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Thanks for your help with my Jade plant, but I still really don’t know what’s wrong with it. I water it when the soil gets dry. I fertilize & mix its water with Bonsai’s vitamin too but it’s still loosing leaves.The great number of its leave wilts & drops. I attached you some photos that you can see its changing over these 2 months. I’m really worry. The color & shape of the new leaves are different. When I received it, the leaves were dark green & plump. But now all of them are light green & thin. I’m not sure if these leaves can store water as much as the prior leaves, & 1 more problem: It’s small branches are wilting & falling; as u can see in one picture the short branches are wilting & some fell off branches are in my hand. In your previous reply you told me “if it’s high in the pot” ,sorry but I don’t understand your meaning by this sentence. Plz guide me through taking care of it. My Jade is too weak; its leaves & branches fall off by itself & even with a small shake. It has no new sprout anymore too.
thanks. -Gisou
Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:
Gisou,
Jade (Crassula ovata) needs bright light and a well-drained soil. Although you may only water when the soil is dry, excess water maybe pooling around the roots causing root-rot. This issue, combined with insufficient light is most likely the problem. I recommend re-potting the plant into a container with a drain-hole and using a succulent soil mixture. Your local garden center should have the soil that you need.
Before you add the soil to the pot, place a few rocks or broken pottery pieces in the bottom to keep the drain hole from becoming plugged. Once you have re-potted the Jade place it in front of a window or in a very bright room. If the sunlight is extremely hot and bright coming though the window, don’t place it in the window; instead step it back a few feet.
In a few weeks you should see an improvement in the plant. I would not fertilize during this time period. When you do fertilize use a very weak solution.
Hope this information was helpful. Please let me know if I can help with anything else.
thanks for your help. I’m gonna do them all. Hope they will be helpful. I received it as a gift. he bought me this in a very high price so it’s very important for me to keep it healthy. I will be in touch with u
Regards
Gisou
The leaves on my jade plant keep wilting and falling off. At the same time, there is a lot of new growth, mainly coming from the center of the plant, but some on the branches as well. It also has started to bloom, for the first time ever. The plant is about 20 years old. I can’t figure out if I am over- or under-watering it. We repotted it about a year and a half ago.
Pat,
Are the leaves that are wilting shaded by the new growth. Sometimes the new growth will overpower the old growth and not allow the older sufficient light. If this is the case you can shape the new growth so that light can get to the old leaves.
I find with Jade that over-watering is more of a problem than under-watering. So I recommend keeping the soil slightly dry. I achieve this by saturating the soil allowing excess water to dain away from the plant. Then before I water the plant again I will stick my finger in the soil up to my 1st knuckle and pull a little soil out. If I can barely roll the soil into a ball, I will add a little water. If the soil rolls easily into a ball, I wait.
My jade plant is slowly loosing large parts of the trunk of the plant also leaves. When the trunk falls off water comes out of the end. This plant was very healthy 4 months ago, it is planted in a nice pot with drainage & has great lighted area its been in the pot 4years. I know it’s not root bound. I don’t water very often only when the soil is dry. What am I doing wrong or what’s wrong with my plant? Thank angie
Angie,
Can you send a picture of the stems? It may be something other than a water issue. Some type of pathogen (fungus, insect, etc.) could be the problem.
Hi there.
I am having a problem with my jade. Entire branches are falling off.
I am not sure if its too dry or too wet.
I’ve been watering every 4-5 weeks.
Its in a large pot with drainage holes. I turned the pot and the soil i could see through the drainage hole is dry. What should I do? Its a large jade in a larger pot.
It gets good sun as well. I’ve attached pictures.
Attached Image: photo.jpg
Milija,
From the look of your plant, it looks you have a case of stem rot which is a water issue. Over-watering is usually the kiss of death with Jade. When watering Jade you want to water it thoroughly then let it dry out before watering it again. Some people will let the lowest leaves wrinkle a little before they water the plant.
