Most people know that watering a plant is important for its health, but many people don’t know when to water their plants or how to tell if their plants are getting enough water. This article will outline four main signs of an underwatered jade plant, as well as tips on how to save your Crassula plants, and how to remember to water it regularly!
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4 Easy To See Signs of an Underwatered Jade Plant
There are quite a few signs your jade plant is under-watered, but these 4 are the easiest to see that your jade plant isn’t getting enough water!
One common issue with jade plants is a lot of the signs of an underwatered jade plant are the same as an overwatered plant, so these are ones that are primarily about being underwatered!
Dry Soil
One of the most common and easiest to see signs that your jade plant needs water is dry soil. If the top couple inches of the potting mix or soil is dry to the touch, it’s time to water your jade plant!
While this isn’t exactly something you can see, it’s one of the best things to check to see if your plant needs to be watered.
Before watering when you see any of the signs listed below, make sure to feel the soil to ensure it is actually underwatered!
Wrinkled Underwatered Jade Plant Leaves
Another common sign of an underwatered jade plant is that the leaves are wrinkled. This is caused by the lack of water making the leaves to lose their rigidity and plumpness. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s not ideal for the plant and if left unchecked, could lead to long-term damage.
To check if your jade plant’s leaves are wrinkled, simply feel them! If they’re soft and/or wrinkled, that’s a sign that your jade needs water.
Drooping Leaves That Are Falling Off
Along the same lines as wrinkled leaves, if the leaves are drooping or falling off, that’s a pretty sure sign your jade plant is underwatered.
This is generally a more severe sign than wrinkled leaves and if you see this, you’ll want to water your jade plant as soon as possible!
(If the leaves look healthy, you can always try to propagate a new jade plant from a leaf!)
Browning Leaves
The final sign we’ll cover is browning leaves. They could initially start off as a reddish color. While this could be a sign of other issues (like sunburn), if you’re seeing the leaves on your jade plant turning brown and/or crispy, it’s likely a sign of an underwatered plant. This is a common sign of underwatering for most plants.
You may also see aerial roots starting to grow on your jade too.
Long Term Effects of Underwatered Jade Plants: Stunted Growth
One of the more long-term effects of not watering your jade plant enough is stunted growth. If the plant isn’t getting enough water, it won’t be able to grow as large or as full as it could if it was getting the proper amount of water.
This is generally a pretty slow process and you might not notice it until your jade plant is several months or even a year old, but it’s still something to keep in mind! And why it’s good to catch an underwatered jade plant quickly!
Underwatered vs Overwatered Jade Plant
As said above, there are a lot of crossover signs of an overwatered or underwatered plant. Part of this is because if it’s a severely overwatered plant, the roots will have rotted and water isn’t able to get up to the leaves.
While there are a lot of signs that are similar in overwatered and underwatered jade plants, here are the three that are very similar:
- Wrinkled Leaves – This is a sign of both underwatered and overwatered jade plants, but is more common in underwatered.
- Drooping & Falling Off Leaves – This is another sign that’s common in both overwatered and underwatered plants, but is generally more severe in an underwatered plant. Although, if the leaves are turning black and falling off, that’s a symptom of overwatering (and rotting).
- Yellowing Leaves – This one is a little more tricky to determine as it could be a sign of other things (such as too much sun), but if you’re seeing yellowing and wrinkling/drooping, it’s likely an issue with watering.
The best thing to do if you’re unsure is to just feel the soil! That’ll give you your answer pretty immediately.
How To Save Your Under Watered Jade Plant
Now that we’ve gone over the signs of an underwatered jade plant, it’s time to talk about how to save your plant! If you think your jade plant is underwatered, the first thing you’ll want to do is check the soil.
As we mentioned before, one of the best ways to tell if a plant is underwatered is to feel the soil. If it’s dry several inches down, that’s a pretty good indication that your plant needs water.
Once you’ve determined that your plant does need water, the next step is to actually give it water! When watering your jade plant, make sure to do it slowly and evenly so that the water has a chance to actually reach the roots. If you’ve got it in a planter with drainage holes, try bottom watering.
Otherwise, you may want to gently water it and then come back in an hour or two and gently water again.
If you’re having issues keeping up with watering your jade plant, like you’ve just watered it but it’s already dry and underwatered, try moving it to a bigger pot with better soil.
Regularly Watering Your Jade Plant
One of the best things to remember with a jade plant is that, even though it is a succulent and may need less water than some of your other house plants, it still needs to be watered regularly!
And when it’s watered depends on where it’s located, and how hot the days are. During summer you’ll want to water more often than in the winter. You could go from watering (an indoor jade plant) once a month during winter to once a week in the summer.
Jade plants are hardy succulents that can survive in a wide range of conditions, but they still need water to thrive! If you see any of these signs in your jade plant, make sure to water it as soon as possible. And if you’re having trouble remembering to water your plants, try one of these tips:
– Set a reminder on your phone or plan to water all of your plants a certain day each week. Stick your finger in the soil up to the first knuckle. If it’s dry, it’s time to water!
– Check the leaves of your jade plant. If they’re looking a little wrinkled, that’s a sign that it needs water.
– Put your jade plant in a place where you’ll see it often so that you remember to water it regularly!
Final Thoughts
We hope this article was helpful in teaching you how to care for your underwatered jade plant! If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below. And be sure to check out our other articles on jade plant care!
Jade plants are beautiful, hardy succulents that make a great addition to any home. But like all plants, they need the right amount of water to thrive. If you think your jade plant is underwatered, be sure to check the soil and leaves for signs of stress.
And if you’re having trouble remembering to water your plants, try setting a reminder or placing them in a spot where you’ll see them often. With a little care, your underwatered jade plant will be healthy and happy!
