Jade plants are some of the most popular succulents that you’ll find. These neat little plants are pretty fun to take care of overall.
Many consider these to be some of the best first houseplants that you can care for. They aren’t overly fussy and it’s pretty easy to keep them looking nice.
You’ll find these plants in homes and office areas around North America. Their oval-shaped leaves really do give them a unique appeal.
If you’ve recently started taking care of a jade plant, you might be worried if it doesn’t seem to be growing. After several months, you might start wondering if you’re doing something wrong.
There are a few reasons why jade plants might experience growth issues. Keep reading to learn about the potential causes so that you can decide on an appropriate course of action.
1 – The Plant Isn’t Getting Enough Light
One thing to consider is whether your jade plant is getting enough sunlight or not. When these plants don’t get enough sun, it’s going to be hard for them to keep growing.
If you have your plant situated somewhere that doesn’t get a lot of sunlight, it makes sense that the plant wouldn’t be growing. You might see some other negative signs if you don’t remedy this issue.
Plants that don’t get enough might start to drop leaves. If your plant is losing foliage, it’s a sure sign that you’re not giving it enough sunlight.
Try to find a sunnier spot in your home or office that will allow the plant to thrive. These plants need at least four hours of direct sunlight each day to grow and remain healthy.
Many jade plant enthusiasts will say that at least six hours of direct sunlight will be ideal. You might even want to move the pot to different spots near windows at certain times of the day.
Young jade plants will probably have an easier time tolerating bright indirect sunlight. An ideal solution for your jade plant sunlight issues is to keep the plant near a west-facing window or a south-facing window.
2 – Pest Issues
Pest issues can really do a number on your jade plant. As easy as these plants are to care for, it’s going to be important to keep an eye out for pests if you want them to stay healthy.
The most common pests that bother jade plants are mealybugs. These little pests feed on the juices of the plant, and they leave behind a white cotton-like material on the surface of the plant.
You might not notice the mealybugs until you start seeing the cotton-like substance. It’s also likely that you’ll see damaged spots on the plant that are also somewhat sticky.
Continued pest issues could cause the plant to wither a bit. Thankfully, it isn’t that hard to control mealybug issues.
You can wipe the bugs off of your jade plant by dipping cotton balls in alcohol and then rubbing the plant down. It might also be good to treat your jade plant with neem oil to prevent bugs from coming back.
Neem oil is a safe and natural way to keep pests from bothering your plants. It doesn’t cost much money, and you’re going to be able to use it without having to worry about any detrimental chemicals.
3 – Fluctuating Temperatures
When caring for jade plants, it’s going to be wise to keep them away from spots with fluctuating temperatures. You see, temperature fluctuations could wind up harming the plants.
These plants like temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. They’re not very cold tolerant at all, and this means that they could die if exposed to frost.
You won’t have to worry about frost when caring for these indoor plants, but you will need to worry about vents. Placing a jade plant too close to air vents could cause the growth of the plant to be stunted.
In some cases, it’ll even cause a jade plant to lose its leaves. Ensure that you aren’t keeping your plant near a heating or cooling vent.
You want to find a location that has a steady temperature. If the temperature fluctuates too much, you’re going to need to find a better spot for your plant to keep it safe.
It’s worth noting that even drafty windows or doors could be problematic. Try to be mindful of the potential causes of temperature fluctuations in your home or office.
4 – Bad Soil
Potting these plants using bad soil will make it hard for them to grow. If the soil doesn’t contain the necessary nutrients, how is the plant going to keep growing?
A lack of nutrients will stunt the growth of a jade plant. If you suspect that the soil doesn’t contain enough nutrients, you could try amending the soil.
Add nutritious organic things to the soil to make it better. You could also use fertilizer to give the jade plant what it needs.
In some situations, it’ll be practical to repot the plant in soil that is better. Use a good potting soil that has a mix of perlite, coarse sand, and sphagnum peat moss.
Fertilizing does indeed help even when you’re using high-quality potting soil. You should be able to use fertilizer that has been formulated to help succulents grow.
5 – Drainage Issues
Soil can be bad if it has drainage issues, too. If the soil doesn’t drain properly, it’s going to create many problems for your jade plant.
If the roots of the plant start to rot, it’s not going to keep growing. In fact, the plant might wind up dying.
Proper drainage is of the utmost importance when you’re caring for houseplants. You’ll want to ensure that you’re using soil that drains well so that you can keep the plant healthy.
It’s also wise to use a pot that helps facilitate proper drainage. The pot needs to have good drainage holes or this whole process isn’t going to work right.
6 – Improper Watering
Improper watering could keep the plant from growing. This goes both ways because you could water the plant too little or too much.
As mentioned above, drainage is very important for jade plants. If you water the plant too much, it won’t be able to drain properly between watering sessions.
This will lead to root rot which could eventually kill the plant. Be sure to only water the plant when you’ve checked the soil with your fingers and discovered that the soil is no longer damp.
Watering too little can also be problematic. You can’t neglect the jade plant or it isn’t going to have what it needs to keep growing.
Continued neglect could wind up killing it. Do your best to check the plant every so often to see if it needs more water.
7 – Keeping the Plant in a Pot That’s Too Small
Keeping the plant in a pot that’s too small can also be a huge problem. If you were given the plant as a gift, it might need to be placed in a pot that is more appropriate for its size.
Jade plants will grow until they reach a certain point. When they don’t have any room to keep spreading their roots, they’re going to stop growing.
The plant could be root-bound right now. This means that the roots are stuck in a ball due to being placed in a pot that’s too small.
You should put the plant in a pot that is the right size. Take the time to untangle the root ball gently when you do this.
If you repot the plant, it should start growing again so long as you care for it properly. Remember to water the plant after repotting it because this will help to settle the potting mix.
It’ll be appropriate to check the plant every once in a while to see how it’s doing in its pot. There will be times when the plant will outgrow the pot and you will need to take action.
To get the best results, it might also be good to trim damaged roots while repotting. You’ll get used to this process once you’ve been caring for jade plants for a while.
8 – Jade Plants Don’t Grow During the Winter
Keep in mind that jade plants experience winter dormancy. This means that they aren’t going to grow during the winter months.
You don’t want to fertilize them during the winter months for this reason. It’d actually wind up being detrimental to the plant.
Once the spring comes around, you should notice that the plant will start growing again. These plants are active growers during the spring and summer months.
This is a natural thing that you don’t need to worry about. If it’s wintertime, the plant isn’t supposed to be growing.
Final Thoughts
You’ve gone through various reasons why jade plants will stop growing. Knowing about the reasons should help you to figure out if anything is wrong with your plant.
Do your best to care for your jade plant the right way. If you ensure that the plant has everything that it needs to thrive, you shouldn’t have to worry too much at all.
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.