how on earth does one prune a jade plant so that the trunks will get nice and sturdy??? bringing all of mine in for the winter, and they did well, but would like fatter trunks. appreciate any suggestions. lee h
More light, less water. They seem to get top heavy othewise.. Mebbe pinch groiwng tips out? // Jim
Pruning will not make the trunk "nice and sturdy".
You will need to stake the stems to compensate for the poor growth.
Giving the plants plenty of light, less fertilizer and sparse watering, that is called growing the plant "hard", will encourage more compact growth and stouter sturdier stems.
Too late for that this year if you need to bring them in for the winter.
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thanks! i have placed one of them in a south window for the time being to allow it to get used to being indoors, then i will put it in the garage which will be quite cool this winter. then as you suggest, will prune this coming spring. one of them i have already put in garage. it is over 25 years old, has about 5 plants in the one pot but have gotten a bit top heavy, even though the trunks have put on some 'fat' this past summer outside. not as much as i would like, though. in the past i have been terribly neglectful of it and it is sinful to do so, but that blessed plant is truly a survivor! i have promised myself to be more thoughtful of it.. trouble is, i never knew how to be thoughtful of it... :) it just kind of, like so many children, just grew up on its own! thanks again.. lee h p.s. i have so many babies off that old plant that i don't know what to do with them, 'cept give them to any one who walks in! can't stand to throw them in compost and run out of space in the garage!
thanks Cereoid.. i will try to do that. i already have the one that is in the garage that is so top heavy staked.. about 5 trunks i think.. it is the old momma plant but i have neglected it so much it would't even be alive if it weren't a real surviver. i am ashamed how i have neglected it. but mostly it is/was because i am so ignorant of its needs and guilty of not taking time to attend it properly. between you and Ingrid, perhaps i can do better. thanks again... lee h
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