How Often Do You Water Jade Plants? Watering Guide For 2023

Last Updated on February 24, 2023 by Mattias

One of the difficulties most people face when growing a plant is giving it the time and care required and watering it frequently. This article answers the question, “how often do you water jade plants?”.

However, with succulent plants like jade plants ( crassula ovata ), which possess thick stems and leaves that hold moisture for a long time and can survive drought conditions, you don’t need to worry about watering them as frequently as other plants. With little care, they can still flourish. 

Nevertheless, there is a certain period in which these plants can stay without water and will require you to water them again.

In this jade plant guide, you will learn how often you should water jade plants, detect when your jade plants need watering, and answer other questions.

Let’s begin. 

How Often Do You Water Jade Plants?

The moderate watering frequency for jade plants is once in 2-3 weeks. Nevertheless, certain factors could make you water the plant sooner or later than the specified timeframe. 

These factors include:

• the type of soil it is planted on

• the type of pot it is planted in

• weather conditions

• where it is planted

Let’s take an in-depth look at each of these factors.

Where It Is Planted

Like many other plants, jade plants can also be grown indoors or outdoors, which could affect their watering frequency. 

One reason is the level of exposure these plants have to the sun. Outdoor jade plants have direct sunlight, making them need more frequent watering than indoor jade plants, which usually only have access to indirect sunlight when placed on a south-facing window or a grow light. 

And because outdoor plants have more access to direct and bright sunlight than indoor plants, their soil tends to dry up faster and hence requires watering more frequently. 

Note: Exposing your jade plant to too much sunlight might cause harm to it and its leaves, so ensure you moderate its exposure to the sun to 4 hours of direct sunlight max or by placing it under a shade only to give it access to bright indirect light.

Read also: How Often Do You Water Mint Plants? Watering Guide For 2023

The Type Of Soil It Is Planted On 

One of the critical factors which could have influenced how frequently your water your jade plant is the type of soil on which it is planted on. 

Suppose you grow a jade plant on succulent soil with good drainage. In that case, it will require watering more frequently than when it is planted on soil that doesn’t have good drainage, this is because the former expels excess water correctly and quickly while the latter holds water for a long time, hence reducing the water frequency.

However, even though soil without good drainage will reduce how frequently you water your plant, soil with good drainages, such as sandy soil, is the best soil to grow your jade plant.

Your jade plant tends to flourish more on a soil mix with well-draining soil than on a potting mix without it. The former also has a lower risk of being affected by overwatering and root rot than the latter.

So, in this case, it is a good thing to have soil that dries up your plant’s moisture faster. 

The Type Of Pot It is Planted In 

Another major factor that could affect how frequently you water your jade plant is the type of pot in which you grow it.

If you use a plastic pot to grow your jade plant, you will need to water it less frequently than when planted in a porous pot. This is because plastic pots don’t have pores, which causes the plant’s moisture to take a lot of time before drying up.

The size of the pot could also be an influencing factor.

A jade plant grown in a large pot will need more frequent watering than one grown in a small pot. 

Note: The best pot for growing a jade plant is a self-watering pot with good drainage. 

Read also: How Often Do You Water Jalapeno Plants? Ultimate Guide (2023)

Weather Conditions

The time of year and weather conditions can also influence how often you water your jade plant. 

You should water your jade plant more often during the summer months than during the winter months. 

This is because during the winter months, there are cooler temperatures, and this reduces the rate at which the moisture in the soil evaporates, hence making the moisture stay in the soil for a longer time as compared to dry climates experienced during the summer and early spring seasons, which causes the plant to have a dry soil frequently. 

This is also because the summer season is an active growing season for jade plants, while the winter season isn’t. 

During the summer months, you can maintain the once in 2-3 weeks watering frequency, but during the winter months, you should water your jade plant just once in 3-4 weeks. 

Read also: How Often Do You Water Succulent Plants? Complete Guide 2023

How Do You Know When It’s Time To Water Your Jade Plant?

There are three main ways you can use to determine whether it is time to water your jade plant:

• By using a soil moisture gauge.

