Post a pic.

Josh

So sorry, I thought I'd put photos up last night. Thanks!

What type of mix is it growing in please and when was the soil last changed? We need your recipe....

Has it ever been fed, if so what with? and how often.....

How much water did it get every two weeks? A cup full, a thorough drenching that ends out of the pot for instance....

What were the light levels like, near a sunny south window for instance?...or has it been in the shade all its life.....

Are the main stems rigid or bendy?...are there signs of rot/soft areas....

Sorry for all the ?'s, but we need more info as the poor plant looks as though it's been grown in less than ideal conditions for healthy growth. They naturally grow upwards, they're not a hanging type plant. The branches look weak, thin and etiolated which points to several factors and in order to find out what's been happening we need some more info.

Please post a pic of the soil and base of the trunk also. It may be too late to save the plant in its current form but sometimes drastic pruning combined with other better practises can save the worst plant from doom, but at the moment, this poor thing needs some drastic action........and very quickly!

Gill

Thanks Gill.

I adopted the plant about a year ago, someone had put it out with the trash. The soil looks like a commercial succulent mix. It's got a significant amount of vermiculite. I haven't changed the soil it was bendy when it arrived at my house.

I have a rowhouse, it's been in the center of the home with a mirror behind it to increase the light east/west facing Windows until this week it's always looked quite pleased with much growth

Mice been watering it about 1 1/2 cups every two weeks with a derenching every other month or so.

There does seem to be some soft trunks.

Thanks for taking the time to ask, I appreciate the efforts to save my plant very much.

Unfortunately, vermiculite breaks down and becomes mushy in months. Then water drainage worsens, and air cannot get to the roots. Succulents slowly drown. Soft branches (rot) are a late symptom of the problem. If the soft areas can be removed w/o compromising the whole plant, I would do that. If not (say, the base of trunks are all rotting), then I would take a branch cutting from a healthy part and start over in better draining soil.

If the plant is still okay, repot it with new soil, making sure to wash away ALL the old soil and remove any soft, black roots. In either case (starting a cutting or keeping the whole plant), avoid any kind of fine potting mixes. After repot, I would check that the soil is dry halfway down the pot before watering again (if in doubt, dry it out).

ez

Hi,

Why dont you change your soil to the gritty mix. you dont have to worry over water it.

Dan

911 is right! You've gotten some good advice here, but I'm wondering if the plant sits in water from time to time. It's on a plate, and there is a stain around the bottom of the pot. You wouldn't want that to happen.

I also wonder if the pot is just too big. When you repot, if the rootball is small for the size of the pot, get a smaller pot (don't pot lower with less soil). Clay pot is good, but plastic can be ok if you are cautious about watering.

Cut back, repot. save a couple cuttings in case it doesn't survive. Let them dry well, pot separately so you still have something of your plant.

Thanks. It is on a plate, because it sits in a wood shelf. The ruling was on the pot and I was too lazy to wash it off. I dump any water that accumulates on the plate, but good advice to switch to clay pot and smaller, too. How much larger than the root ball should it be?

When you unpot the plant, see what the rootball looks like--if it seems like the pot is much bigger than the rootball, get a pot which would give it 2-3"extra room all around and 2" at the bottom (hope that makes sense). But if the rootball seems to fill the whole pot, then re-use the pot with better soil. Also remove any soft rotten-ish roots. A previous poster said "drastic pruning." I would cut the plant back by half, try to cut to a leaf or growth point.

Myan, many here know way more than I do, so I hope they will correct me if I've given any bad advice, but that's what I would do.

By the way, if you buy cactus soil, look at the ingredients and find one which has no peat. We have EB Stone here which has no peat. Also it would be helpful if you could also purchase some perlite and add into that soil, half and half would be good.

Good luck. Wish I were there to help you! It's not tricky, not hard. Just go for it! Plants can be very forgiving, especially jade.

http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/3127061/a-few-jades?n=40

For all of my jades I use a mix of horticultural grit, alpine grit/ chicken grit/ aquarium gravel will do mixed with equal amounts of perlite and bagged cactus mix. Come back to us when you have I unpotted the plant.

Gill

Gill

I apologize being off the subject;

If you read this...could you pls. help on this thread:

-bagged cactus soil in UK-

John Innes is the most available in the UK, IIRC.

Thank you all so much! I have been busier than expected this week so my reporting will need to wait until the weekend as I haven't had time to find the best soil. I did, however, get this plant outside right away, to help dry out and also provide more light. It actually popped out maybe 6-10 new leaves today! I'm very hopeful that with your sage advice some of her can be rescued.

I believe breath hit the nail on the head, upon close inspection the soil seems almost clay-like, so sad-my own ignorance drowned a jade.

Do do I prune before taking her out of the pot or after?

Thanks, so much, again!

Little hearts because she loves you :)

If you prefer the look it has now, trim as little as you want. If you plan on hard pruning, go ahead and do that first as those branches then won't be in the way during repot.

ez

It seems to me that plant is supported (see first photo). It should be pruned really hard, Jade shouldn't need any support. The branches were searching for light for many years before you found it. Can you post photo of the whole plant from couple of different angles when you have chance?

Such mature plant, with nice thick branches should be 'saved', and with pruning it will be really great looking plant. Just make sure it will be in better light, otherwise any future growth will be the same. And, obviously, much better potting mix :)

Old evening!

Thanks to your sage advice, it's the first day of "Diane's" new life. She's looking a little sad after a prune and new pot, but I'm hopeful she gets some green on her quickly.

I was shocked by how shallow the roots were! They looked good, after I got the clay-like soil off of them.

Hoping to post happier picture soon!

I'd like to see a picture to see what you've done! Everyone has unique ideas and perspectives to share!

ez