Ive almost killed my jade I think.. I had repotted it and part of the soil was soaked still so I thought that is why parts were just dropping off.. full gorgeous pueces just snap off..
Then I repot and apperently I went opposite and havent watered enought.. it almost looks crystalized in places.. its not staanfing ip anymore.. it collasping.. I dont know what I am doing wrong.. too much or too little or something.. maybe the pot.. it doesnt have holes but does have rocks and is glazed. I dont want to loose her.. please help.. Ive never for some reason been able to keep jade plants!.

Hello Alli! There is still hope for your plant. You are right, your container is wrong for it. It must have drainage holes. I would pull out that plant, change the container with something with holes below or if you really love that container, drill holes below. With the soil, try to make it really well draining too. I use cactus and succulent mix which I get from HD or Lowes, then I even further add more perlite or pumice in it to really make it porous and well draining. These succulents hate to be in soaking wet conditions, they are not tropical plants that like moist soil a lot. During winter, they can take cool temps but have to keep them dry as much as possible.

Jade plants are very good at hoarding water in their stems and leaves. That is why you have to adjust watering as seasons change. Cold season typically requires less watering, just once a month will be okay at the most.

I would just remove all those dead looking leaves. You can trim those overgrown stems, each stem node and leaves has potential to form roots. Jade plant roots are not big and they are rather shallow growing, so they do not need very deep containers, unless the plant has grown later on into specimen sizes. Just lay the cut off parts on top of the soil, allow the cuttings to callus and you will see later it will form roots. At times, it may even try to form new leaves, before the roots. Then you can plant them. In my area, Jades are actively growing when our temps are mild and cool, so this time is still okay to try and root them when temps are between 65F to 75F. Just keep them in a warm, part shade for now while it tries to form new roots.

Try to position your plant later in a bright light area, otherwise it will etiolate, elongating its stems as it tries to reach for more light especially during winter when our daylight duration is quite shorter. When it is grown in more shade, the leaves turn deep green, if it gets ample light, it turns like apple greenish color. When it is cold stressed, the leaves turn reddish hues at the edges and as it gets more cold stressed the entire leaf can turn burgundy red. Too much cold temps can cause wind burn, that can make the tops get blackened leaves and tips. If it is not too far gone, it can bounce back quite well when temps warm up in Spring.

tarev said:, your container is wrong for it. It must have drainage holes. I would pull out that plant, change the container with something with holes below or if you really love that container, drill holes below.

Unless you really, really, really know what you are doing AND have a lotttttttt of experience, you should never use a container without drainage holes. The risk is not worth it.

The rest of Tarev's advice is spot on.

Thank you sooo much.. that really helps.. i just kept thinking its shiveling up so it needs water.. but then it falling off all over.. its crazy. I will go get a new container today and new soil. How shallow of a pot can i get? And does it like to be tight or lots of space?

If you can find a container half the depth of what you currently have, or some bonsai containers which are shallow and wide, that would be good. If all you can find are deeper containers, just use fillers below, like styro peanuts in stockings, so it is easier to handle the styro later, they can get annoying. That way you are not using too much soil to fill the entire container. They rather like enough space to spread their roots more than going too deep, it really has a smaller root mass. That is why it can easily get overwatered if there is too much soil to dry out. So making the soil well draining and porous is what you will aim for.

Oftentimes, Crassula ovata would do a stage of lower leaf dry out, but it is actually redirecting its growing energy to new growth at the center tip of the rosette or anywhere up and down the stem and branches. So your ongoing maintenance is removing the dried out leaves, or trimming down overgrown branches that makes it too top heavy or maybe got etiolated due to light changes as our season change.
When you trim a branch, dab some cinnamon on the cut off end, it is a natural fungicide. Just the cut off ends, not on the the roots. As long as the main stem is staying hard and firm, it is okay.

For what its worth, Alli, I nearly killed my Jade plant, too. You are not alone.

