It is quite enjoyable and easy to care for and water a jade plant. The Jade plant is a succulent houseplant, known for its resilience. That’s why most people choose it as a house or an office plant. It’s commonly believed that jade plants can bring luck and good wealth.
Success to keeping a jade plant depends on the watering of the plant. While jade plants love water, overwatering it can be damaging. In this article, we will share the most valuable information about watering a jade plant.
Jade plants need infrequent watering, about every 2-6 weeks, and prefer well-drained soil. Over-watering can lead to root rot, so it’s important to wait until the soil has fully dried out before watering again. The frequency of watering can also vary based on factors such as temperature, humidity, and the size of the pot.
To avoid under- or over-watering, stick your finger into the soil to check the moisture level, and adjust watering accordingly.
How often you should water a jade plant depends on various factors, such as:
- Type of pot
- Soil
- Temperature
- Lighting
- Location
- Season of the year
You should not water a jade plant according to strict instruction, but observe your plant and listen to its needs. Keep in mind that the jade plant is succulent and it holds the water in the leaves.
This means that once you water the jade plant you should allow the water to drain and the top of the soil to dry. You should water the jade plant once the top of the soil is dry to the touch.
How often to water a jade plant depends on different factors, but generally these plants should be watered once in 10 to 21 days. To be more precise pay attention to the following factors:
Jade plant in a clay pot needs to be watered every 10 to 14 days. The material of the clay pot absorbs the water and that’s the reason why jade plants in clay pots need watering more often than jade plants in plastic pots. The Jade plant in a plastic pot needs water every 14 to 21 days.
Watering a jade plant depends on the location of the pot. The Jade plant is very popular as an indoor plant, but you can grow it outdoor as well.
Outdoors water evaporates faster, so you need to water outdoor jade plants more often.
We recommend watering your jade plant outdoors every 10-14 days.
As for the indoor jade plant, we suggest watering once every 2-3 weeks. On the other hand, if you live in a more humid environment where your jade plant gets rainwater outdoors, then you should water it less frequently.
Additionally, if it’s the rainy period move your jade plant indoors to prevent overwatering.
As we already mentioned, watering a jade plant according to instructions is not the correct way of caring for this plant. Check the plant regularly and observe its condition.
The plant will tell you what it needs and after some time you will learn the language of your jade plant.
Every jade plant is different because they have diverse living space, but in this article, we will tell you about the most common tips to keep in mind for watering a jade plant.
How do I know if my jade plant needs water?
Check your jade plant regularly and the condition of the plant will tell you if it needs water. Keep in mind the recommendations above, but do not water a jade plant according to a schedule. The easiest way to know if your jade plant needs water is to check the soil.
To examine the soil, stick your finger in it and check if it’s moist. If the top 1-2 inches (3-5 cm) of the soil is dry, you can safely water the plant without worrying about overwatering.
Another indicator that the jade plant needs water is the condition of the leaves. If the leaves are wrinkly and shriveling that means that the plant lacks water. In this case, you should water the jade plant more often. In the worst case of water loss, jade plant leaves get brown spots and after some time the leaves start dropping off.
Leaves can also indicate if you have overwatered the jade plant
What Happens If Jade Plants Are Overwatered?
If the jade plant leaves have blisters or feel too squishy to the touch, it means that the jade plant is overwatered. Overwatering a jade plant can cause root rot.
To avoid this plant disease, pay attention to your plant. It will immediately tell you if your watering habit is way too frequent. If you monitor the leaves of the jade plant carefully, you will be able to detect overwatering on time.
The indicators of overwatering can be found on leaves as well as in the soil. If the soil is waterlogged and damp, that means you have overwatered your jade plant.
In the worse cases of overwatering, the soil gets a swampy smell. Dropping leaves is a cause of both over and underwatering.
In the case of overwatering the leaves drop because they have a soft and watery structure. If the jade plant is underwatered, then the dropping leaves are dry.
How often should you water a jade plant in the summer?
As we discussed the frequency of watering depends on various factors and one of them is the season. We advise you to water your jade plant more frequently during spring and summertime. Spring and summer are the growing seasons for the jade plant therefore they need more water.
Always make sure that the soil is completely dry before watering the plant again. The frequency mostly depends on where you live. If your surrounding area is drier, the jade plant will need more water, but in a humid environment, it is better to water the plant less frequently.
The average watering period can be between once a week to once a month. The general rule is that the jade plant needs more water during spring and summer.
Do jade plants like to be misted?
Misting the jade plants is highly not recommended, but you can still do it on rare occasions. The reason why you should avoid misting is simple. While misting the jade plant, you will get the leaves wet which can cause rotting.
The best way to water the jade plant is by watering its base and soil the plant will take the necessary water on its own. If you expose the leaves to water, it can slowly damage the plant.
You will not be able to see the effects immediately and you might think misting is a good option, but keep in mind that misting frequently can be very damaging.
Misting is more damaging for a fully grown jade plant. The misting causes the moisture changes in the air and plant absorbs the water in a “wrong way”.
To be clearer, succulents absorb the water mainly through the roots. If you mist the leaves while the soil remains dry, you mess up the water absorption process.
This recommendation applies to all the succulents, not only jade plants.
How do you keep a jade plant healthy?
Keeping a jade plant healthy is not a big challenge. Creating a comfortable environment for the plant is quite easy, because of its resilient nature.
The key to keeping the jade plant healthy is paying attention to its surroundings and the plant’s overall condition.
Here are some tips to help you keep your jade plant healthy and beautiful:
- Plant your jade plant in a fast-draining potting soil – Succulents thrive in fast-draining soil and for the best effect, use a succulent specific soil mixture
- Grow the jade plant in a light room – While jade plants do not like direct sunlight, they still appreciate the light.
- Choose the correct temperature – jade plants do not tolerate cold temperatures, but they don’t like too much heat either. Perfect room temperature for a jade plant is 65°Fto 75°F / 18°C to 24°C
- Water jade plant – Once the top 1-2 inches (3-5 cm) of soil is dry, water the jade plant.
- Use Fertilizer during the growing season – Feed the plant during springtime. Fertilizer will help your jade plant grow and be strong.
- Repot the jade plant – Summer is a good season for repotting your jade plant. Keep in mind that when you repot the plant you need to use the new soil mixture.
