Support the plant while it establishes a firm root-hold.
Use stones, or chop-sticks, or yarn, et cetera, to keep it upright. I just re-potted a jade, and I cut off a lot of roots....and then I planted it about an inch higher than it was. I used one stone to keep it from falling over (on the weak side), then I faced the plant so that it would be growing toward the sun at a strong angle.

Something else I do with my jades is turn them almost daily. Certain plants I leave in position to develop a "set" or silhouette; but for straight tree-like trunks, I go for as much initial balance as possible, which will eventually support an even canopy of foliage.

If the growth is "leggy," and you want back-budding to occur, you'll either have to pluck off leaves or hard prune...or give the plant tons of sun energy next year. If you search this forum and the houseplants forum, there are recent Threads on back-budding...I've even posted images to help.

The best way to eliminate long, drooping, or leggy growth is to keep the jade in full sun for as much of the year/summer as possible. This encourages tight, compact growth.

All of these suggestions assume that the plant is located outdoors in a gritty, fast-draining, peat-free soil-medium.

Good luck! Take a picture...that'll get you the best advice!

Josh

Kristen,

You can't give Jades too much sun. Josh is right - it needs full sun to stay compact. When you bring it in for the winter, minimize water and put it in your brightest window. I water mine about once a month in winter and they don't typcially grow much if at all (which is good, because winter growth in our northern climates is usually leggy...) In summer, I move them slowly, over a few weeks, into full sun on the south side of my house.

As Josh suggested, I would cut back all the leggy growth because it's really not attractive anyway.

Denise in Omaha

Sun helps them stay bushy, but mine get leggy when they want water too. Don't forget to save your cuttings. They'll root in damp soil.

"Leggy" means long, etoliated growth from lack of sun.
"Droopy" can be either etoliated growth hanging/growing downward; or, heavy growth hanging from loss of turgidity in the cells.

If a plant needs water but doesn't have sufficient sunlight, the chance for root-rot increases. Also, cuttings will root in dry medium or no medium. The presence of moisture will encourage rot.

Josh