Several years ago I got a tiny Jade start from Becky. (How many years has it been?) For the longest time (years!) it hardly changed at all. Finally it started to grow steadily, branching out and becoming quite lovely. The plant received only minimal water and very little fertilizer while it grew. It became top heavy after a while, so I tied a ribbon onto the main stem and attached it to a curtain rod above it. Last summer my Jade got to spend the summer outside on the deck for the first time. It was quite happy and not only continued growing, but developed a pink blush on the tips of the leaves. On the deck it received a little rain, along with the ocassional watering by hand, but mostly just the standard neglect it was used to.
We moved, and in the fall the plant came inside again, and was strong enough to stand without any support. I watered every few weeks. It received compliments from other plant lovers for it's health and vigor.
A few weeks ago I put the plant outside again. One day I was horror struck to see that the entire plant, stems and branches, had bent over almost double, reaching tiredly downward to the ground! After some thought I think I know the what the problem was. I had placed the plant where it received the benefit of the automatic sprinklers, and it soon became so waterlogged that it could not support it's own bulk.
Luckily, the branches did not break. They just kind of "melted". I decided to try and save the plant by relocating it to a dryer area, and supported all the branches with bungee cords attached to an iron pole. I'm hoping it will dry out and become stiff enough to support it's own weight again.
It looks a little funny suspended with bungee cords, but I don't care. I can't give up on a plant that has been around for such a long time. From now on, however, I will know that it thrives on neglect, and be careful not to pamper it too much. :)
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