• By checking the soil’s top layer. 

• By using your finger.

Using A Soil Moisture Gauge

A soil moisture gauge is one of the best ways of checking the level of moisture in the soil in which your jade plant has been grown. 

If it shows that the moisture level is low after checking with the gauge, it is time to water your jade plant. However, if it shows that the moisture level is high, then it’s not time, and you will have to wait a few days and check again.  

By Checking The Soil’s Top Layer

You can also check how moist the soil is by checking its top layer. If the top of the soil is dry, you should water it, but if it isn’t, you will have to wait a few days and recheck it. 

By Using Your Finger

Lastly, you can check the soil’s moisture level by putting your finger on it. 

If you stick your finger into the soil and you notice that it is dry, then it is time to water it, but if you stick your finger into it, but it is still wet or isn’t correctly dry, then you should wait for a few days and recheck its moisture level, to determine if you should water it or not. 

How Much Water Do Your Jade Plants Need? 

The amount of water that your jape plant need is enough water to soak it up and go down to its root system. So, ensure you use the amount of water to achieve this goal.

However, before carrying out deep watering on your jade plant, ensure it has a deep hole at the bottom of the pot, which can expel the excess water and reduce its risk of being overwatered and affected by root rot.

Also, ensure that your jade plant is dry and due for watering before deep watering it. 

Note: Deep watering your jade plant means you would have to cut down on how frequently you water it.

Read also: How Often to Water New Vegetable Plants? Ultimate Guide 2023

How Do You Know That Your Jade Plant Is Being Underwatered?

There are three common problems that your jade plant will face if you underwater it. They are: 

• A change in the color of the plant’s leaves.

• A change in the texture of the plant’s leaves and steam. 

• A change in the structure of the plant’s leaves.

A Change In The Colour Of The Plant’s Leaves

When the green leaves of your jade plants begin to turn to yellow leaves, it could be a sign that it is being underwatered.

However, this sign can also be experienced when the plant is overwatered, so ensure you experience this sign together with the other signs before concluding that this is due to underwatering. 

A Change In The Texture Of The Plant’s Leaves and Stem

Another sign that your plant is being underwatered is that its thick steam and leaves become soft.

A Change In The Structure Of The Plant’s Leaves

If you notice that the leaves on your jade plant are wilting or dropping, then know that it is being underwatered.

Note: Underwatering your jade plant for too long could cause it to die, so ensure you water it at the right frequency and quantity. 

How To Fix An Underwatered Jade Plant

If you notice signs of your jade plant being underwatered, you need to increase how frequently you water it and how much water you use.

You must also ensure you use a lot of water to moisturize the entire plant and the plant’s roots. 

How Do You Know That Your Jade Plant Is Being Overwatered?

When you water your jade plant more often than you should, it will encounter several problems. These problems include: 

• A change of the leaf’s color from green to yellow.

• Wilting of the plant. 

• The plant’s stem becomes softer than usual.

• The plant experiences retarded growth. 

• Root rot.  

How To Fix An Overwatered Jade Plant 

If you notice these signs, you must reduce how frequently you water your jade plant.

Also, you must carefully check your soil and ensure it is properly dry before watering it.

If these steps don’t work, you might have to result to steam cutting and propagation to save the plant. 

How Often Do You Water Jade Plants Summary

A jade plant also referred to as a money plant or a lucky plant, is a succulent plant that doesn’t require too much water to flourish. It can survive drought conditions for up to a week or two, unlike other plants, all thanks to its fleshy leaves, which can hold much moisture to sustain it for that long. 

However, leaving them in dry conditions for a very long time without watering them, watering them more than you are supposed to, or watering them less than you are supposed to can cause harm to them, so it is best to know how often you should water them. Hence, it ensures they stay in perfect condition for decades.

In this jade plant care guide, I have highlighted the watering frequency you can follow to ensure your plant flourishes for decades, the hours of direct sunlight you should expose it to, and answered all questions relating to ideally watering your jade plant and giving it proper care.