Jade plant is one of the succulents that can grow big and tall. This isn’t that common for most succulents, and may lead to problems other succulent plants do not suffer from. Such as that your plant starts falling over. But what are the possible causes, and how can you make sure your plant will survive?
To start with, there isn’t one cause only. On the contrary, possible reasons range from over-watering and inappropriate soil selection to excessive fertilization, lack of sunlight, or your plant simply being too big. Good news is that once you identify the problem, you can always address it quite easily. Let’s have a look at all these issues.
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Jade plant falling over because it is over-watered
Succulents are native to semi-desert areas. They can tolerate drought. Their stems and leaves store water that makes them resilient to extreme environmental conditions. However, this strength can also be their weakness. Jade plants are prone to over-watering. Like other succulent plants, too much water can harm them.
Root rot–caused exactly by over-watering, can be one of the reasons why a jade plant is falling over. If you think it can be the case, look at the roots. If they are brown, soft, have a bad smell, than almost certainly this is an issue. Another symptom of over-watering is a mushy stem. It actually indicates severe over-watering, and in such a case you need to act quickly.
What you need to do is to replace the over-watered soil and repot the plant. But before you do that, make sure that you remove the affected roots or stems. Prepare a dry appropriate soil (just like this one, my favorite on Amazon, a soil I have only good experiences with) and repot the jade plant. Unfortunately, over-watered jade plants are harder to save than the under-watered ones. In severe cases you may not be able to save them. The roots have rotten to a huge degree, the plant is falling over (since the roots cannot support it any longer), and you may end up having to get a new plant…
Under-watering can be the cause especially during summer
Another reason why the jade plant falls over is actually lack of water. Although jade plants do not need much water, they will not grow well when lacking it. Your job as a grower is to find the right balance here. You do not want to overwater or underwater your jade plant.
This means that you should develop an appropriate watering schedule. There are many theories on this. But the best watering strategy that works well for my plants is the soak and dry method. When watering, the soil should be completely soaked, then you should allow the excess water to drain (it is important to have a right pot, one with drainage hole, designed especially for succulents).
Before watering again, make sure that the soil is already dry. I like to stick my finger into the soil and see if it is still moist. Only when I see it is completely dry will I water the jade plant again. In summer, normally I frequently give water to my jade plants. This is because the moisture in the soil dries faster than in the colder season. Make sure to keep it on your mind, especially if your jade plant starts falling over in summer.
* May also interest you: How to take care of jade plant during rainy season.
Inappropriate soil can lead to jade plant falling over
Because succulents are accustomed to the soil in semi-desert areas, you should give them similar soil at your home or garden. An inappropriate type of soil can be a reason why a jade plant falls over.
This usually happens when you use soil that does absorb and retain too much moisture. This causes serious problems in jade plants. The problem is that the issue is sometimes nearly unnoticeable. It lingers and lingers, until you eventually notice there’s something wrong and sometimes it can be too late to take action.
The key here is to ensure that your jade plants are planted in fast-draining soil (check my recommended fast-draining soil on Amazon). With this type of soil, you do not have to worry about over-watering, and other issues it may cause.
Jade plant lacking sunlight may also fall over
Jade plants need sunlight, at least if you want them thrive and not merely survive. Jade plants growing indoors can offer suffer from lack of sun. Their stems become thinner and weaker while their leaves become heavier. As a result, they fall over.
In order to solve then problem, you have to provide a good light source to the plant. But before you give the jade plant more sunlight exposure, make sure to remove the affected areas first. Prune the weak stems and retain the healthy ones.
However, giving more exposure to sunlight does not mean that you place the plant in the direct sunlight. Hot sun rays can also cause sunburn. Jade plants tend to shrivel if placed under hot direct sunlight for too long. The ideal exposure is in the morning for about 4-6 hours. The mild temperature is perfect for jade plants. In the afternoon, place the jade plant in the shade to keep them safe from the scourging sunlight.
Related: Sunburned Jade Plant: Causes and Treatments
Low temperatures can also harm your plants
Jade plants do not like low temperatures. If exposed to cold temperatures for too long, jade plants tend to fall over. Some succulents are cold-tolerant, but jade plants cannot thrive well in a cold climate. If they are placed in a cold environment, make sure that the temperature is not lower than 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
In winter, I recommend you to provide heat for jade plants. You can use grow light (click here to see my recommended grow light on Amazon, * this is an affiliate link and if you decide to get the light I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, thank you 🙂). It will help them survive cold temperatures, and stay healthy until the spring returns again in full force.
The jade plants need to have an appropriate temperature. Find a perfect place for your plants, the right balance.
Excessive fertilization can be an issue here
Fertilizer can provide extra nutrients to your plants. However, they do not need as much as other plants do. You do not need to fertilize them as often as you’d do plants in your garden for example.
The only time that you give fertilizer is during the summer or spring. During winter where almost all succulents are dormant, it makes no sense fertilizing them, and it can actually kill them, burning their roots. Once the roots burn, there’s no structure to hold the plant upright, it gets too heavy, and starts falling over.
Repot only when necessary
The last common reason why jade plants may start falling over is constant repotting. In my experience, jade plants do not like to be moved from one place too another. Repot them only if really necessary, if the existing pot is really too small for them.
It takes some time until they establish their rooting system in a new pot. And if you move them from one pot to another too often, they will simply struggle with both nutrients and balance, and will fall over. I know that you enjoy caring for your plants, trying your best for them. But remember that at times leaving the plants as they are is the best things you can do for them…
Final Thoughts
Jade plant may be falling over from a variety of reasons. And while the apparent reason is always the same–the plant is simply too heavy, this is rarely the real cause of the problem.
If the plant is too heavy for its roots, it either means that there’s too much water in the stems (and you over-watered your plant), or the root system is too weak to hold it straight (it rot from too much water or burned from excessive fertilization, or it isn’t stable because you repotted it recently), or that one of the other problems occurred, just as I described them in this article. Identify the issue, address it, and save your jade plant. I wish you good luck!
* May also interest you: Jade plant leaves turning purple. What does it mean?
FAQ
Q: How do you save a droopy jade plant?
A: If you see a droopy jade plant, it means that it is thirsty and needs water. The only way to save the droopy jade plant is by hydrating the plant. But do it gradually and do not flood the pot with water. It may only shock the plant.
Q: Do jade plants like to be misted?
A: I do not recommend misting jade plants. Like most succulent plants, misting may not work well in them. Soaking the soil is much better.
Q: Can jade plants survive without sunlight?
A: The Jade plant is a succulent plant. This means that it needs sunlight. In the absence of sunlight, jade plants may develop problems and will die in the long run. In the best possible scenario they will survive, but will never reach their full beauty…
