Image - Wikimedia / Aniol
Can the Jade Tree be outside? Although it can be sold as an indoor plant, since it is one of the succulents that can best be inside the home, The truth is that it is best to keep it outside, at least during the warmer months of the year.But of course, the care it will need when it is on the patio or balcony will not be exactly the same as when we have it at home.
Therefore, it is important to know a little about their basic needs so that we can give them the care they need while they are outside. So let's see what they are, and How can we keep the Jade tree in good condition outdoors?.
Place your Jade Tree in a place with plenty of light
Image – Flickr/daniel
Our protagonist is a succulent plant that, yes, can be in areas where there is not much light, but Its growth will be much healthier if it is placed in a place where there is a lot of light.. Its leaves will be greener and "harder" (that is, as hard as they can be considering that they are fleshy). In addition, it will take less time to flower than if it is in a slightly dark area.
But does this mean that it should be placed in a sunny area? Not necessarily. Think that if your plant grows in shade (for example) and you put it in direct sunlight, without having given him time to gradually get used to it, its leaves will suffer burnsBut if you have just bought it or it has just been given to you as a gift and you know that it was already exposed to direct sunlight, you can choose to place it in a sunny area without any problems.
Make sure to plant it in a pot with holes in its base.
This is surely one of the most important things. The Jade Tree, or as it is also known, Crassula ovata, is a plant that does not resist flooding. It cannot have its roots always moist because it is not used to it. In its place of origin (South Africa) it does not rain much, but In addition, the soil in which they grow is sandy, which does not stay moist for long..
Therefore, When growing it, we have to choose a pot that has holes in its base. so that the excess water from watering has a way out, and also a porous, light, sandy substrate, such as the substrate for cacti and succulents that is sold ready to use in any nursery.
Water when the ground is dry
Watering the Jade Tree is simple: We only have to do it when the soil is completely dry.Thanks to its fleshy leaves and stems, which are its water reserves, it can withstand drought very well, but not excess water in its roots.
For this reason, I recommend watering it once a week during the summer. The rest of the year, you have to see how it works. Check the soil moisture with a stick if in doubtIf you see that the leaves are flattening, then it needs to be watered urgently. Try not to go to that extreme.
When you water Pour water until it comes out of the drainage holesBy this I mean that you should not just add water, but rather do it in such a way that the entire soil remains well moistened. This way, you can ensure that the Jade tree can rehydrate.
Fertilize your Jade Tree in Spring and Summer
Plants (except carnivorous ones) need to be fertilized throughout their growing season. The Jade Tree is no exception. But why? The answer is actually very short: because it needs nutrients to growThe substrate may contain a certain amount and variety of them, but as soon as it is transplanted and watered, the roots begin to absorb them, and consequently use up that substrate.
Thus, I recommend fertilizing it with a liquid fertilizer for succulent plants. as this. Always follow the instructions on the packaging, which will usually be on a label on the back of the container. If you want to use homemade fertilizers, you can do so without any problem, but I advise you not to overuse granules or those that look like powder, since these, by taking longer to be fully used, can cause the substrate to take longer to dry completely.
Control pests with diatomaceous earth
From my own experience growing Crassula ovata abroad, It is rare for it to be affected by any pest, and if it does have one, it is usually because either the environment is very dry and/or because it is watered too little.If you live on an island or near the coast like me, the humidity is usually high, so if you find that your plant has mealybugs - which is the pest that most often attacks it - it may be because you are not watering it too much.
How to control these pests? I recommend doing it with a completely natural product such as diatomaceous earth. (on sale here). This will be very useful to combat many of the pests that affect plants, such as aphids or scale insects. To use it, moisten the Jade Tree first and then sprinkle the product on top. In this video we tell you more about diatomaceous earth:
Protect your plant from frost
La Crassula ovata It can withstand cold winds, but frost is another story. As its leaves are fleshy, they are quickly damaged by frost, and also by hail. In fact, symptoms can appear at any time, either during the event or after. But regardless of this, you have to know that their onset is rapid. And what are those? Well, In case it has not suffered much, you will only see some small dots on the leaves, but in more serious cases, the loss of leaves could be total..
To prevent this from happening, what you should do is protect it, either in a greenhouse or, yes, inside the house.. But you can choose to keep it outside if the temperatures do not drop below 0 degrees Celsius. I myself have several specimens in the yard, and although there can be frosts of up to -1,5ºC, these are rare and short-lived, and although they can suffer damage, they recover fairly quickly.
However, watering during these months should be very, very limited, since the risk of rot is higher if it rains more often and/or if the ambient humidity is high.
Do you dare to have a Jade tree outside?