How To Care For Jade Plant In Winter?

Winter is a dormant period for almost all houseplants and also brings in unfavorable living conditions. So how does it affect the jade plant, and how to care for it? First, let us see how to care for your jade plant during winters.

During winters, move the jade plant to a spot with bright indirect light, stable temperature, and appropriate humidity level to keep them healthy. Water the jade plant when the soil gets dry, feed the plant lightly with a diluted succulent fertilizer, and keep them away from cold drafts.

The jade plants are commonly used as decorative plants because of their long life, easy maintenance, and appealing looks. Being succulents, jade plants are more adaptive towards warm and dry conditions.

The jade plant’s care routine will differ as to the winter approaches, and we need to make those changes to ensure our plant health.

Below we have discussed all the essential factors needed to be kept in mind while preparing the care routine of a jade plant during the winter season.

Jade plant winter care

The Jade plant prefers a warm and dry climate. Therefore, it is very susceptible to cold damages. If you live in a cold location, then keep the jade plant’s container inside the house.

It is crucial to keep the plant hydrated during the growing season.

Most of the growth in the jade takes place during summers and spring.

It is crucial to make the plant strong and healthy during this time to survive the cold weather during winters and autumn with minimal care.

Some of the common issues that you can face with the jade plant during the winter season are:

• Wilting of the jade plant
• Rotting of the root
• Leaves curling
• Discoloration of leaves
• Leaves turning yellow and brown
• Brown spots on the leaves and foliage
• White spots around the foliage
• Spindly growth
• Pests infestation

Jade plant is easy to care for and aesthetically pleasing; it shows different signs from time to time when it is suffering and needs your help. They require different treatment and care during the months of winter.

So, in this article, we have jotted down all the possible changes and ways to take care of your jade plant in winter.   

Also read: Why is my jade plant turning yellow?

Maintain appropriate light conditions

The jade plant prefers bright indirect light. Therefore, it is ideal to keep the jade plant for at least 6 hours in the indirect bright light.

Intense and scorching sunlight is harmful to the plant and may cause sunburn. Low light or inadequate light will cause several problems for the jade plant.

During winters, the intensity and duration of sunlight go down significantly. This leads to various problems in the jade plant. 

They may be doing great in that spot during summer, but you need to consider a brighter spot for them in winters.

The lack of light causes root rot, slow growth, pest infestation, curly leaves, etc.

Solution

• You can shift the spot of the jade plant to a location where it can get bright light for a longer period. 
  • Place your jade plant near a window with morning and direct sun as the sun is soft during this time.
• If you don’t have any such spots, you can arrange an artificial light source for the plant. There are grow lights readily available in the online market.
• Exposure to the morning and evening sunlight for a few hours can also benefit the jade plant.
• Adequate watering keeps the jade plant healthy making sure the soil is dry between waterings.

Also read: How much light do jade plant need?

Overwatering during winter

Jade plants do not need much water during winters as the soil remains wet due to low temperature and poor lighting conditions.

Keeping your plant soaked in too much water may cause many problems like root rot, pest infestation, yellow leaves, wrinkled leaves, etc.

During winters, the plants require less water and more light because the water takes longer to evaporate. Thus, overwatering during winters must be avoided. 

We have to make some changes in our watering routine during winters. However, in the summer months, the jade plant is fully active and can recover from the damages very quickly.

But that may not be the case during winters. Both overwatering and under watering can be bad for the jade plant.

Solution

• Make sure that you water the plant only when the soil gets dry. 
• Limit the plant’s water supply and check the water temperature to save the plant from any shock.
• Place the pot in a brighter area and let it breathe for few days without water.
• Jade plants can stay hydrated for 2-3 weeks without watering during winters.
• Check the soil by digging a finger in the soil and check if the soil is still moist or dry.
• Repot the jade plant with fresh and well-draining soil. Please do not add the old soil as it may contain fungal disease with them.

Also read: How much water do jade plant need?

Underwatering during winters

Jade plants like to stay dry during winters. Therefore, Underwatering does not have any severe effect on the jade plant. But that does not mean you can leave the plant alone for weeks.

If left alone, the jade plant may dry out completely and be left in such a condition for long, adversely affecting them. 

In addition, Underwatering may also cause some of the problems in the jade plant, like wrinkled leaves, brown leaves, etc.

Solution

• Water the jade plant once every two weeks during winters. Make sure to water it thoroughly so that every root of the plant receives an adequate amount of water.
• Checking the soil before watering is essential to avoid any kind of water issue.
• Dig a finger/skewer in the soil up to 3-4 inches from the top, take it out and feel the soil. If the soil feels moist, then wait for the soil to dry out completely.

Also read: Underwatering vs Overwatering

Maintain appropriate humidity

The Jade plant likes to have low humidity. Therefore, it is ideal to have a humidity level of around 30% to 50%.