You said the soil at the bottom of the pot was dry. For how long and what about the soil in the upper part of the pot? Is it wet or dry? If the rest of the soil is soggy that could be part of the problem. The plant might need to be re-potted into a soil mixture that helps keep the moisture level even.
Another element that could caused the stem rot issue is temperature. At anytime did the plant get too cold? Frost damage can also cause the stem to fall-off.
I recommend aerating the soil if it is soggy. You can take a fork and plow the soil. Then I would cut the broken stem back until I see healthy tissue. Once these two thing are don’t watch the bottom leaves. Water the plant when the bottom leaves look like they need a drink.
Good lick and keep me posted.
I am having a rough time with my jade as well. I bought it in the summer, it was full, had thick, green leaves and now it is wilting away. I have it in my kitchen, about 8 feet from a large north facing window that receives ample light. I wait until the soil is dry to water it, the pot has a drain hole and still, over the last two months, it has really begun to wilt away. Only about 1/3 of the plant remains. The leaves hang down, shrivel up and fall off. How can I revive this plant? I’ve included an image.
Mia,
May need to move the plant to a brighter light source, but not a cold and drafty area. You can also trim the plant slightly to encourage growth.
I am having problems w8th my jade plant. It 8s not loosing its leaves the trunk is wilts and wont stand up i transplanted it into the next size up container. It does not hqve that many leaves. But i dont know what is wrong.
Pat,
Sounds like a water issue. Can you send me a picture?
My jade plant has a dusty white covering on all its leaves. It doesn’t wipe off with water, and yet I can’t visuals see any mealy bugs anywhere (are they always visible?). Additionally, branches and leaves keep dropping off. The tree is quite heavy (35 years old and 4 feet tall), so the branches are heavy. I only water around once a month and it sits near a west facing window where it gets afternoon and evening sun. Any ideas on the leaf problem or branch problem? Also, how does one go about repotting such a delicate plant?
Suki,
You could possibly have powdery mildew. Take a sample of the leaf with the issue to your local garden center and see if they can tell. THey will be able to give you something to spray on the plant to get rid of the fungus. Good Luck.
Hi,
I have a friend who’s jade I’m helping her water is fragile also – it still has little shoots but the soil of her plant is rock solid. – She thinks it’s roots are just compacted – is this usual? Is it healthy? Any input apprecieated.
Tim,
Jade is considered a type of succulent, so if you over-water it the plant will be come weak and eventually die. If you could sent a picture, Jadams@flowershopnetwork.com I would have a better understanding of the issue.
I’m having the same problem and already emailed you.
My huge jade plant is losing entire branches. I use succulent potting soil. I do not over water…. in fact I probably under-water. Also, is the succulent potting soil supposed to turn really hard in the pot. It’s very hard to water the plant because water has a hard time soaking into the soil.
Hi Lorrie,
Your soil has probably become hardened due to an imbalance in the watering of your jade plant. While you want don’t want to over water the plant, if it goes too long between waterings, this can cause the soil to over dry and become hard. You most likely need to repot/freshen the soil in your plant’s pot. If the water isn’t soaking into the soil, then it probably isn’t making it to your plant’s roots either.
Hope this helps!
I need help with my jade bonsai! We got it in October last year, I didn’t repot as I read that it’s best to do so in Spring. It was full with lots of leaves and one day I even had to trim it. But it’s been since dropping all the leaves. Now there’s barely any leaves left and when you touch it, the branch comes off too. What can I do? I stopped watering it and only water sparingly.
Hi,
I have a large, 4 year old Jade plant in the ground in full sun (in sub-tropical Brisbane, Australia) which has been thriving until the last few months. Now entire branches fall off in my hand (and my kids who like to play with the leaves…). Looks very weak. I think the thick trunks are still ok? I never water it and just leave it to the rain. Should I pull it out and put it in a pot?
Hi Lala,
Have you checked to make sure your Jade hasn’t experienced root rot? Is it in a well draining pot? Even if you have stopped watering as frequently, is the pot has not had adequate drainage, water could have pooled around the roots and caused root rot.
