How to propagate jade plant

Jade Plants are part of the succulent family and are extremely easy to grow. Not only is the Jade plant easy to grow, but also easy to propagate. Keep reading if you currently own a Jade plant and want to propagate it to grow new plants. This article will cover the basics and methods of propagating a Jade plant so that you have all the information you need to get started!

The basics for ropagating Jade plant

Jade Plants are commonly propagated via stem-tip cuttings, leaf cuttings, or by root division. The best time to propagate a Jade plant is in the spring and early summer when the plant is most actively growing. Choose an established healthy mother plant that is growing vigorously.

Methods for propagating Jade plants

Here are the basics for the main three methods of propagating Jade Plant:

1. Stem-tip cuttings

Propagating a Jade Plant from stem-tip cuttings is the process of cutting the tips off of healthy stems and then rooting the stem cuttings in water or soil to create new plants.

2. Leaf cuttings

Propagating a Jade Plant from leaf cuttings is the process of cutting a few healthy leaves from the plant and letting the leaves root into some moist potting mix. In the wild, fallen leaf cuttings are how Jade plants most frequently propagate. 

3. Root division

Propagating a Jade Plant by division is the process of splitting up the whole plant into sections that can be replanted individually. This is usually only done with well-established Jade Plants or with newly-purchased Jade Plants that actually consist of a few plants potted up in the same planter. Growers often plant 3-5 cuttings in one pot for a fuller look for sale at garden centers. You can unpot and separate the cuttings if this is the case, with each cutting potted up in its own planter.

Propagating Jade plant from stem cuttings

Propagating Jade plants from stem cuttings is the easiest and quickest propagation method. 

Materials you need to propagate Jade plants in water

To properly propagate Jade plants in water, you need a few materials.

• Sharp pruning shears or a good pair of scissors
• Dilute solution of alcohol or bleach
• Hormone Powder
• Clean container with fresh water

Propagating Jade plants in water

1. Disinfect your scissors using a dilute solution of alcohol or bleach. Disinfecting your scissors prevents bacteria and other debris from contaminating the fresh-cut stems.
2. Pick the stems you want to cut off your plant. Make sure these stems are young with healthy tips as these are optimal for propagation. Choose 3-5 stems per the number of planters you have.
3. Cut off the tip of the stem, which is around 3-4 inches long. Then, cut off all the leaves on the stem, except for the leaf at the tip of the stem. If your plant doesn’t have a lot of stems, you can cut a single stem into multiple cuttings. Make sure each cutting has a portion of the main Jade plant plus a leaf so that the plant will propagate correctly. Place your cuttings on a clean surface. Repeat until you have enough cuttings.
4. Trim the base of each stem cutting, making the cut right below a leaf node if possible. Make a clean cut so that the base of the stem remains healthy and well-suited to root development. Cuttings can be as small as 2-3 inches long and still produce roots.
5. Let the stems sit in a warm area for 1-2 weeks so the ends will be callous. Allowing the ends to be callous prevents bacteria and disease from entering the stem. 
6. Dip the cut end of each stem into rooting hormone powder. This is optional; however, it can be helpful if you’re new to propagating houseplants.
7. Place the stem base into a clean container filled with fresh water. Place each stem in its container or group a few in larger containers. Make sure the cuttings are not crowded, and the air circulation is good. (The easiest way to monitor root development is through clear glass containers to see the Jade cuttings.
8. Move the cuttings to a location with bright indirect light that is not too close to the cuttings to avoid foliage burn.
9. Monitor the plants every few days, changing the water and looking for root development. Remove any yellow or mushy cuttings and plant the healthy cuttings into planters once they have emerging roots.
10. Put the rooted cuttings into groups and place them into a planter with organic potting soil. Water the cuttings, making sure the water drains freely.

Materials you need to propagate Jade plants in soil

To properly propagate Jade plants in the soil, you need a few materials.

• Sharp pruning shears or a good pair of scissors
• Dilute solution of alcohol or bleach
• Hormone Powder
• Planter pot with moist potting mix

Propagating Jade plant in soil

Propagating a Jade plant in soil is extremely similar to propagating in water. Repeat steps 1-5 from above and continue the following steps for propagating in the soil. 

1. Fill the bottom 1/3 of a planter pot with moist high-quality potting mix. Make sure your pot is at least 4-6 inches wide and has good drainage holes at the bottom. Tropical potting mix made with coco coir and perlite works well for propagating Jade plants. 
2. Place several cuttings into the planter pot. Usually, about three cuttings fit into a 4-inch wide planter, while five cuttings suit a 6-inch wide planter. The base of each cutting should be resting on the bed of potting mix.
3. Fill the rest of the planter with potting mix. Fill the remaining space surrounding the Jade cuttings, leaving around an inch of space at the top. Then, water the planter, making sure the water is draining well out of the bottom. Keep in mind, the soil may settle after watering, but this is entirely normal. 
4. Move the planter to a location with bright indirect light that is not too close to the cuttings to avoid foliage burn.
5. Monitor the plant every few days, watering before the soil becomes too dry. Jade cuttings grow best in slightly moist, not soggy, or muddy soil.

Propagating Jade plant from leaves

Select a few healthy leaves from the plant and cut them off. Then, place the leaves in a potting mixture of half vermiculite or perlite and half soil. This mixture is well-draining and will not bog down the Jade plant’s roots. Water thoroughly once and then only as the plant starts to show roots. Overwatering can cause root rot, especially in dry plants like succulents.