Generally, the air does not hold enough humidity due to low temperatures during winter. Jade plants can survive humidity as low as 30 % but not below that. Humidity below that will trigger some problems in your jade plant.

During winters, the cold air enters the house and gets heated up, lowering the area’s humidity level. 

This does not mean you can move your plant to a location with high humidity. The plant can show signs of stress such as droopy leaves, wilting, yellowing, etc.

Solution

• Jade plants can tolerate the fluctuation in the humidity level, but to the extent, we can play between those margins.
• During winters, you can place the jade plant in the bathroom as this area offers a better humidity level.
• We can also use a humidifier or dehumidifier to maintain the appropriate humidity levels. 
• Also, we have to make sure that the plant is kept away from furnaces and heat radiators as these can damage the plant.

Also read: Should I mist my jade plant?

Maintain appropriate temperature indoor

The crassula ovata has its origin in a deserted area and loves warmer temperatures. Therefore, they usually prefer temperature levels between 65°F-85°F.

Although it can survive up to 50°F, it should not be taken for granted. 

Temperature below that may create some problems for the jade plant. In addition, during the winter season, the surrounding area’s temperature falls below the required level.

Thus, it becomes crucial to take care of the jade plant during the winters; otherwise, it will start taking severe damage.

The stable temperature is most suitable for the jade plant. The plant’s foliage is sensitive to temperature change.

Solution

• Keep the jade plant indoors during the winter season and maintain a stable temperature inside.
• Avoid placing them near the window where the plant gets hit from the cold blows. Keep them a few feet away from the window.
• Keep them away from the furnaces and the fireplaces and maintain the house’s ideal temperature level. Direct heat from heating systems can cause their leaves to droop, yellow, etc.

Avoid fertilizing during winters.

Jade plant goes through dormancy during winter and autumn. As a result, their growth rate falls nearly to zero during these months. Thus, they do not need fertilizing or other nutrients during these cold months.

Jade plants need to be fertilized during the spring and summer seasons. It will be most appropriate if you cut the feed during the fall or winter.

If we feed the jade plant during the winters, the plant builds up the excess salt in the soil, resulting in root burn. 

It may also cause permanent harm to the plant. Thus, avoid feeding the plant during winters.

Although if you understand your plants well and all conditions are appropriate you can use a diluted succulent plant food to feed your jade plant. Make sure you feed them lightly and sparsely.

Solution

• If you have still fed your jade plant out of so much love, make sure to report them using a fresh pot and soil.
• You can flush the excess alt buildup by flushing the soil with a strong stream of water. Let the plant dry out completely after that.
• Repot with fresh well-draining soil, preferably wait for the winter to end from repotting them.
• Feed the plant only during the growing seasons, young ones needed to be provided with extra nutrients.
• Please do not feed them during winters, as it will harm your plant.

Also read: Should I feed my jade plant? How much? How often?

Avoid propagating during winters.

Propagating the jade plant is not a very easy task. If you are a new grower, then you should not try to propagate during the dormancy period that is during winters.

During the cold season, the jade plants are dormant, so propagating in a cold climate can be a bad idea. It can give them a shock and stunt their growth.

The cultural conditions are already not ideal for the plant during winter. 

Moreover, due to propagation, the plant will go through unwanted stress, and unstable conditions will add to it. Thus, it would be best to take chances of propagating during the summer.

Solution

Propagate the jade plant in the summer or the spring season when it is growing as a propagation at this stage will give better results and healthy growth.

Propagating the jade plant during the winters will only give extra stress to your plant and also result in wilting.

If you have already propagated your jade plant, provide them with proper care to reduce their stress.

• Keep the temperature check during this time, as too much cold can cause further stress and damage the leaves.
• Although the jade plant can survive low humidity, you might have to consider using a humidifier if it gets too low.
• Place the jade plant in a spot where it can receive a lot of indirect sunlight to survive and recover.
• Please do not feed the plant during the dormancy period. It will only give stress to the plant.
• If enough light is not available, try to support it with artificial sources.
• Try to avoid overwatering and underwatering situations during the winter season.

Final Thoughts

Jade plants are native to dry climates, which makes them quite intolerant to cold weather.

Even being desert plants, they can survive temperatures as low as 40°F.

It would be best to make extra efforts during winters, such as using grow light to compensate for low light during winters.

You should avoid fertilization as the plant does not have enough energy to break down the nutrients and supply them to the entire plant.

As the winter approaches, make sure you bring back your jade plants indoors if they are kept outdoors during summer.

Also, make sure you proactively look for the signs of stress and take necessary actions to fix the problem causing the stress.

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Source: NYBG, The University of Arkansas, University of Florida, Phytochemical and Antimicrobial Activity of Jade Plant, CABI, University of Minnesota, The University of Missouri.

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