The jade plant, also known as the money tree, is an all-favorite indoor plant for many people thanks to its tree-like stems and gorgeous oval stems tinged with red at the edges and tips. The plant can grow to greater heights and survive for many years in a standard pot. But selecting the right pot for your jade plant can be pretty challenging, especially if you are a beginner.
So, how do you choose the right pot for your jade plant? The most important things you need to consider when choosing the right pot for your jade plant are size, drainage, and the material used to make the pot. Typically, you want a pot that isn’t too large or too small for your plant, has proper drainage, and is made of either clay or terracotta. Many gardeners prefer using a clay pot because it absorbs moisture pretty quickly and helps the soil dry out, making it ideal for the jade plant to thrive.
This blog post discusses everything you need to know about choosing the right pot for your jade plant. So, let us get started.
1. Find a Pot with a Stable Base
One of the most important factors to consider when choosing the right pot for your jade plant is the base of the pot. This is because jade plants can grow to greater heights and form a beautiful bush with their leaves.
As the leaves and stems become heavier, the growing pot should be able to sustain the weight. Sometimes, the plant can grow into small trees or shrubs reaching a height of up to eight feet. If your container isn’t sturdy enough, it will most likely tip over, causing significant damage to your plant.
Although pruning is essential in the growing process, you shouldn’t take any chances with the base of the pot you choose. Sometimes, you might fail to prune on time and only regret when the worst has already happened.
Furthermore, the primary goal of pruning is to promote the growth of both roots and stems. So, the wider the base of the container, the better.
2. Choose a Pot with Excellent Drainage
The most important rule of thumb when picking the right pot for your jade plant is to concentrate on good drainage. This is true whether you are were planning on positioning your potted plant inside or outside the house. It still applies even if you plan to mix the two- inside during winter and outside during summer.
It is still true whether you choose to position your plant in indirect sunlight or direct sunlight. Without proper drainage, your jade plant is as good as dead.
While you can compromise a little bit on this rule, especially if you have a perfect pot already picked out for your plant, don’t ignore it if you are still actively looking for a growing container in the market.
A container with plenty of drainage holes at the bottom will give your jade plant the best chance of surviving and thriving.
Keep in mind that root rot is common among jade plants that remain submerged in an overwatered environment. So, if the container isn’t draining out the excess water pretty fast, your plant will be in huge trouble.
Why Is Drainage So Important When Choosing a Pot for Your Jade Plant?
Well, the answer is pretty straightforward: proper drainage allows excess water to flow directly out of the container and not collect at the bottom.
If you allow water to collect at the bottom of the container, there is a high chance that your plant’s roots will begin to rot. The plant may also absorb too much water and start dying slowly.
Remember that jade plants are succulents and these plants are not used to getting too much water in their natural environment. Most of them grow in parts of the world that get low and sporadic rainfalls. There is plenty of sunlight on most days, and when it rains, it rains relatively heavily.
As a result, when you water succulents, they tend to absorb as much water as they can, and as quickly as possible, just in case it will be long before it rains again.
So, don’t be tempted into thinking that a jade plant that is no longer at the whims of nature is different. Never be tempted to water your plant frequently or not give it enough time to absorb water during watering session.
Instead, let the water soak the plant and let the excess water drain out through the drainage holes. In that case, you will be helping your plant feel like it is in its natural environment
With plenty of drainage holes at the bottom of the pot, the excess water is forced to spill out while allowing your plant to absorb as much water as it requires. This gives it enough time to use up the stored water before it requires watering again.
In simple terms, good drainage will always give you happy succulents, and the best way to achieve good drainage is by using a container with plenty of drainage holes at the bottom.
3. The Pot Size
Choosing the right pot for your jade plant goes beyond drainage and a sturdy base. It also includes finding a container that is the right size with the right features for your plant.
Generally, jade plants have a small root system, so you should not grow them in a large pot. A large container will only increase the soil volume around the plant’s root system and hold much more moisture than your plant requires. The excess moisture will only increase the likelihood of root rot problems.
So, how large should the growing pot be? Typically, you want a container approximately one or two inches larger than the plant’s root ball. You should also ensure the pot has at least one drainage hole at the base to drain off the excess water.
4. Material
Different pots are made of different materials. You will find plant pots made of clay, terracotta, ceramic, and even plastic. So, what is the best pot material for a jade plant?
There is no good or bad material as long as the pot has plenty of drainage holes at the base. Therefore, the material you choose will most likely be out of your personal preference.
However, the two most commonly used materials are clay and terracotta. Most gardeners prefer clay because it absorbs moisture quickly, helping the potting mix dry out, which is perfect for your jade plant. The best place to position clay pots will be on your windowsills.
Unfinished terracotta also works better because it offers a second drying effect during watering since the clay wicks from the soil, creating porous spaces that allow water to evaporate pretty quickly due to the terracotta material being exposed on the outside to sun, wind, or air.
The effect is also beneficial to your plant in other ways because it allows more airflow to the roots, which minimizes the risk of soil disease and root rot. The material is also heavy, which prevents your plant from falling over.
5. Heavy vs. Light Pots
Some people always wonder whether they should go for a heavy or relatively light pot for their jade plants. Generally, you want a slightly heavy container to prevent your plant from toppling over when it reaches a certain height.
As long the pot has plenty of drainage holes, your plant will be happy, and there will be no chance of it falling over when it grows into a small tree or shrub.
If you come across a slightly lighter container that looks so good to you, you don’t want to leave it. You can still acquire it and get creative to make it a little bit heavier.
For instance, if the container is made out of plastic, you can add a few small rocks made for landscaping gravel to the bottom of the container to make it heavier. The gravel will also aid in good drainage.
The weight of the stones will go a long way in helping weigh down your jade plant which can be beneficial when it comes to growing your jade in lighter containers since it can become top-heavy pretty quickly.
Making a light pot slightly heavier with landscaping stones is also helpful if you have pets that like toppling things over. This is an excellent tip that many people don’t know which always makes them avoid light pots during potting and repotting.
Final thought
The journey of growing jade plants successfully usually begins with finding the right pot for your plant.
While the other activities, such as watering and feeding, may seem overwhelming and tricky, almost half of your problems will be solved if you manage to find the right pot for your plant.
That is why we have done the hard work for you. We hope you found this guide helpful and will help you make an informed decision when shopping for the best pot for your jade plant.
Last update on 2022-12-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
