If top-heavy, then I'd suggest potting up rather than attempting to replant in the same sized container - you need the greater size and weight of a larger container to offset the weight of the top growth. And if potting up, you do not need to do any root pruning, which will save the plant some stress.

And the gritty mix is a great choice for most succulents.

Thanks Gardengal. I have no idea what type of soil this plant is in tho. I think I repotted it once a couple of years ago. Do you think I could pot up and use some farfard with perlite added in? Should I make cuts along the sides of the Jade so it will grow into the new mix? The mix that it's currently in seems a little sandy. Back in the day, I'm sure I used some form of miracle grow.

You need to remove the old soil, gently working it away from the roots. There is absolutely no need to root prune, just bare-root the plant, and then fill in all the spaces between the roots with the new gritty mix.

Josh

Thanks Josh...is now a good time? I thought I read somewhere that repotting should be done sometime close to Father's Day

Optimally, yes closer to June.

I see no need to cut it. It is a beautiful jade.

Thank you Zzackey....it is really pretty, but very heavy. I'm nervous to cut it though. It would be nice if there were plant doctors who made house calls lol

One of the main steps forward you can take as a grower is taking control over what your plants look like. There's nothing WRONG with leaving nature to its own devices, but if you want your plants to look nice, at some point you'll need to be in charge. I can only see one side of the plant, but from the perspective of eye appeal, the small trunk in the foreground should be removed. You can easily start it as a cutting, but I'd wait 5-6 weeks before I pruned it out/off at repot time.

Fortunately, jades take very hard pruning w/o complaint, so it's a good plant to get your feet wet with if you decide to take a more proactive role in your plants' care.

Al

I think the time is right to start work on my jade. I'm going to bare root it and put it in the gritty mix. Should I prune the plant at the same time? Or do I wait a couple of weeks? I'm really nervous about pruning so if anyone has any ideas...I'm all ears :)

If you're working a healthy plant, you can probably remove at least half of the roots w/o pruning back the top, but if you remove more than half, it would be a good idea to remove at least 1/4-1/3 of the top foliage mass so the plant doesn't shed branches you might want to keep as part of the composition. If you remove less than half of the roots, wait about 2 weeks or until you see the plant pushing new growth to prune.

Al

Don't have much more to add, but there is no need to be nervous about pruning! Jades are very forgiving. Bare rooting it then putting it in gritty mix sound like a good idea. I bet if you ask on the cacti and succulent forum (http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/cacti), they would give you a bit more advice.

Good luck!

~palmsandsnow

When I lived in France, I had a jade tree like yours, which also became top heavy.

I potted it on using a good cactus compost, and made sure there were some really heavy (rounded) flint stones in the base of the pot, for good counterweight and drainage.

The pot it went in to was at least 4" wider, and 6" deeper than the original pot.

The whole thing measured at least 3 feet high.

I topped off the soil with a decorative gravel.

When I moved back to the UK, I left the 'mother' plant with some friends there, but took a couple of discreet cuttings. The kids are doing great, but will also need re-potting soon. I'm not daunted by the prospect, fortunately.... :o)

Thank you jersey21.

Don't be put off by the task. Admittedly, you might like to consider engaging the help of a friend to offer support (literally!) and assistance while you do this - but you should be fine. The Jade tree is a tough little so-and-so, and can withstand a little knock-about. It recovers well. Be brave, and enjoy the challenge. It's only by possibly slipping up that we can come up smellin' like a rose!

Thank you Tara for the encouragement and everyone else for the support!! I repotted into the gritty mix and trimmed a little. Does anyone have suggestions are far as anchoring my plant. I know it shouldn't move a lot and I did rig something up, but I appreciate any other ideas:)

The rigging method is fine, but securing the ties higher on the plant would be better, and 3 or 4 anchor points would make things much more secure - especially if you plan on over-summering it outdoors where there will be wind.

Try to avoid over-nurturing which, translated, means be sure you don't over-water. That's hard to do if the gritty mix ingredients were screened to eliminate the fines, but there's no sense in tempting fate. Wait to fertilize until you see the first signs of the plant pushing new growth. Foliage-Pro 9-3-6 is a very good fertilizer choice for many reasons that I won't list unless you're curious.

Al

I think it could use some more pruning, still too many etiolated branches (or rather branches are too etiolated?)...Did you leave all trunks together? Obviously, that would be personal choice.

I agree it needs a lot of reduction to get rid of everything that isn't complementary to the composition. If it were mine, I'd probably remove up to 90% of the foliage at this point & take it back to bare bones, then figure out what it wants to be by sorting out what trunk line(s) to keep and maybe save a few lower branches in appropriate locations. The problem with that is, it's not easy for a beginner to find an eye appealing composition in what's pictured, though I have no doubt it's there, and it's very difficult for potential helpers to look at a 2D photo and give meaningful advice about what options are available or what course to follow.

Al

Thanks Al and Rina...I have the fp and I will start using it two weeks after the repot. I did not screen my gritty mix:( I had the insect screen and a 1/4in screen, but that was all I could find at Home Depot. The trunks are all connected and I was afraid to chop off too much. I will certainly give it another go and definitely anchor it as you suggested.

You might want to consider employing a wick to help drain any excess water that feels like hanging around in the soil. Are you familiar with that technique?

See E below.

Al

I am familiar with that...do you still need it with the gritty mix? Or is that because I didn't screen properly?

Just a little insurance against too much water retention due to the volume opf fines in the mix. What you're using will still be head and shoulders above the potting soils and cacti media you might find at retail and are based on virtually all fine materials, but could be improved if you were to screen the fines out of the next batch.

You can see how the wick works in the picture above, but note how tipping your pots after watering reduces water retention, too - fig. B vs A. Using ballast correctly in the bottom of the pot can also make a significant difference in water retention and can make soils you normally wouldn't/couldn't use into something usable.

Al