Repotting Jade

A jade plant may be a delight to have in the home for several years but it will inevitably need to be repotted

…in order for the plant to continue to develop roots that accommodate, larger leaves and branches.

Because of its top-heavy nature a jade plant will topple over if left unattended.

Repotting large jade plants would be easier…

…if you have all of the supplies ready in the early spring when the jade begins to show new growth.

Here’s the story of Shinta having the first jade and it’s the first time she tried to repot it.

Let us hear Shinta story,

I’ve always hated the jade plant. It was my mother’s prized possession…

…and I never understood why she had it in the first place.

The thing was just an ugly green blob with no personality but on occasion…

…she would get excited about her favorite houseplant Jade Plant and repot it with new soil fertilizers, and water.

Usually this would happen once a year around my birthday or Christmas-time to show me how much love…

…she has for me.

Well today is that day again and I’m not so sure that I want her to repot that jade again.

Yet to be honest I miss when she’s repotting Jade as the by time now we are living separately.

Yeah I miss her so bad.

Since Jade Plants are succulents they need a well-drained and aerated mix the roots need to breathe.

The water should be able to flow freely so that the mix and roots do not get too wet.

Since the leaves and stems of Jades store water, the mix must be allowed to dry between waterings.

I’d like to share with you a DIY succulent and cactus mix recipe. 

I still have a batch of it mixed up, and ready to go because I have so many succulents.

Go on…

Below are a couple of mix options that you can purchase.

My Variegated jade was planted in a ceramic jar with one drain hole, I love that jazzy copper or bronze pot!

A plastic grow pot with several drain holes, such as the one shown below allows water to drain more quickly.

Since there was only one drain hole, I used a couple of other ingredients…

..I wouldn’t usually use it to ensure no water accumulated at the bottom.

Since you may not need them, I’ll put them in parentheses below.

Next Up…

Mix of succulents and cactus. Here’s another decent one as well as a more cost-effective one.

Pumice is a form of pumice that is used to because of the single drain hole.

I added a bunch of this. If you buy a succulent and cactus mix that appears heavy…

…and under-aerated add a handful or two of pumice perlite to help with drainage and aeration.

 Compost made by worms and compost made by humans.

I threw a few of these in for some natural nutrition.

Keep going…

When it comes to repotting Jade Plants, I’ve discovered that the form of pot doesn’t matter.

Grow pots, terra cotta, fiberglass, resin, concrete and ceramics are all good choices for jades.

Steps to follow is I watered the Jade for about 14 days before repotting it.

Next Up…

When repotting succulents I like to keep them as dry as possible.

Remove the root ball from the pot by loosening it.

By pressing on the grow pot I was able to quickly get the plant out of the pot.

It was quickly yanked out. If your rootball, refuses to come out, try one of the other methods in this article.

Fill the pot with the mix until the rootball’s top is level with or slightly above the pot’s top.

The mix is very light and the plant’s weight can cause it to sink a little over time.

Keep Going…

I tossed in a couple of handfuls of compost here.

Around the rootball fill in with mix.

To get the heavy plant to stand up straight in the light mix.

I compacted the mix by pushing down on it around the edges.

If required add more mix. I finished it off with a quarter-inch layer of worm compost.

Next up…

Spring, summer, and early fall are the perfect times to repot.

Spring and summer are the perfect times to visit if you live in a climate where winter arrives early.

Since the fall in Tucson is so mild, I normally repot until October.

Plants need to rest throughout the winter.

Spread a layer of newspaper on the floor to catch any soil that drops. 

If you cannot move your jade to an open area in your home then move items…

…around your jade so you have plenty of space to work with it.

The newspaper is covered with a large pot that is 2 to 3 inches in diameter larger the existing pot.

Install a new pot only 2 to 3 inches in diameter larger than the existing pot in the center of the newspaper. 

Fill the bottom of the pot with gravel an inch deep to aid drainage.

If you are concerned about your plant falling over.

Add a brick to the gravel to give the pot more weight.

Fill the bottom third of the pot with succulent soil over the gravel and brick if using one.

Carefully remove the base of the jade from the pot it is in and place it in the center of the new larger pot.

Place the jade in the pot so that its root ball is just below the rim of the new pot.

You can remove or add soil as necessary.

When the jade has been placed in the pot to replenish the surrounding areas until they are completely filled with soil.

Put the new pot in a sunny spot and water the jade as usual. You shouldn’t need to repot it again for several years.

Here’s a video for repotting huge jade that can give you an overview about it.

You can make it easier to remove the jade from its pot, if you wait a week after the last watering…

…to let the soil dry out and become lighter in weight.

Keep on…

Depending on how large your jade plant is, it may require a friend to lift it so you don’t drop it.

While most jades can recover from most damage it can take years to do so.

Be careful when moving the jade plant so you don’t knock off the leaves.

The slightest bump can cause the plant to drop several leaves…

…which won’t harm the plant but it may cause it loses its shape.

One thing to keep in mind is that large jade plants are HEAVY…

…and due to their size can be difficult to handle.

Even a 2′ Jade is bulky and difficult to repot because they grow as large as they do big.

Don’t forget that as you move up to a larger pot you’ll be using more dirt which adds a lot of weight.

Keep Reading…

Another pair of hands will not only assist you in removing it…

….from the pot but will also assist you in holding the heavy plant…

…upright in the light soil mix as you fill in the gaps with soil.

When working with this plant be careful because the leaves and stems are easily broken off.

Regardless of how vigilant you are you will lose some in the process.

A second person assisting you will keep the plant from falling over and causing to much harm.

Plus, having two is just plain simpler!!

If you have plenty of sun are careful with water and want a low-maintenance fleshy-leaved pet this is the plant for you.

It’s also useful to know Jade Plants are hardy and simple to repot!

Before watering my Jade Plant, I’ll let it settle in the new soil mix for 7 days and keep it dry.

I repotted the plant in the same bright spot where it had been before where it gets plenty of natural light.

The root systems of jade plants are small and shallow.

They prefer a smaller pot and a big pot with a lot of soil mass might easily be overwatered.

As your Jade grows in size and weight it will need a “heavy” pot as a foundation.

Next Up

I’ve seen 3′ Jades thrive in 16′′ ceramic pots. Jades don’t need to be repotted as much as other plants…

…because of their smaller root systems.

For the next five years I won’t consider repotting the one you see here and in the video.

Since the root ball was small in comparison to the plant’s height it has plenty of space to expand.

To put it another way don’t repot your Jade Plant every year!

You can make it easier to remove the jade from its pot if you wait a week after…

…the last watering to let the soil dry out and become lighter in weight.

Depending on how large your jade plant is it may require a friend to lift it so you don’t drop it.

Here’s the interesting part…

While most jades can recover from most damage it can take years to do so.

Be careful when moving the jade plant so you don’t knock off the leaves.

The slightest bump can cause the plant to drop several leaves which won’t harm the plant but it may cause it to lose its shape.

Succulents, like jades  are very easy to care for in the summer expect to water this plant once a month…

…and every two months in the winter.

Easy to take care of, easy to maintain what are you waiting for?

Having Jade isn’t that great?

Alright we are at the end of our article! Why don’t having Jade plant right now.

Meanwhile it can give you many benefits and first thing that is important! It’s easy to take care of!

What else are you waiting for? Did you enjoy this guide?

Do you have any recommendation method for repotting the jade?

Or do you have any questions about the article above?

Happy gardening! Cao!