Both photos are current.
Background: I have a jade plant that I inherited from my husband’s grandmother when she passed. I know nothing about plants! I got this plant in July ‘25, it is in a very large plastic pot with one large drainage hole, and with what appears to be a homemade soil mix that is well-draining. It was outside at her house so we decided to keep it outside. We live in Florida. I watered it whenever I noticed the leaves shrinking (maybe once or twice a month) and I fertilized it with succulent/cactus fertilizer once in the summer. It grew a little and was looking happy.
Now: The stems appear fine, but the leaves are the real issue. They are dropping, drooping, and shriveling. They have more red than usual (I noticed some red in the summer, but far less). We have been putting the plant in the garage on the rare occasion that it gets below 40 degrees outside (I don’t know if this is the correct thing to do). I think maybe she is thirsty but I read to be wary of watering in winter and over-watering in general. I think maybe the pot is too large or that the soil is too old, but I simply don’t know if that’s the case. Help please! I cannot let this plant die. Jades are sacred in his grandmother’s culture.
by vodkatelyn
10 Comments
Also, what are the purpose of these sticks that came in the pot?
It looks sunburnt
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I think the worry with watering in winter is that soil may stay wet for too long. But if you live in florida where its always hot and sunny this may not be an issue. It definitely looks thirsty and like it’s getting a lot of sun (not bad unless it starts burning, which it might)
I’d give it a nice big drink and see if it looks better in a few days. If it doesn’t you could try uprooting it and putting it in a smaller pot with more inorganic material (an easy beginner mix is 50% cactus soil and 50% perlite or a similar substrate) and check for any rot while it’s out of soil.
I’m guessing it will be fine after getting some water. And repotting can ve stressful for plants so I’d try to avoid it. But it is possible that the soil has been compressed over time so it’s not getting fully saturated or enough oxygen in its roots. Or it’s possible that it has started rotting and can’t drink because of that. But those don’t seem likely. It just looks thirsty and a little sun stressed. Good luck!
Looks thirsty!
They’re dehydrated. See the !beginner info below. You should repot into a smaller pot, with !gritty soil. Ensure the soil is at the brim of the pot. But, for now they may just need a very thorough drenching. It’s difficult to say, because they may be thirsty due to compromised or dead roots. So, if they don’t respond to watering, thoroughly repot to inspect the root systems
More light. Indirect sunlight most of the day is ideal. Give it some friends. My jades do best mingled with other plants.
Are its parents still together?
Your pot is too deep, the edges are shading it’s growth. Downsize to a smaller pot and add sand to the soil mix.
It’s thirsty and would like more light