to wait until you see new growth, and then you can water a bit. The soil you have in the picture looks like it has a large contingent of peat. Peat holds water for a long time, and that rots the roots. By doing the above mix, you can avoid rot, but still be careful with watering. To check if you need to water, you can use a wooden skewer. Poke it into the soil, and if it comes out dry, you can water. Good luck! ~palmsandsnow