The Jade plant is one of those rare succulents that grow long branches on its main stem.
Generally, when you have such plants in the pot, they tend to expand a lot as they grow bigger and wider.
This also leads to the expansion of the root system in the soil.
Therefore, you may see issues like rootbound plants in your indoor garden.
So, does the Jade plant like to get rootbound as well?
Let's find out in the following guide.
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Do Jade Plants Like To Be Root Bound?
Yes!
The Jade plants do like to be rootbound, especially when the plant is thriving in the pot.
As mentioned earlier, this type of plant likes to expand its growth beyond the available space in the pot or soil.
Although it might seem like a great characteristic of the plant, it may not be useful for the gardener.
These plants are much like water or air, as they try to fill the space available to them.
If you see your Jade plant getting rootbound in the pot, don't be too surprised!
It's just the nature of the plant, and there is very little you can do to stop such behavior.
In the following guide, though, I have shared a few suggestions that might help in controlling this issue to a certain extent.
So, keep reading!
Why Do Indoor Plants Get Root Bound?
Well, it's got to do with the availability of resources in the potted plants.
When the plant reaches a certain stage of its lifecycle, it requires more resources to continue its growth phase.
During this phase, the plant sends out more roots in all directions so that it can collect the nutrients required for the plant.
Usually, this leads to a situation where the roots take over the available space in the pot, and the plant becomes root bound in the end.
Having said that, you won't see this issue in all of your indoor plants.
You will only experience this problem in plants that get an ample amount of sunlight and water.
And yes, not to forget the right nutrients from the soil.
The other important aspect is the type of plant in your garden.
Although many plants like to grow tall and big, you may not see this issue in a large number of plants.
It's only the invasive and fast-growing plant species that show rootbound nature in their respective planters.
Now, let's check out the few tips that will help in fixing and containing this issue in your Jade plant.
6 Tips To Fix The Jade Plant Root Bound Problem
Here's the list of tips for you -
1. Check The Roots
If you want to know whether the plant is rootbound, the best option is to inspect the roots thoroughly.
This will give you a great idea about the actual condition of the soil.
Without this kind of inspection, you can only guess the possible reason for the lack of growth in your plant or the development of roots in the soil.
So, remove the plant from the pot and check the roots thoroughly.
If you feel they look rootbound and intermingled, you should take the necessary steps mentioned below.
2. Trim The Overgrown Roots
Want a quick fix for this issue?
Trim those unwanted roots from your Jade plant.
That's the only way you can ensure new growth and place in the same pot.
Otherwise, you just have to think about some other options like transplanting the plant into an entirely new plant container.
If this option doesn't seem feasible, you should go ahead and trim the roots.
While trimming the roots, try to remove the damaged and dead roots in the initial phase of this process.
These roots are often inactive and don't perform their tasks at an optimum rate.
So, it's better to get them off the plant.
Once these roots are removed, the plant will grow more new roots in the coming weeks or months.
Note: If the rootbound issue is not too severe, you should only perform light pruning.
3. Repot The Plant With New Soil
Done with the trimming process?
Now, it's time to repot the plant!
When you repot the rootbound plant, make sure you add new soil to the pot.
It will help provide a fresh supply of nutrients to the plant, and the plant will feel rejuvenated too.
If you are not sure about how to follow this process, take a look at the following steps.
- Take the plant and rinse the roots thoroughly, as it will help in getting rid of any dirt from them.
- Put the plant in the same pot and make sure it's placed in the correct position.
- Once the plant looks good, you should add the fresh potting mix to it.
- Gently sprinkle the soil on top, and do not press it too much.
- Finally, water the plant well and keep it in a well-lit space in your room.
Well, that's all there is to the repotting process.
As you can see, it's quite easy, but you need to be careful while placing the plant in the pot.
Make sure you don't damage the thriving roots while performing this task.
Note: If you feel the plant has overgrown in terms of branches and leaves, you may also perform a similar pruning on these parts of your Jade plant.
4. Transplant The Jade Plant In A New Pot
This is a necessary step for the Jade plant that has grown out of proportion.
It might be good for the plant, but you need to take control of it.
The best way to do so is by transplanting the plant into a newer pot.
It does two things for the plant.
The first thing is it gives more space to the plant and prevents you from performing hard pruning.
Secondly, it will help in providing more soil to the plant, which will eventually boost the growth of the overall plant.
So, do transplant your Jade plant if you have a bigger pot in the garden.
It will be a better choice than repotting the plant in the same pot.
5. Move Your Plant To A Shaded Place
Now, this is something for the situation where you don't want to repot or transplant the Jade plant at this moment.
If you feel the plant is rootbound, you should move the plant to a partially shaded place.
It will stunt the growth of the plant, which will give you more time to continue growing it in the same pot.
I know it may sound a little harsh on the plant, but it's quite effective to address this issue naturally.
Alternatively, you can always resort to the steps mentioned earlier in this guide.
6. Add Fewer Fertilizers To The Plant
Similar to the above suggestion, you can decrease the supply of fertilizers to your Jade plant.
This way, the plant will grow at a slower pace, and you can still manage the rootbound issue for a few weeks if not months.
However, at some point, you will have to trim the roots and perform the repotting or transplanting method.
These are the only ways through which you can contain the overgrowth in your Jade plant.
Alright, now, let's check out the FAQs below.
FAQs
Yes, the Jade plants often get crowded when they don't get enough space in the pot.
If the pot size is small, you will see this issue in your thriving plant.
You will have to remove the plant from the soil to see if the roots are root bound.
The other way to know if there is any such issue with your Jade plant is by checking the overall growth of the plant.
If the plant doesn't seem to be growing for a few months, you will have to check its root system.
The Jade plants can do well in small or medium-sized pots.
Still, these plants require more space in the pot, as they like to grow their roots rapidly.
So, you will have to choose the planter accordingly.
If you want to go with the small pot, you should also think about the growing conditions of the plant.
For e.g.,
You should keep the plant in a shaded place, as it will make the plant grow slowly and steadily.
If you place it near a window, it is going to display vigorous growth.
Yes, the Jade plants will really like it if you provide them with a decent amount of coffee grounds.
However, don't overdo it, as it will make your soil more acidic.
If you want to see better growth in the plant, you can add a general-purpose fertilizer to the plant.
It will give you more impressive results than the used coffee grounds.
For better growth, you should place this plant in a sunny and well-lit room.
It could be your living room or bedroom as well.
If you don't get enough sunlight, you can place the planter on top of the windowsill.
Candi says
Very helpful. I have a mature but small jade tree moved from no. Ca to no. Tx in Mar. suffering from drought as leaves turn brown before dropping. Most probably root bound as well. Can plant survive repotting & cutting back all at once when already severely stressed? Would really hate to lose it.
Harshad says
Thank you, Candi!
The Jade tree may survive if it is repotted and its roots trimmed, but it will be under a lot of stress.
If you can, it might be better to wait until the plant shows revival signs before undertaking such a major change.
In the meantime, keep your tree watered and in a location where it will not be exposed to extreme heat or cold.