Why is my jade plant turning yellow?

Is your jade plant not looking it’s best? Here are the top causes of a jade plant turning yellow and how to fix it!

Jade plant, also known as the lucky plant or money tree, has always been considered the perfect addition to any home because it doesn’t require much maintenance.

You can add it both indoors and outdoors and give your space the much-needed greenery.

But, as with any other plant, it is normal that you face an obstacle or two while you take care of it.

There can be a vast array of reasons why your jade plant is turning yellow. Since this is an easy tree when it comes to taking care of it, all it takes is a little bit of investigating and you’ll get to the bottom of the issue.

Commonly known as a resilient plant, coming face to face with a problem means making sure you get to the bottom of it and do it fast.

Why is my jade plant turning yellow?

There are many reasons why you notice yellow leaves on your jade plant. We are taking a look at some of the most common ones today.

Watering issue

Giving your money tree too much water is not a good course of action. Since they are a part of the succulent family, they do not need a ton of water to survive.

They tend to grow during the summer months, so think about watering them about once a week. You can even go a full month without watering, and they’ll do perfectly fine.

On another note, if you add too much water, then you might encourage the development of some issues, ranging from roots to leaves problems.

Think about disease

As with any other plant, you might risk your jade getting some kind of disease. In this case, we are talking about powdery mildew.

This type of mildew can affect any houseplant, including jade. It tends to become noticeable on the lower leaves but can also spread higher.

Pests are a challenge, too

The most common pests you can encounter when it comes are the mealy bugs. They lay eggs almost immediately, and once they hatch, you end up dealing with a serious infestation.

What these do is they suck out the liquid from the leaves, making them become yellow and fall off.

Other than the mealy bugs, you may also find scales, spider mites, and so on. These are one of the main reasons why jade plant leaves are turning yellow.

Check your fertilizer

Your jade plant needs to get all the nutrients you can give it, but the key to using fertilizer is the quantity.

If your plant is still growing or doesn’t get enough light, adding a little fertilizer every other week is okay.

But, other than that, you have no reason to over-fertilize it. Most of them don’t need fertilizer more than twice during the off-season.

Control the room

Fully controlling the environment makes up for better thriving conditions. Keep in mind that you need to keep the plant at a comfortable temperature if you don’t want its leaves to turn yellow.

Also, jade needs some special winter care. Definitely keep it inside instead of leaving it outside. If you leave it outdoors and unattended, the chances of it withering away are high. 

Fix the light

While we are on the subject of temperature control, we should also mention the lighting issues. The jade plant needs plenty of light to thrive.

The usual cause of yellow leaves on jade plant is too much sunshine. However, in some cases, this can result from the plant not getting enough light in the first place.

As it ages, it even needs some direct sunlight. When it comes to its lighting requirements, make sure to offer it a combination of direct and indirect light. 

Old age

As years go by, the leaves of your jade plant may turn yellow and fall off. This is not always a cause for concern.

As it ages, the leaves get old and are not as healthy. They fall off naturally to give room for some new leaves to grow.

In this case, you don’t need to do anything about it since it is a natural process.

How to fix yellowing jade plants

There is always a way to treat the problem of a jade plant turning yellow. Depending on the cause, you may need to take some small or drastic steps.

Either way, we are pretty sure that you can fix this!

Here is how to tend to your plant and nurse it back to health.

Flexible care

Yellow leaves on jade plants sometimes mean you need to make small or large adjustments to your care. If you notice that the leaves are dry and crisp, you need to amp up the water supply. If the leaves are wet or squishy, lower the amount of water it gets.

Think temperature

As we mentioned already, observe how your plant reacts in different environments and various temperatures. Your plant thriving is a tell-tale sign that you’re doing it good in terms of temperature.

Fertilizer

Changing the frequency of applying fertilizer to your jade tree can make all the difference.

This is an easy fix, and you will notice how the wilting plant will regain its strength again.

Re-poting is key

If you have noticed that too many jade plant leaves are turning yellow, the best course of action may be to re-pot it.

Either remove all the affected leaves and transplant the jade tree into a new pot or cut off a healthy section and grow it from scratch.

Location

Choosing the perfect location is important if you want to prevent the jade plant from turning yellow. Give it enough light, but make sure to keep it out of direct sunlight the entire time.

Caring for your jade tree can sometimes feel like a lot of work. However, in this case, we are hoping that we have given you enough information to prevent your jade plant from turning yellow.

If you want to get some more info about it, download our free PDF jade plant care guide.

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