For me, I had a watering globe tucked between the stems...it was clogged with dirt and I didn't realize it and my jade--i imagine yours did this, too--stayed standing up and didn't wilt until it was so far gone, it was nearly beyond recovery. When I touched the standing stalks, they just crumpled...it was awful. Fortunately, there were several green stalks left and it is coming back now, slow but sure.

I hope yours makes a quick recovery! Jade seems to have the ability to really make one feel like as brown-thumber.

Thanks guys.. I got a new pot.. is it ok that its glazed ? Or do i need a solid clay only?
It has a hole in the bottom and i got cactus soil will be repotting tomorrow. And will see how bad the roots are. The new pot is shorter also.
I hope it does ok.. i have plenty of broken /dropped off rossets to plant.

Hello Alli, it's okay to use glazed container, it has a drainage hole as you said. Just remember it will take a while longer for the water to fully dry out even if water drains below. In winter oftentimes, once a month watering is more than enough.

Good luck on your repot, take photos of the roots so you have a reference later on how if there is improvement.

I think I am having similar issues with my jade plant. A bunch of leaves fell off today (see picture below), even though they look relatively healthy! The pot I have has a hole in the bottom, but after reading the advice above I think maybe the pot is too deep and I should repot with a cactus/succulent mix potting soil (currently I am using regular, organic soil). I am also worried I may have potted it with the soil too high, I don't know if that could be an issue as well. Maybe more sunlight, too. Any help would be appreciated!

Hello vcarmon!

Yes, I would suggest that you change the media to a cactus/succulent mix or if you have no access to that for now, mix in perlite and pumice to your existing media. I do not know where your location is, but if your area does not get onerous winter conditions, they can stay outside, they can take the cold conditions as long as kept drier. But I do see it is making new pairs of leaves in the middle, it may be also just dropping older leaves. But do change the media if you can to really make it very well draining.

If your area is too high in humidity, all the more you have to be careful in watering. Water at the soil level, not the leaves. It is different with rain, and if outside, there is more air movement to dry them out faster. Give it as much bright light as you can, and allow the media to dry out before watering again. Adjustments in watering has to be made as seasons change..the colder it is the lesser watering it needs.

Those fallen leaves, you can try to set them aside, and see if it will try to form roots or new leaves at the base. Sometimes, maybe it can do it given time to dry and feel warmth, but not direct sun. Though there are some blackened parts, it may just try to callus that part. So good luck! Hope it recovers!

Thank you tarev! I appreciate the help!

Vcarmon. Note - in your settings, add your location and Zone. It helps us cause we are located all across the globe. Some of us in similar locations/zones to you will be better able to assist - in general.

I agree with what Tarev said. You might try rooting some of the leaves. When I have had Jades and do their leaf drop thing, I have been surprised that they can and do recover.

From the looks and what I can see, the plant looks pretty good. Whan you said " A bunch of leaves fell off today " had you moved the plant? Brought it inside? Something else that might have induced Stress?

Well I finally repotted the jade today, its nice outside here in Austin, tx.
I took about a 3rd off and tossed it.. dead etc. But the roots looked good and yea.. i was actually underwatering I think. That 3rd I tossed was dry and crisp shriveled up. Alot of rosets dropped. Most had healed over ends so i stuck them in the soil. Is that ok? Or do they need to be fresh cuts? more shallow pot than before I think it will reccover pretty well.thank you all for the help.. now off to a new post.. killing something else now.. :-(

Hi Alli, with succulent leaf cuttings callused ends is what you need not fresh cuts, so there is less access to pathogens on the fresh wound. So that is good the loose leaves you got are healed already. You can either stick the callused end in soil or just lay it on top, and it will root or form new little leaves first.

Your container looks good, I do hope it does have drainage holes and have mixed in perlite or pumice in the soil to make it more open and well draining. Oftentimes the soil compacts so that makes the roots die below, not getting the water and air it needs. Since you are growing it indoors, position it to as much sun/light, it really likes a lot of light. With the cold season, be mindful of watering okay. Less is more.