Need help - Jade plant with leaves falling off (overwatering?)
Hey there everyone!
I need some help with my Jade plant. I bought it some two months ago, and put it on my window sill, where it catches a lot of morning sunlight.
I used to water it once or twice a week, mainly because of the temperature and the direct sunlight it was getting (I live in a tropical Am/As climate and so I thought it'd need a bit more watering). However, around two weeks ago I noticed the outer edge of some of its leaves becoming brown/black, and those leaves then proceeded to fall off. Thinking this ought to be need for water, I gave it some more, pouring the water directly on the soil, near its roots.
This did not help, and the leaves continued to fall off. As I researched some more on the internet, I found this actually could be overwatering, especially because most of the water I had been pouring seemed to stay in the pot - I noticed very little coming out from the bottom. I was made aware of the risk of root rot, so last week I unpotted the plant for two days, thought it was enough and then I put it back in the same pot.
The situation didn't really improve, so I unpotted it this morning again.
My questions are, based on the photos:
1) What should I do - are these roots salvageable? How do I know they can recover?
2) Can the plant hang on unrooted for three days while the roots get a breather?
3) Should I remove most of its roots?
(PS: I live in Northeastern Brazil, so there's a lot of sunlight year round, and temperatures here tend to stay around 70 ºF - 86 ºF)
Thank you in advance for your help!
Comments (19)
rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoLooking at the photo, I think your soil is too water retentive. Succulents should be potted in fast draining potting mix, and it should dry up between watering
I wouldn't cut off the roots, but you can prune them. Cut off if dry-dead, or rotted. I can't tell from the photo if they are. Here is example of the roots I pruned (there were many dried up in my case); top pic=before, bottom=after:
And yes, plant can survive weeks or even months if left out of the potting mix. Plant above fell out and I didn't notice, until end of the summer (it was out of pot most, if not whole summer).I think your plant has been over watered. Improve the soil - adding lots of sifted perlite or pumice should help. Pot it up in such mix, and it should improve. Let mix dry up between watering. Keep it out of lots of sun immediately after repotting, but introduce to better sunlight gradually. We have similar temps here during summer, and my succulents get watered approx. 1x/week. BUT that depends on exact temps and drainage. I use mix that drain very fast. It is made of lots of sifted perlite and grit:
Ibrahim Madruga Cavalcanti
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoRelated Discussions
jade plant....why are so many leaves falling off?
Comments (83)I make sure to use water that has sat out overnight to water my plants. Does that not make a difference? Or not enough of a difference? You already learned that the crystalline structures on the leaves of your plant is composed of dissolved solids (sugar and mineral salts) left behind as the water in the exudate associated with the guttation (primarily driven by over-watering) evaporates. If you allow your water to rest overnight in an open pan, some of the water in the pan evaporates, but ALL of the dissolved solids in the water are left behind, So technically, the concentration of dissolved solids in the water (which includes fluoride, and chloramine, used now to chlorinate most tapwater) would be slightly higher than water straight from the tap. The pH of water straight from the tap is also slightly lower than water that has rested for a period of time, due to dissolved CO2 gassing off. Also yes, can you point me in the direction of drain hole tutorials?? I'm guessing you mean how to drill the holes? This should help: Drilling holes in pots The 2 types of drill bits most appropriate for drilling holes in pots are a diamond core drill for the highly vitrified (hard material - baked at very high temps - glass, ceramic, ......) pots, and a drill with several names for drilling clay pots fired at low temps, such as terra cotta. That (carbide) drill is called a 3-point drill, spear point drill, or a spade drill, seen here: You only need 1 - in 1/2 or 3/8" size. For the hard stuff, diamond core drills are best, though the 3 point drill will drill the hard stuff, too. Diamond core drills: You can buy either type at big box stores. They're not that expensive, and they last a long time if you take care of them. They are best used with a steady stream of coolant from a squeeze bottle (contact lens solution bottles work great for this) or with the work surface barely submerged. IE, put the pot upside down in a tub and fill the tub with water until it just covers the work surface. If you use a spritzer or squirt bottle, a 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water is an excellent coolant, and soapy water is better than plain water but not as good as the antifreeze mix. The coolant keeps the tool from over-heating, and in doing so, increases the life of the tool substantially - like triple or quadruple the number of holes you can drill. Regular masonry bits are "ok" for drilling terra cotta or cement (you can make them work), but inappropriate for anything harder. The right tool makes everything easier. And lastly, should I be flushing all my plants (pothos, croton, aloe, snake plant...) when I water? One way or another - YES, absolutely. Ideally, your choice of soil should allow you to water to beyond the point of saturation, so you're flushing the soil as you water. If you can't do that w/o worry that the soil will remain soggy for a prolonged period, limiting root function, or worse, wrecking root health it would be best to consider learning how to amend the soil you're using or make a soil that allows you to flush the soil regularly. There are also a few very simple work-arounds that will allow you to use a soil that would otherwise be inappropriate. For example - if you're using a soil too water-retentive for a plant's well-being, and you need to flush it - you can flush thoroughly over a sink or tub or outdoors. When the pot stops draining, hold it in your hand(s) and move it up and down. You'll note that on the reversal from downward to upward