The Jade Plant Gets Repotted — A Big Plant, a Temporary Ramp, a September Project
September 21, 2010
(yes, this really was September, I still have the Christmas stuff on the mantle, including the dead wreath)
The Jade is Re-Potted!!!
It was quite an event this afternoon. We built a temporary ramp going into the house. We carefully brought in the Jade on the wagon via the ramp, then proceeded to move it to the living room.
There was no way to safely lift the heavy Jade plant out of the pot. Thankfully the pot was plastic. I tried cutting the pot off with a tin snips, that wasn’t going to happen. So I got out my rotozip, loaded the wood / plastic bit, set it to 30,000 RPM, and cut the pot to pieces while another person held the Jade in place. Shallow cuts with the rotozip so I didn’t damage the roots.
I had to use a Sawzall on the very base of the pot to cut it in half so I could remove it. You can see the remains of the pot scattered around the room in this photo:
At this point the pot is gone. Now I am working to remove as much of the packed down soil I can without causing root damage.
Adding Turface mixed with some compost to the pot, getting ready to move the huge, very heavy Jade into the new pot. Actually Karen and I tried to lift the Jade into the pot and it was too heavy for us to lift. We had to hold the jade up in place on the wagon to keep it from falling over while we called my dad and had him drive over to our house to help us move it. My dad and I were able to lift it into the new pot. We filled the rest of the pot with the mix of Turface and compost (mainly Turface).
All potted up!
Moved to its new home and watered, I think it looks really nice.
Throughout the entire process, transport, moving into the house, and transplanting, I only broke off a few small branches, I have them all sitting in a 6 inch pot with Turface in it, I dipped the ends in hormone.
Within the next couple of weeks, the rest of this room will be all filled up with tropical plants that spent the summer outside.
Jamie
your jade plant is lovely!
Thank You!
I have to say that is one BEAUTIFUL big jade! Just make sure that the soil dries out rather quickly..It sounds like it may hold mositure far too long,,Turface and copouts and soil for me would rot mine in a week..I wish you luck with that beauty..:-)
Hi Jamie.
Yes..I actually lost plants that prefer more moisture than Jades..I lost some citrus and a palm which can handle moister soils than Jades can handle..At that time I used it straight from the bag..I never sifted it through a bug screen and got all the fines out..I never used it the way you are, but did use it with just uncomposted bark, and crushed granite, which held to much moisture..The soil stayed damp too many days..I screen all my turface now.
You mix may work for your plant..That is why I suggested you keep a close eye on the moisture in the root zone..I would hate for anything to happen to yours..It is beautiful..
Have you ever seen a wooden dowel? I would get one of those..Sharpen one end like a pencil point and stick it in the root zone to check for moisture before you water..Make sure the soil is dry for a few days longer than dry, Many even let their Jades leaves start to go soft before they water again…
It is a cheap but very effective way of measuring moisture..I have spared a death sentence for all y plants with this method..:-) Jades are easy to kill with a mix that stays moist for too long..
Now I have all mine growing in a mix that consists of granite chips, turface screened, and screened uncomposted pine bark..You can usually get the bark at a pet store called repti-bark if not at a local nursery..
Good luck
Mike
Thank you for all the great information.
Jamie
One of the nicest Jade trees I have seen. Wouldn't mind that beauty in my home. Good work jamie
Terry