How to Care for an Indoor Jade Tree

Place your potted jade plant in the brightest and warmest location in the home. Near a south- or west-facing window that receives at least four hours of sunshine per day is ideal. Jade plants thrive with night temperatures between 50 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit and day temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees F.

Water your jade plant when the top inch of its soil is completely dry. Aim to completely soak the soil and allow excess water to drain away. Never allow your jade plant it sit in standing water as this can cause root rot. Reduce watering during the winter, providing just enough to stop the leaves from wrinkling.

Fertilize the jade with a liquid fertilizer formulated for succulents or a houseplant fertilizer diluted by 50 percent. Feed every three months during warm months but do not fertilize at all during the winter.

Repot your jade plant only when it becomes top heavy or the roots have displaced most of the soil in its pot. Use a pot one size larger than the original as too much soil can become water logged and cause rot. Plant in a mixture of four parts potting compost to one part sand or perlite. Do not fertilize repotted plants for at least four months.

Propagate jade plants by removing branches and allowing them to dry for a week. Plant these an inch deep in free-draining compost and place them in a warm, bright location until new growth appears. Individual leaves buried an inch deep in moist compost or sand sprout new plants provided they are planted with their tips pointing upwards.