Repotting A Large Jade Plant - 20 Years Old??

Jade Plant, Crassula ovata

The Jade Plant is a common houseplant native to South Africa. It does well as a houseplant due to the low level of care needed for it to thrive. It requires little water and does well in the same pot for years.

The jade plant shown here was a gift; I sure wish I had gotten their name. Over my years working at garden centers, it was common for customers to call or stop by asking if they could give us one (or several) of their large houseplants. Often, it was because they were moving to a new home and necessary space was no longer available. But it was also because of the loss of a loved one. They knew they could not take care of the plant and hated the thought of throwing it. And for a good reason.

The more you are around plants, the more you recognize your connection with them. I think there is a great deal we don’t know about plants and our relationships with them.

Throwing away plants can become a common occurrence at garden centers. Becoming infested with disease or insects is the most common reason for discarding. Many plants are seasonal (e.g., Easter Lilies), and there is no longer a market for them. So, in the compost pile, they go.

I used to chuckle at some employees, saddened by plants destined for the pile, but as I’ve gotten older, I am more understanding of how they felt.

I recently repotted our Jade plant. It would have been fine for many years in the small pot it grew in, but it became too top-heavy and kept falling over. One time, after tipping, it fell to the floor! Jades are succulents, so their leaves can hold a lot of water. Take a look at the middle photo. Our champion has weighed in at 24 pounds!

I always get nervous when upgrading cacti and succulents to larger pots. They both do incredibly well in pots that restrict their root systems. It can be tricky to know how much water to apply when dealing with all the extra soil in the larger pot.

Speaking of large plants with restricted root systems, look at this large Philodendron, another gift from a customer. We have had this plant for over five years now. When we took possession, the young lady (no, I did not get her name either) said it had been in the family for over 45 years!

It certainly takes up some square footage in our house, but we love it. Moving houseplants outside for the summer will do wonders for their health due to the increased light. Just be careful to avoid putting them in the direct sun, at least not without acclimating them slowly to the intense rays. We keep our large Philodendron out of the direct sun under an overhang all summer long after all chances of frost are gone.

Our Philodendron is also due for an upgrade, but the Jade is in the spotlight for now.

The Jade plant is a very common house plant. Eventually, you may need to report your Jade. That day has come for our Jade; take a look.

Thanks for stopping by Garden Hike!

Kevin

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