Hi Tim,
Since your tree has been so well established in the same location, I’m unsure what may be going on. You may try to dig out some of the soil around your roots to see if they have possibly begun to rot. If you your soil doesn’t drain very well, this is a possibility. Also, check your jade for signs of insect or fungal infection.
Hello,
I have only had my dwarf jade bonsai for a couple of weeks. I usually water the tree every 5 days. Is this too often?
Thank you,
Brittany
Brittany,
You should water your jade when the soil gets dry. Also, make sure the soil has good drainage.
Help please. My husband brought me a jade plant a few months ago. When we first got it, it was doin really good. I only watered when need too( when soil was dry) and had it in my dining room facing a window which gets sunlight in. About a week ago, i noticed that the branch of my jade had begun breaking and was concerned so i put a few stakes in and tried to get her upright again and i moved her to a diffetent window in my laundry room. Well now i have leaves falling off and the soil seems to be wet still yet i havent watered her in a few weeks. Can you please help. I was thinking of transplanting my plant and i have some leaves in soil now hoping they will start new ones. Thank you.
Crystal,
It might not be a light issue, but more of an issue with the weight of the branches or a disease issue. Is the plant top heavy? Or do you see any signs of insect or pests on the branches? If so the plant may need to be trimmed or treated for insect issues.
Hi there!
I was wondering if someone can also give me some tips. I got a new plant apx. 3 weeks ago and its been constantly losing leaves. I had it at a shaded area at first until I read online that it needs full sun. I just moved it to a new area by the window, hopefully that helps. When I purchased it, it was also very wet, with water draining at the bottom, I water it once more since then, perhaps it’s over watered?
Also, I there seems to be some sort of growth at the bottom of the tree, it doesn’t quite look like roots. It was there when I purchased it, thinking it’s part of the look of the plant. I searched online for the Jade bonsai and I don’t seem to see that feature on any other ones. Can someone please let me know if that is normal?
Here’s a picture of the plant! https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4gxtvCmhy_CWGtuT0JQMEI2ejBuall1Yy1jN21neWtOVjFF/view
Thank you!
I think your plant has been overwatered and that is causing it to drop leaves. Make sure your container has good drainage and you may want to check you jade for root rot. As far as the growth, I’m unsure what it is.
Please help, our Jade plant is about to die! We had a very large Jade plant and since we have moved, it has started to slowly lose large chunks of the plant.
We lived in a cooler town and now we live in a very hot area and the plant has always been outside. Please help we are trying to keep this plant alive for our grandmother.
Samuel,
Your Jade is experiencing shock. With the temperature change you are describing, it may need more water than it did in the cooler area. If the soil seems like it has been staying moist, you may want to check for signs of root rot. You may also want to check for pests.
Our Jade tree was doing beautifully a few months ago. It has always lived it the same pot for 8 years and not really grown too much, but about six months about it sprouted more leaves than we have ever seen and the branches started growing. So we moved the plant to a larger pot and since this, all the leaves have fallen off and the branches now break off in our hands, we have half of the trunk and one branch left. No new leaves have come either. We do not know what to do. The plant has lived so long and we are worried that we have killed it by re-potting it. There is a drainage hole in the pot and we water it sparingly. It is sitting in the same position it was previously by a large window with lots of natural light. Is there anything we can do to save this plant? Please help!
Hi Celeste,
What type of soil did you use to replant your Jade?
Hi Jamie,
It was premium potting mix but not for succulents, just the standard potting mix.
Try repotting in a succulent mix, and make sure to check your roots. The soil may have been holding too much moisture and causing root rot.
Thank you!
Hi Jamie
My jade plant lives in london on a balcony for most of the year. I inherited it from my mother about 10 years ago and she owned it for about 45 years so it is getting on a bit. It is large and healthy however it went from a quiet life in a sun room with my mother to a fractured life in a tight flat here in london. I had been warned about frost so it usually comes indoors to over winter however we really have no space for it and after some experimenting have risked leaving it outside covered in bubble wrap to protect it. When I bring it inside it gets week loses leaves and twigs as our heating is kept high and the only space is between the end of my bed and the wardrobe. Have you got any recommendations on how we could ensure the survival of this aged plant in either cold outdoors or warm crowded indoors.
