Here's a link to a thread about my branch cutting of a jade bush done a couple of summers ago. Mine didn't have any roots at all. It took months before it even had a hint of roots grow.

Since yours has roots, I'd wait a week or two until the cut has healed over and then pot/plant it in fast draining mix. Maybe wait another week before watering. I really think jades will survive anything but overwatering.

Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: huge jade cutting

I haven't ever had occasion to try rooting pieces this big, but I wouldn't expect problems. You are doing the right thing in waiting for the cuts to dry. Then, you should root them in something well draining (potting soil, sharp sand, you will get many suggestions I'm sure). If your existing roots are growing in such a way that they will be below ground in the new configuration, all the better. Otherwise, I would just leave them.

You may need to stake your plant somehow while it roots, since it is bound to be top-heavy. And, I would expect rooting of a big thing like this to take a while. I don't know where you are, but given the size of these things they were probably growing outside, which means you're heading into warm weather soon. That ought to help your rooting, too.

I've heard this rule of rooting, when it comes to Jades - one month per inch of trunk diameter. A one-inch cutting would take approximately one month to develop sufficient roots. A four-inch cutting, four months, et cetera.

Josh

I have planted 3 and 4 foot tall jade cuttings in my garden. I try to plant the trunk about a foot deep. They shrivel a little, and might lose leaves, but all my transplants have rooted and seem happy.

Good luck!
Laura

Another thing: I was told to powder the cut surfaces of the jade (for rooting) with cinnamon. Should I be doing this in an area where I will be hoping for rooting to occur? Is it to prevent the cutting from rotting or something? Not sure if I should take this advice..

Cinnamon is an antifungal agent. It will not effect the rate of rooting. If the cut was clean, and allowed to callous in the air for several days/weeks, the risk of rotting is very low.

My first thought after reading your post was that I would probably cut the two stems parallel to the ground, above the dividing cut, so that the base of the new plants would look normal. But if the entire cut section is short enough to be buried in the ground, then keeping the existing roots may speed things up a bit. If there will be a significant vertical side showing above ground, then transect the stems. You will lose a little height in the end, but it sounds like that wouldn't be a problem.

After the cut surfaces have dried out, plant in DRY soil and wait for signs of new growth on the upper branches. Do not get anxious and water too soon. That could indeed lead to a melt down. Remember that both large pieces have enough stored water for many months without water. They are succulents after all. :)

Thanks very much for your advice, confirmations, and encouragement. I have only recently discovered the wonderful world of horticulture and I'm constantly facing so many questions and variables.. good to read & question these forums for valuable advice/direction. some things here seem so counter-intuitive; if I hadn't looked here I'd have immediately potted and vigorously watered the poor jade to death. Appreciate everyone's input, thanks.

last question regarding greenman28's comment regarding a "rule of rooting": being approximately one month per inch of trunk diameter for sufficient root development. I was wondering if the roots continue to develop during the winter slow down?

The rule of thumb is one *week* per inch of diamter, not month.

Crassula ovata (Jades) are cool weather growers, and will actually produce the most growth, above and below the soil, during mild days and cool nights. If it gets too hot, or much too cold, they will go dormant and produce essentially no growth. Colder yet and they'll turn to mush! Growers in climates that have constantly warm weather all year (lows >60F) often find Crassula ovata to grow exceptionally slow. Which really says a lot since when given proper conditions, these are slow growers to begin with!

Just to clarify, there is no need to have visible roots before potting. In fact, the action of potting will most likely damage all the newly formed roots anyway.

The rule of thumb I gave (1 week per inch) is to allow sufficient time for the wound to callous over. As the cut dries, it forms a tough protective skin that prevents infection. If you put the cutting into soil before it has healed, there is a much greater potential for infection.

It is possible I misunderstood greenmans' rule. He could have meant that is how long it would take a cutting to produce roots once potted into soil. However, the rate at which a plant strikes roots is dependent on a huge number of factors (climate, season, age, health before cutting, etc), so I would be hesitant to use that rule. Rather, just wait until you are sure you are seeing new growth up top (leaves and stems), and then start watering...

Hey, Jo, happy weekend!
Yes, I was thinking of the actual roots, rather than the callus. But you're right,
too many variables to apply the rule generally. Perhaps I'm conflating several
things I've read. Anyhow, as you mention, it's easiest simply to wait for top
growth, and then commence watering.

Josh

Josh: Happy Weekend to you too! "Rules of thumb" are a strange thing. They are usually wrong, and rarely are the very useful in practice. ;-) The two rules of thumb presented in this thread are a great example.

The whole "1 week per inch" thing is conservative for warm weather outdoors (the sort of place many of us take cuttings). In reality, I wait one week then pot into dry soil for easily 95% of my cuttings. That include Jades of *all* diameters. For the occasional rare or touchy species, I'll actually monitor the callous and pot only when I'm convinced it is fully formed.

All the same, I feel good about telling people to follow that rule it here on the forums, because as applied, I think it tends to favor the plant surviving. Sure, in a rare case it probably doomed a cutting to die from dessication, but it has likely saved far more that would have ended up as mush being jammed straight into sopping wet pot o' peat the moment the cutting is taken...

Now, lets look at the other rule, 1 month per inch to establish roots. Of course, the implication to me is that once the roots are formed, it is safe to start watering. Honestly, a month an inch, specifically for large cuttings (>1"), is pretty close for Jades, at least here in SoCal (probably more like two months). At a minimum it is at least as accurate as the other rule. The key difference, at least to me, is that following the rooting rule you mentioned could lead to people watering their 1/4" jades one week after repotting them. In most cases, it probably won't hurt, but it certainly doesn't help, and if their soil sucks then the plant is dead. So following that rule to the letter gives essentially no benefit, but increases an existing risk. The other rule (1 week/1" drying) gives very little benefit too, but it *reduces* an existing risk.

So, I hope this long-winded rant helps make it clear why I dismissed the "rule" you mentioned, while at the same time promoting an equally plausible "rule" of my own. It is too easy to share advice without sharing justifications, but for the sake being polite and friendly, sometimes I just can't let myself be lazy!

The only suggestion I could possibly add is to trim off the top of the leaf branches so the plant will concentrate on producing roots and not leaves. Be sure not to cut all the way back. Good job all. Norma

Hi Luke, and how is your jade doing? I just got a huge jade branch and I am going to try and root it. I have been reading all that I can on the subject and its alot..
good luck on yours and I hope mine has a chance...linda