motion, Newton's First Law of Motion takes over and some of the excess water in the pot exits through the drain hole. As the amount of water diminishes, more can be forced from the soil by reversing directions more forcibly. As long as your pot is of a manageable size, this simple trick is invaluable for anyone using an excessively water-retentive soil. If the pot is too large, you can use a wick to drain excess water, or even tipping the pot at a 45* angle to drain makes a very significant difference in how much excess water a medium can hold. Compare B with A to see how much excess water the simple act of tipping the pot forces from the pot. E shows what a wick, used correctly for best benefit, can achieve. D shows one way of using ballast to reduce excess water. Even when using extremely water retentive soils, ballast can reduce the amount of excess water a soil can hold to less than 5% of what it would hold w/o use of ballast. Al...See MoreNeed Help With Jade Plants: Leaves Black & Falling Off
Comments (32)I took my plant out and cut some of its root until they were white and covered the roots with some cinnamon as I don’t have the anti infection root medicine/powder. The plant has been shedding leaves and this is how it looks. It’s been a day and it’s been drying like this. The bottom part of the stem looks wet but it still feels hard.what should I do next. Leave it dry like this for some more time or repot it in the new soil? I waters it last Saturday a week ago so whene should I water it. The bottom looks wet so should I cut the stem from the bottom to stop the rotting or will be the plant do fine without doing it? It’s only the bottom now that looks like it’s holding water and is wet. Pls tell me what should I do? Should I propagate the stem. What do you think about the success rate of the plant to live or it’s late. If it’s late Ashokji I propagate the food stems and cuttings. Will the rotting continue upward or will it stop moving up in some days. If it won’t stop I can cut the stem where it feels fine and shows no symptom of rotting . Will this option help or doing nothing will stop the rotting going up. The roots now are hard looks white on the inside and outside both. The second photo shows till where it looks wet but still feels hard. Pls reply so that if something had to be I can do it right away as I don’t want to late....See MoreWhy are leaves falling off my jade?
Comments (22)Oksana - I water with normal tap water, which is from the Great Lakes of good quality. Ozone is used for primary disinfection here, along with Chlorine gas. Calcium thiosulphate is also used for dechlorination and ozone quenching. I used to let my water sit for a couple days, but once I figured out which technology the local water treatment plant is using I stopped. Unfortunately, I do not know the PH of my water. My PH meter should arrive next month and I am curious to see the result. My watering frequency was every 2 or 3 days outside during the summer. Now every 4 days inside under lights since things have cooled down. I am fertilizing every other watering at ~1/4 strength. For fertilizer, I am using two. The first is liquid Miracle Gro 12-4-8 with micronutrients. It has a few micronutrients (there are very many for plants). The second is DNF Gro which is a two-part liquid, 2-0-2 and 0-1-3 with different micronutrients. Once my EC meter comes in, also next month, I am planning on taking some additional measurements as well. Could you share what you are using as well?...See MoreJade Plant: Falling over, mushy leaves, but no root rot.
Comments (13)To echo Rina, needing less water doesn't mean to water in sips, though I can see how people could take it that way. When soil is moist, the plant drinks up all it can. When soil dries out, the roots grow in search of moisture(a good thing). When soil is dry and you water it, at first the soil resists water. Thus, to 1. water it until it runs out the bottom then 2. wait a few minutes, then repeat that cycle two more times, you ensure that all the soil in the root ball actually gets wet. The wait time depends on how long the soil holds on to water. There are several factors that go into how fast the water left in the soil evaporates, so you have to evaluate dryness each time before you water. If it were mine, I would prune it back significantly and try to find a better lighting situation. By significantly I mean in this case about 6 inches off each branch. This allows for increased branching, and gives the main branches time to harden off and be more resistant to flopping in the future. I assume that by saying the leaves are mushy, you mean they are dehydrated, floppy, flattened. Is that true? I have never seen rot in the leaves and not in the trunk, so rot seems unlikely in this case. Keep in mind that it is MUCH harder to kill a jade with dry conditions than with wet. Which brings us full circle back to Rina's question about well-draining mix... ez...See Morerina_Ontario,Canada 5a
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoIf there are brown spots (rings, lines or blotches), it is rotting. Not necessary root rot (but could be too - I don't see it in your photos), but stem has rotted from over watering. Any pieces with rot are most likely ready to be discarded...Cutting thinner slices off the main stem until there is no evidence of rot. Healthy piece is the one that could be rooted again.
Do you have photos of the cut up plant, showing the flesh?
Plant will callus quite fast f healthy. It depends on how thick it is. Sometimes it takes overnight, but may be longer. Keep it out of strong sun, and make sure there is good air circulation around the plant. You could also dust - sparingly, not 'caking' over - the cut with a fungicide: flowers of sulfur works well. Or use powdered cinnamon that many ppl have at home. This is not absolutely needed, but some ppl like extra protection against rotting. Here is a photo of a thicker trunk that I used some cinnamon on the cut (that is the reason for more brown color); and it is callused:
And yes for the leaves: they root very easily and will grow into plants...Here is a photo of few jades growing from the fallen leaves (I do not rush to take off 'mother leaf' but wait until it dries up completely and it detaches itself):
Many other succulents could be grown from the leaves:
Ibrahim Madruga Cavalcanti
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoHey there!
