Re Potting Plants and Jades

Do you know which direction the window the mama plant was in faced (I'm assuming it wasn't your plant, the mama)?

I printed this out and showed it to Mrs. SealPoet.

She says
1) She'll look it up and get back to me-to you... it's kinda difficult when she's in the tub.
2) She'd like a cutting!

humm...there are only windows in three sides of the studio, so, I guess I could rule out one direction, although Im not sure what direction that is. Mama was in different window areas every year but, not directly inthe window, more in the corner by the window so, my guess would be that this little offspring would be okay on say my dresser with the shade up on that window?
Should I weed it now and wait for Spring to re-pot it?
Should I give any vitamins before winter slumber?
Am I over thinking the poor plant?

hehehe..thanks for sharing with her in the tub an all..I can wait
kay, if she tells me the best way to get a cutting from it for her I could do that as well...seems to be quite the interesting plant..everyone always wanted cuttings from mama plant.

The Hyponex Handbook 'o House Plants says you can repot any time of year (using cactus soil) but any trimming/cuttings should be done in spring or early summer. You could just wait until spring and do both at the same time!

It also says to use general purpose fertilizer all year round. They do have a warning though that if the the soil remains dry and the plant is in poor light in the winter to skip fertilizing during the winter months.

what a dependable guy.

tanx hon

Is the Jade a house plant? Is it a Tree? Im not sure.

My recollection is that the plants like bright or medium bright indirect light. So near a bright window is good, but not in the sunspots. And as fishin's source indicates, succulent plants tend to be arid-liking plants and the cactus soil will probably not retain water. You'd want to be careful not to over-water.

jade has been around a long time. It's asian (not sure if it's china or japan or both that it's native to) and you can bonsai it. My ma had a plant that was about 30" tall.

http://www.thegardenhelper.com/dahlia.html
you should read this BTW fishin

The book lists it as a house plant but mentions that it can be set outdoors as long as there is no danger of frost. Ideal is 50-80 degrees and on the dry side and prefers light of a east, west or south facing window (avoid North! lol).

Yeah, mama plant was bonsai'd (is that a word? prolly not) sometimes it went well, sometimes it ended up cuttings.

Jade plant is a crassula, I think. In southern california you simply cannot kill it. Ok, maybe if you drown it. It does fine in outdoors with sun in a hot climate so I would guess it wouldn't mind a sunny window in the house. I would also guess it wouldn't care when you repot it.

Mrs. SP did say to wait until spring to re-pot...

I start little jade plants if a branch gets knocked off. I just remove the lowest leaves and plunge it in whatever moist soil is handy. They usually take right off. Mine burn if left in the full sun so they're in dappled shade. I bring them in when it gets really, really cold. They stay fairly dormant in the coolish playroom. When the leaves get thin, I water. (Am I tormenting these plants?) Haven't transplanted one in ages -- if they're weedy, why not just pull out the weeds?

An aunt had a huge one... at least four feet across and just as tall. Years ago it was left outside during a freak early freeze and lost all its leaves. She brought it back inside and the plant grew all new leaves, but they were tiny and stayed that way. It looked amazing.

Yah, in SoCal they'll cover the side of your house. I got a few houseplants and a lot of giveaways when my landlord cleared out the brush... I just broke pieces off and stuck them in water... they root like crazy.

My mom was given one when I was born. I must have been twenty when it finally died -- and all that time it was in the same planter!

Yes, Wy, this is not such a picky plant! I guess freezing it would be a poor choice of action. (Well, I am not so cocky about it as a houseplant.) Maybe I'd better quiet down. Really, I giggle that it is thought in any way tender (except for cold and burial in a pool.) And yet, there is that description of stunting...

Mrs SP here:
This info is from personal experience, and from my favorite houseplant book (the New Good Housekeeping Encyclopedia of House Plants)

Jade is, indeed, crassula. There are about 300 different ones - some grow like trees, others stay small. Some flower, some don't. They all like a light and sunny location, and like to be put outside in the summer, but need shelter from strong summer sun. (sounds like you've been doing the right thing) In the winter they shouldn't be kept too warm (like not above 50!) or they will have lanky growth and drop leaves. Cool temps also encourage flowering. Water sparingly, especially in the winter.

Now - to answer your main questions - the best time to repot is after the dormant season (winter.) So, it looks like spring would be the best time to repot. I'd recommend that you just weed the pot for now, and repot the thing in spring. I wouldn't fertilize much, if at all during the winter. Jades like a weak fertilizer solution, no more often than monthly.

The book doesn't say when to propagate. I do know that the best success I've ever had with jade cuttings happened accidentally, just a year ago, when a squirrel got in our house and broke SP's brand new guitar and my jade plant. One of the baby plants has almost caught up with it's mama! So, we've just to remember this the next time we get together - if you'll just give me a leaf or two, I ought to be able to get them to grow.

Hope this helps!

good gawd, what was that squirrel doing? A Pete Townsend impersonation?

Hiya Mrs SP!