Question
Hi Will,
I have a small Jade in a 4" pot that I bought about 6 or 7 months ago. There are 7 stalks in the pot & I read somewhere that you should repot them & only put in 3 stalks per pot. The soil that is in this pot is really hard &  feels dry just a little while after watering from the bottom. If I water from the top, it runs straight through. Should I repot him & divide the stalks? How can I seperate roots when the soil is so hard? I appreciate your advice. Thanks, Pam

Answer
Hi Pam,

There is no rule about the number of separate stems per pot. I have seen single Jade stems in a pot and I have seen Jade pots with a dozen stems. It is more about appearance than  about healthy growth. The notion that separate stems "compete" with one another is a myth.

Your plants can be divided, but I don't recommend it. It can be very traumatic to the roots and you could lose all of the divisions. If you are determined to take the risk, then slice through the rootball between the separate stems, using a long sharp knife when the soil is wet. Make a clean cut. Don't worry about cutting through the roots. Put each division into the smallest pot that each will fit into, adding as little soil as possible.

If you decide to leave it intact, then you may or may not want to move it to a larger pot. If it is healthy, then it could stay put. If you are tired of watering it so often, then move it to a 5 or 6 inch pot, but no larger. Loosen the roots around the outside of the rootball before putting it in a larger pot. Be sure that the top of the rootball sits about a half-inch below the rim of the pot. Do not add any soil to the top of the rootball. This will allow you to pool water on the surface of the soil and let it slowly seep into the rootball. I think that watering from the top is preferable with Jades.

After up-potting, be sure to let the soil dry out in between waterings as there is an increased danger of overwatering after a plant is moved to a larger pot. This is because the added soil retains moisture for a longer period of time.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions. If you would like to e-mail me some photos, I may be able to provide some additional insights.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

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