It’s rare to admit that after SO MANY years of killing numerous plants (mostly by accident) that I have become a green thumb and actually enjoy gardening. #adulting. After moving into our home roughly 9 years ago I decided to decorate and furnish the inside of our home with desert botanicals. A few months later, my cacti, aloe and basil plant were all dead. Shockingly, gardening in AZ is a lot harder with a drier climate and less water. But I would not be deterred. After several Google lessons on gardening and growing indoor plants, I decided to try again. My next projects were a fiddle leaf fig, an aloe plant, and a jade plant.
Years later, I’m happy to report, those plants are THRIVING and taking care of those plants is a happy part of my weekly schedule. While it’s a small act to make, I do believe planting ANYTHING contributes to a better global environment. The plants do their part to clean the air and make a small corner of my home look hip & trendy, and in return I make sure they grow & live. Seems like a pretty good exchange from my point of view. If you have ever wanted to grow a jade plant, let me tell you that they are some of the hardiest types of plants to keep.
The jade plant grows well with indirect light, little water (7-14 days between watering) and cacti potting soil. In between, you will find that if you keep up with its relatively low maintenance, it will grow and become very large. This past year my lowly little jade grew into a beautiful leggy succulent. So much growth happened on that little jade plant that the new growth was starting to weigh down the main stem. I knew what had to be done…I had to learn how to propagate.
Propagation of any plant is a really unique skill set to learn. Many botanists use this technique to gift or grow new plants from their existing ones. I’ve also heard this is a great side hustle for those who know how to propagate plants and then sell the stem cuttings for big bucks. While I’m not yet ready to quit my day job over this, I will tell you that it’s relatively easy and anyone (even YOU) can do it. I started with a clean pair of shears and read up on how much to “cut” back on the main stem. 10 minutes later, I had a beautiful, refreshed main jade plant and several saplings.
Several weeks later my main plant is thriving with a hardier stock and my saplings have sprouted new growth. I plan on giving away those saplings as Easter gifts to family and friends. Most of all I look forward to sharing my experience with these plants to spread the word about gardening. Even with a few dead plants under my belt, the world is a better place knowing I can keep plants and share my garden with others.
