Hey everyone, I need some advice for my jade tree. I got this plant 3 years ago and love it. It was being kept in an apartment where it was getting sufficient indirect light and i would occasionally take it outside on especially sunny days. I hardly ever water it (every 2-3 weeks once the soil is dry) and it was bushy, bright green, and budding all the time. I repotted it about 4-5 mos. ago and it was doing well. I recently moved though and now it's not looking so good. The only windows i have in my new apartment are north facing. I'm pretty sure it's not getting enough light. Some leaves are yellowish and fall off. It's now looking droopy and "pouty" and sparse. So sad. There aren't any bugs on it and watering habits haven't changed. I'm thinking that i need to get a light for it. I am new to indoor gardening and have no idea how to go about getting a lamp for this plant. Any recommendations? I also have some herbs that I would want to put under this lamp as well. What kinds of lamps should I look into? Where can i get them? How much do they normally cost? I'm really worried that my jade isn't going to make it so i'm anxious to get something asap. Any advice on any of this would be much appreciated!
jades don't like change and they will pout - as you're seeing. it will adjust to the lower light level - will take a few weeks tho. if you do want to add artificial lighting, go right ahead. plant grow lights come in tube (fluorescent) and cone (incandescent) form, so you are not limited to just using tube fixtures...you can easily use any lamp that you already have. i would suggest, if you decide to go with a regular lamp that it is the kind that has a flexible base - one that can be adjusted heightwise as well as angled from side to side. there are small tube fixtures available (12 inch) and that might work better if you are planning on having some other plants under the light as well as the jade. get a timer and mimic the natural light outside...i have my lights go on at dawn and off at dusk. in the winter, i reset the timer for the shorter days - i do leave the light on for about an extra hour tho (for part of the winter anyway).
Thanks for the advice! I was reading up a bit about it. I know that jades like lots of light, as well as herbs which I would like to have under the lamp as well, so do you think a full spectrum compact light would work or do i need a high intensity light for these plants? I would prefer to use an energy efficient light which is why i'm leaning away from incandescent lights. I'm very new to all of this stuff so thank for bearing with me!
http://homeharvest.com/lightingmain.htm One of many distributors of grow lights. There are many different styles for nearly every type of application and budget.
the jade does do better in bright/full light conditions. it WILL adjust to less tho, so i would base the lighting on the needs of whatever else you are planning on growing. high intensity tends to provide more heat and that may burn the herbs (and the jade also, if it's too close). i think you'll probably do better with one of the broad-spectrum bulbs.