Hey Yvonne,
While neither of your locations sounds ideal, I think it would be best to bring the plant indoors. Leaving it outside in the cold is almost a guarantee of frost or cold damage. The heat indoors will be a safer bet. The plant will experience some degree of shock from the change in its environment, so it may lose some leaves initially. Jade plants also require a lot of bright light, so try to find a space where it will still have this. Best of luck! Let me know how it does.
I’ve read all the comments and have applied many. My jade is about 10 years old was full, heavy and bushy a few months ago. When it first started dropping a lot of leaves I thought it was too big to get enough light from the window so I moved it closer back to its original location. No success. I investigated and started watering sparingly. No success and repotted it about a month ago. I didn’t notice any root damage although now I’m starting to wonder. But there is a temperature change. Since it’s winter in Michigan the same window it’s been living in is pretty drafty but my house is pretty warm. But the temperature has been that way for the last several winters since I married. Symptoms: Leaves dropping off trunk and branches wilty. After all this work my plan is almost gone. I am distressed over this plant and don’t know what to do. What could it be? If it is root rot what do I do to fix it or can I?
I have had my jade plant for 4 years, it was always healthy and bloomed flowers. Over the summer my husband repotted it and I think it got root rot. The main trunk splits off in to branches, one seems ok but the other is soft and breaking off. Is there anyway to save the plant if I repot it with the roots? This is the mother plant and I would hate to see it die completely.
Dana,
WHen it was repotted it probably was planted too deep. Any part that has roots and a stem can be repotted and it iwll start a new plant.
Hi,
I have never had trouble with Jades and all of sudden the leaves are flat and browning and some falling off. I started “only” watering from the bottom. Could that be it? I do insert pottery pcs and stones in the bottom for drainage. Tried to upload a pic but can’t see a place here to do it? Help!
Karen,
I would go back to watering from the top. It’s not good for the roots to sit in water, and it most likely is not getting enough water this way.
I have had my jade plant for nine years now. In the past few months I noticed it becoming weak so I moved it to a new pot with a drain. I don’t think I over water and it has ample light. I am very worried about losing a plant I have watched grow from a baby
Matthew,
What type of soil is your jade planted in? Make sure it is well drained. If you have just recently moved it to the new pot, it can take it a little while to adjust. You may also want to check the roots for rot from the previous pot if you feel that it was holding too much water.
I repotted my 30 year old jade 6 months ago and it began dropping leaves and branches and many of the leaves look like they have brown scabs and some are misshapen. Then I noticed mushrooms growing in the soil. After some research I repotted it in a pot with a drainage hole and used succulent soil. It’s been 2 weeks now and I’m still losing leaves. Do you know what the brown scabs are on the leaves? Should I give it more time to recover or is there something else I should be doing? Please help. It looks so naked and I don’t want to lose it. I hope it’s not to late.
Nancy,
It sounds like your jade became too wet when you repotted it the first time. I would give your jade a little more time to recover. Don’t place it in direct sunlight, and allow the soil to dry between waterings.
What about the brown looking scabs on the leaves? I had read that it could be a powdery mildew that appears like scabs on the leaves and spreads to the stems. And they said to treat it with a mixture of baking soda, water, dish soap and garlic. Does that sound right and should I do that now or let it go a little longer? Also should I remove the leaves that have these scabs to keep it from spreading? Thanks for your help.
I feel that your plant is suffering from edema, which is caused by overwatering and poorly draining soil and is not a disease. This article has some tips for treating edema in plants: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/treating-edema-in-plants.htm
You can also send pictures to jamie.woods@flowershopnetwork.com so I can see the scabs better.
Hi
I need help with my Jade plant. It was healthy plant until I moved to a different place where its too hot and the water is also hard when compared to previous place. Its a very old plant and I do not want to loose it. Please help.
Sankalp,
Try watering with distilled or purified water instead of tap water. It will take some time for your jade to adjust to its new environment.