This time of the year it’s very easy to over-water house plants.
There is a lot less light in the winter,so most plants including Jade Plants, will not be as actively photosynthesizing and won’t need as much water.
Over-watering has symptoms similar to under-watering.
When you give a plant too much water, it can cause the roots to become water logged and eventually die back. When the plant loses its roots, it can’t take up enough water, hence, the apparent symptom of not enough water. The well-meaning person taking care of the plant gives it even more water making the problem worse.
A Jade Plant is able to store water in its fleshy leaves and stems. When it dries out to the point of needing water, the leaves become soft and flexible.
If you think your Jade plant needs water, gently squeeze a leaf or two.
If it feel soft, it needs water. If it’s still firm, which in the horticulture trade is called turgid, no water is needed. The plant shown above needs no water, the leaf feels pretty firm.
This next plant’s leaves are soft and flexible, that means this plant needs water.
This squeeze-the-leaf method works only on Jade Plants and other plants with similar fleshy leaves such as sedums and aloe.
Enjoy your indoor gardening!
Bob