How to Repot Large Jade Plants
Left to grow on its own, without any trimming or pruning, a jade plant can become quite large. Fortunately, jade plants are slow-growing, so repotting your large jade will only need to be done after years of growth. Repotting can be a challenge, not only because of the spread of fragile, heavy branches, but also because the jade plant has a small root system compared to its total size, making it top-heavy. Planning ahead for the repotting of your jade plant will make the job easier and successful. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Large pot with drain hole
- Styrofoam packing peanuts
- All purpose potting soil
- Plant stakes (optional)
Instructions
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Transferring Your Jade to a New Pot
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1
Select your new, larger pot for your jade plant. The new pot should be about 4 to 6 inches larger, both in height and diameter, than your current pot.
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2
Place about 2 to 3 inches of packing peanuts in the bottom of your pot. This will help with drainage and keep the soil from becoming waterlogged.
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3
Fill your pot 2/3 to 3/4 full with potting soil. Push the soil up against the sides to create a large hole in the center. This is where you will place the root ball of your jade plant.
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4
Place your potted jade plant close to the new pot for repotting. This will make it easier to transfer the large jade with less damage to roots and branches.
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5
Grab your jade plant as close to the base of the trunk as you can. Gently pull the plant up and out of its pot. You may wish to carefully brush or remove some of the excess soil around the root ball at this time so your jade will be planted in fresh soil, not its older, stale soil.
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6
Put your jade into the new pot with soil. Check to make sure it is centered and straight, then fill in soil around the plant and trunk.
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7
Press down on the soil to compact it around the trunk and the surface. This step is important to repotting your jade because of the plant's weighty, broad branches and small root system.
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8
Use plant stakes to help stabilize the jade branches and your plant until the root ball has reestablished in the new soil.
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Tips & Warnings
To help the roots of your jade plant reestablish and grow downward, water your plant from the bottom, not from the soil surface. By watering from the bottom, the roots are forced to reach down to the water source. A deeper root system for your large jade will help stabilize its heavy top side.
