Recently some of the leaves on my jade plant have gotten yellow, wrinkly and squishy. Is this a sign of over-watering? I didn't think I was watering it all that much (about once every 1.5 weeks), but maybe I need to water even less frequently now that summer is over.

Is the soil dry now? Water it. Make sure the soil is completely wet. Stick your finger down into the soil a couple inches and feel for moisture. If its dry, wait a few minutes and water again. Keep testing and watering. Tomorrow, feel the leaves again. If they are still wrinkly, you have a root problem (not enough of them). If the leaves are more solid, you have a watering problem (you aren't watering enough).

Wow, thank you! That's very helpful. I'll give that a shot. Is there a good rule of thumb for how often to water jade plants during the fall/winter season? I try to be careful not to over-water them but maybe I'm getting to the point where I'm not watering enough...

I go by how the leaves feel when I squeeze them between my fingers, but you have to know what they feel like when the plant is well watered (hard, slick and shiny). When they start to have a little give and lose their shine, I water.

What kind of soil is it in?? if it is in a gritty mix which drains too well, and doesn't hold enough water, you will probably need to change it so that it has more organic matter. Jade plants rarely get rot from my experience, unless you water them like everyday.

Thanks Aeonium2003. Yes, I notice that when I water it the water flows through the soil and out the bottom very quickly, it seems very fast draining. Maybe I'll water more frequently for now and then re-pot next spring. Thank you for your help!

Its ok for the water to run through quickly but does it stay in the pot long enough to soak the soil?

The puckered leaf looks like slight under-watering to me too.

For my many many jades, I do much better with a gritty, sandy soil.

The plants themselves hold the water, I want a soil that has organic matter but also enough sand and perlite that I can water thoroughly and know it will drain well and not retain enough moisture to harm the roots. My succulents like to start getting dry and even stressing a bit before they get well-drenched.

My oldest is maybe 40-60, had for about 20 years.

9 cuttings at work and everything in between.

Just what works for me.

Good catch on watching the leaves!

I'd just give it a few more days and pluck them.
It happens.

Looks like you have good light there.

Humboldt said:The puckered leaf looks like slight under-watering to me too.

For my many many jades, I do much better with a gritty, sandy soil.

The plants themselves hold the water, I want a soil that has organic matter but also enough sand and perlite that I can water thoroughly and know it will drain well and not retain enough moisture to harm the roots. My succulents like to start getting dry and even stressing a bit before they get well-drenched.

My oldest is maybe 40-60, had for about 20 years.

9 cuttings at work and everything in between.

Just what works for me.

wow.. may I know how tall is the plant and how big is the trunk ? tx

Kaktus said:

wow.. may I know how tall is the plant and how big is the trunk ? tx

She's about 2 1/2'. Maybe 1/3"- 1/2" wider than a 12oz can.

First big pruning/reshaping in about a decade maybe 2 years ago.
Still have a couple cardboard boxes worth of cuttings that still sprout fine.

Gift from a good friend about 20 years ago.

If not asking too much, mind to share a picture of the plant here? I expect the size of the trunk to be very fat, but surprisingly it is just 1/2"

Kaktus said:If not asking too much, mind to share a picture of the plant here? I expect the size of the trunk to be very fat, but surprisingly it is just 1/2"

I believe @Humboldt is saying that is 1/2" WIDER than a 12oz can, which would make it prox 3" in diameter. An impressive trunk size if I'm reading correctly.

needrain said:

I believe @Humboldt is saying that is 1/2" WIDER than a 12oz can, which would make it prox 3" in diameter.

That's correct.

I'll try to post some pictures this weekend.

She's very pretty.