I have a Jade plant that's getting quite tall and leggy. Can I pinch off new growth at the top like I do with most of my other houseplants to encourage it to bush out? Also, while cleaning out my freezer, I found some seeds from a Money plant that my MIL had given me two years ago. I had put them in the freezer knowing that they needed a freeze before they would germinate, but...is two years too long? Can I plant them now and maybe get some results?? Thanks, folks!!

-- Anonymous, May 20, 2002

Answers

Hi Marcia!

Hmm. Seems to me that you can pinch a jade plant quite a bit; maybe even re-root the "pinchings". It's been a while since I had one, though.

If you figure out how to get a money plant to grow money...be sure to tell us!

-- Anonymous, May 20, 2002

Yes, you can encourage branching by pinching out the Jade. If you cut it back some to, say, half the height, it will start to put out side shoots from leaf junctions in short order. If you take the parts you cut off, let them dry for a day or two, and then stick them into potting soil, they root readily, just as SHeepish mentioned.

Money Plant...give it a try. Many seeds are fine for years and years. The more weed-like the plant, the longer the seed seems viable, even under extreme conditions (like ripping up hundred year old roads and the weed seeds under them promptly germinating).

-- Anonymous, May 21, 2002

Hey...I didn't know that jade plants could be started from cuttings! I'm gonna try that...thanks!

I just potted up some of the money plant seeds so I'll see what grows. I'll let ya know, Sheepish, if it sprouts money :-)!! My granddaughter was helping me and she asked what kind of a plant would grow from the seeds. When I told her it was called a money plant, she asked if money grow on the roots!! When I said no, she then asked if it would grow credit cards instead. Heck...I didn't even know what a credit card was when I was her age!!!

-- Anonymous, May 21, 2002

I take issue with "pinching" out a jade plant. They can be cut back, yes, but pinching crushes the tissue. Not good. The best tools are a single-edge razor blade or an Exacto knife. Next best is a very sharp, thin-bladed paring knife. Cut just above one of the "nodes" in the stem. Usually, the plant will put out new growth at this site (and further down the stem), so I recommend cutting it shorter than you want it ultimately to be.

With the resulting cuttings, you want to trim the stem to just below a node. If they are long and bare, I would cut out that part leaving just the top with the leaves and a stem of about 2-3 inches. Let the cuttings sit out somewhere to develop a callous on the end. Keep them out of the sun and out of the attentions of kitties (ask me how I know). It doesn't matter if the get some light, but if you're trying to keep them away from the kitties, you can put them in a closed cupboard.

After 3-5 days (or even longer if you forget them, even if they're getting wrinkled and dehydrated looking -- again, ask me how I know!), prepare a rooting or potting medium for them. If you have lots of them and/or are in a hurry at this time, choose something shallow with lots of surface area. If you're just rooting them, you can even use pure sand, but a mix of cactus soil and regular potting soil seems to work best for long term growing. Dampen whatever soil, poke a hole in it (use something like a chopstick or dowel or twig), insert stem of cutting and firm soil around it. If you are just rooting them, you can dig them out and pot them up later. You can even develop a new plant from one leaf -- carefully peel the leaf (big ones work best) from the stem, push the base of the leaf ever so slightly into soil, and let it go to town.

If your plant is getting leggy, it probably isn't getting enough sun. Give it more, if you can, but do it gradually because they CAN sunburn. Also, they don't need fertilizing. With an older plant, you can try to shake out any loose soil, the fill back in with new soil mix. This gives it new nutrients without overfeeding.

-- Anonymous, May 21, 2002

Marcia, is the "money plant" a moneywort? (wort = plant)

-- Anonymous, May 21, 2002

joj...I think that "moneywort" is a type of herb. Maybe someone else knows more about it. I do know that moneywort can spread and become invasive. A money plant (or Honesty plant) is a plant used in dried floral arrangements. When dried, it has decorative silvery seed pods about the size of a half dollar...unfortunately not real :-)!!!

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2002

Oh, my sister is getting Uppity again!

Okay, so when I said 'pinch', I was actually envisioning breaking it off, since they snap so easily. 'Pinching out' is a common term, used whether you use fingernails as a scissors, an actual scissors, or half a scissors (knife); all depending on the plant to be cut.

There. Happy now?

You can also start even the leaves into new plants. If leaves get knocked off, or if you just want to start a new plant from one, SNAPPING OFF a leaf, you can take potting soil and stick the leaf with the surface that came off the parent plant under the soil. Keep if watered from time to time, but on the dry side, and it will start to put up a tiny new plant from the leaf ( or several) after a few weeks.

African violets can be started from leaves as well, and so can Rex begonias, sanseveria (Mother-in-Laws Tongue, or Bowstring Hemp, and several members of the kalanchoe family. To name a few.

-- Anonymous, May 23, 2002

Thanks, Julie! I was quite surprised to see your response come through to my email...I didn't know Lusenet was back online!!

I've started African violets from leaves before, and I'm planning on trying it with this jade plant. Ten years ago when my grandmother died, she had a jade plant that was three feet tall and about four feet wide!! My goal is to some day have a plant half that size :-)!!!!

-- Anonymous, May 23, 2002

OK, Marcia, now I think you're talking about a plant we call a "silver dollar" plant. They are way cool, and grow like weeds around here. I too, wish they were real dollars. (apparently they get bigger here, as they really are about the size of a silver dollar)

I'll bet the frozen seeds will sprout; at least it won't hurt to give it a try.

If it doesn't work, do you want me to mail you some seeds?

-- Anonymous, May 28, 2002

joj...I potted up some seeds the same day I posted this question and so far no sprouting has occurred! Maybe these seeds are just too old!? Sounds like your "silver dollar" plant might be the same plant. I might take you up on your offer!! Thanks.

-- Anonymous, May 28, 2002

Just HAD to tell you all that some of my money plant seeds are sprouting!!!!! Guess I'll go ahead and plant the rest in my new perennial/herb garden. And to think that I almost threw them away!!

-- Anonymous, June 08, 2002