What Your Jade Plant Needs in November to Keep Its Leaves Glossy and Healthy Through Winter
It's time to help these staple houseplants transition into the winter season
November calls for a serious shift in houseplant care, with cooler temps and less daylight hours to battle with. For the likes of jade plants in particular, watering and relocating are crucial in helping these succulents transition into winter.
Generally speaking, jade plant care is super straightforward and these plants thrive with less attention. This is even more true in fall and winter, where less water will prevent issues like root rot. Although, they do need to be placed somewhere with brighter light and warmth to support growth and keep them healthy through to spring.
I find quite a few things in my houseplant care kit can help with ticking off essential tasks this month, including my Amazon soil moisture meter. Here's exactly what to do with a jade plant in November
1. Water Once a Month
When it comes to watering a jade plant, approach it the same as other succulents. These plants store water in their fleshy foliage, so they can be left to dry out in between watering.
That's why you should pull back on watering this month and over winter, really only needing to top it up every 4-6 weeks. More frequently than this can risk root rot as cooler temperatures mean the soil stays wet for longer.
The best thing to do is always check the soil before watering. I like to use a soil moisture meter (like this from Walmart) which will identify when it's time to top up your plant's water level.
2. Relocate to Somewhere Brighter
Jade plants thrive best in 4-6 hours of bright, indirect sunlight, but this is harder to achieve indoors during fall. That's why November calls for relocating your jade plant to a brighter spot in your home.
A windowsill that gets lots of fall sunlight is ideal, providing as much natural light exposure as possible for your jade plant. In summer, this may turn your jade plant red from stress, but in fall and winter it ensures they have sufficient light.
Leaving your jade plant in a lower light position can cause houseplants to grow leggy and weak. If needed, you can use a grow light (like this from Amazon) to provide supplemental lighting.
3. Keep Away from Drafts
Jade plants are not very tolerate of cold temperatures, so it's important to be aware of cold drafts this season. Leaving your jade plant in the path of draft and fluctuating temps can result in leaf drop, shriveling, and mushy foliage.
Ideally, 65-75°F is the optimal range for your jade plant indoors during winter, but you should most importantly avoid 50°F and below. A room thermometer from Walmart can help monitor this.
If needed, a seedling heat mat (available from Amazon) can be used to keep your jade plant warm. Other methods to keep houseplants warm in winter include wrapping pots with a breathable material, like this burlap from Amazon.
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Other fall houseplant care tasks to keep in mind for your jade plant in November include holding back on fertilizer and regularly checking for pests, especially on the undersides of leaves where they hide.
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