Whoa, I must admit I didn't know rotting could come from other parts other than the root. As it turns out, it looks like my plant did have some stem rot, but I'm not sure if the root was also affected. I'm saying I think there was stem rot because the section of the stem directly above the root was squishy and had this brown ring once I cut it.
As I'm pretty inexperienced with this, I decided to repot the root anyway, in case it wasn't affected by the rot and manages to get going again.
As for the cuttings (which were very small, because the plant was young), I managed to make three of them, and they're now laying on a sheet of paper on my bedroom floor. Two of these cuttings seem to be callusing well, but the other is taking a bit longer. Please, tell me what you think.
Pic. 1:
Pic. 1 shows the stems of the two "bigger" cuttings (they're actually pretty small) right after I had cut them yesterday. Do you think those rings are signs of rot or were they just normal?
Pics. 2- Third cutting I made (solely stem), taken 4 hours ago:
As you can see, the cut on the right is already closing, isn't it? Here are two more pictures (I put some powdered cinnamon on this third one).Pic. 3 - Third cutting I made (solely stem) - other angle:
:Pic 4 - Third cutting I made (solely stem) - other angle:
Pic. 5 (below) - One of the two larger cuttings. That's a callus, right? Do I cut the black leaves? (taken 4 hours ago)
Pic. 6 - The other "larger" cutting. This one didn't seem to close as much as the one in Pic. 5. (taken 4 hours ago)
1 - Do you think the stems shown in picture 1 were displaying signs of rot, or were they actually ok?2 - Will I be able to plant the third cutting (the one which is exclusively stem - pics 2, 3 & 4)? If so, when? I cut it last night, about 20 hours ago.
3 - How do I know it's time to replant the cuttings, if they make it? Do I make a small hole and insert them in the mix or do I just place them on the mix and wait?
4 - As for the fallen leaves, how long do they usually take to start sprouting?
Thank you very much for your help!
rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
3 years agoIbrahim Madruga Cavalcanti
3 years agoHello again!
Thank you again for the reply! Yup, you got it exactly right - the thicker (left) part is the one that was closer to the root. Here's a picture of how it looks right now, it's closing more and more (that's the callus forming, right)?
When should I insert it into the mix? Should I wait a bit more? Thank you again for all the advice.rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoCallus is like a scab. Most often, it eventually falls off. I am not sure if you can see it, here is the jade that I pruned extensively because it was extremely etiolated. This photo is taken on Dec. 6/2020, immediately after pruning. You can see how close to the leaf scars/nodes cuts are, leaving little flesh to callus. All the cuts are very 'fresh'. No dusting used at all (I only used cinnamon in the past on very few thicker trunks):
Same plant today, Jan. 14/2021 (so about 5 weeks) shows how those cuts dried/callused, and some are already starting to detach themselves (not sure if you can see, look at 2nd photo):
I would wait bit longer to put the piece in the mix to make sure it is all dry, thus decreasing chance of infection. Photo I posted in one of the previous posts was of end that was potted in the mix (photo where I used cinnamon on the cut).rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
3 years agoIbrahim Madruga Cavalcanti
3 years agoHello there!
Ah, I see. Wow, that's a big plant you have there! I'm glad to see the cuts have callused and new leaves are growing from the side.
I have to say I'm unsure if the cuttings I took will make it. As you've seen in the photos, the cuts seemed to be closing after a few days, but I don't know if they were actually callusing or just drying up. Still, last night, I decided to put them in the mix, as you advised - I cut the dead leaves (basically all of them) and gently burrowed them into the pot, 0.5--1 cm deep maximum.
The small third cutting - the one which was all stem - started to show some tiny white spots on the base (see pic below); could it be fungi? After noticing them, I kind of brushed it with my finger and then inserted into the mix yesterday. The mix is dry.
So, to sum up, here are my questions:
1) Is there any way to tell if the cuts are callusing or just drying up? If the stem circle seems to be closing/shrinking, is it just drying up?2) I'm not sure you can see it in the picture, but there were some tiny white spots on the base of that stem. Should I have put it in hydrogen peroxide (I heard it helps cleanse the roots)?
Thank you very much again!rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
3 years ago
Jamie Reynolds Zone 9b
3 years agoJamie Reynolds Zone 9b
3 years agoJamie Reynolds Zone 9b
3 years agoHere she is! I still need to pick off the yellowing leaves about once a month but I think I’m going to get a bloom here soon?!
Jamie Reynolds Zone 9b
3 years agoAnd this is for OP... look how rotten my main branch was! If you notice on my current pic the big callused trunk is where that got cut off from. This was planted in the ground in October and its already jumped back. There’s hope for yours!
Ibrahim Madruga Cavalcanti
3 years agorina_Ontario,Canada 5a
3 years agoIbrahim Madruga Cavalcanti
3 years ago
rina_Ontario,Canada 5a