Jade plant (Crassula ovata) is excellent succulent that many people chose to grow in their home. It is a lovely houseplant known for its rich foliage, but the leaves can sometimes lose their colour. This is a telling sign of the lack of nutrients, which means that your Jade Plant needs some fertilizing.

Why Use Homemade Fertilizer for Jade Plant?

Jade Plants can benefit a lot from nutrients, which means that they need some fertilizing to remain healthy. If the leaves start to lose their green color, it is a time to apply a fertilizer. However, there is an issue with many commercial fertilizers: they are simply too strong for this plant.

So, what to do? Jade Plants are sensitive and commercial fertilizers can easily burn them. This is why it's best to use homemade fertilizer for Jade Plant: it is the best way to protect your houseplant from damage.

Also, homemade fertilizers are a much cheaper option, so they can save your budget while keeping your plants strong and super healthy. The best of all: homemade fertilizers are very effective, so you are not losing anything by utilizing them instead of commercial fertilizers.

In general, you can see improvements in your plant after one or two rounds of fertilization. Depending on the fertilizing regime, it will take at least a few weeks, so you should be patient. Another thing to keep in mind is that homemade fertilizers are mild, so they might take mor time to show results than the stronger and harsher commercial fertilizers.

Whatever you do, resist the urge to overfeed your plant. Applying too much fertilizer, even a natural, organic and mild one, is not good for your plants. It can cause the opposite effect from desired, and it can cause problems to your plant's health.

How to Prepare a Homemade Fertilizer for Jade Plant

There are many homemade fertilizers you can use to make your Jade Plant healthy. Luckily, these are all quick and easy to prepare, so even beginner gardeners will be able to make them. Furthermore, most ingredients that you need are household items that you use in everyday life, so it's a great way to use them to prepare a homemade fertilizer for Jade plant.

Coffee Grounds

Coffee grounds are among the best homemade fertilizers. They can improve the growth of your Jade Plant, so you can use it whenever you need some good fertilizer. You can use coffee grounds simply by collecting them and drying them. To fertilize your plants, sprinkle the coffee grounds around the base of the plant. Another approach is to make a liquid fertilizer. Simply take equal amount of coffee and water to mix them or mix leftover coffee grounds with water. Once it is mixed, you can use this fertilizer to spray your Jade Plants.

Banana Peels

Banana peels are excellent homemade fertilizer for Jade Plant. They are rich in potassium and can provide your plant with added nutrients. It is very simple to make a banana peel fertilizer: collect the peels and cut them into small pieces. Place the pieces in a shallow container and add water. Make sure to place the container in a shaded spot for about 3 to 4 days. After this time, simply remove the peels from the water. Use the water for your Jade Plant once per week.

Eggshells

Eggshells are among the best fertilizers for Jade Plant because they contain a lot of calcium that your plant needs. Also, this is an excellent slow-release fertilizer option that you can use in your home. Simply collect eggshells and dry them. You can do it in the sun, or speed up the process by placing the eggshells in the oven. Once they are dried, grind them into a fine powder. Collect the powder and use periodically as a fertilizer for your plants. Simply sprinkle the powder over the surface of the soil and tap it gently.

Alternatively, you may also use crushed eggshells without grinding them into the powder, to use directly in the soil. This method is also effective, but it takes more time for eggshells to decompose. If using this approach, you can expect fertilizer to provide desired effects in about six months or so. This is a good approach if you need a slow-release fertilizer for your Jade Plants.

Green Tea

Green tea is another good choice for a homemade fertilizer for Jade Plant. You will need two bags of green tea and a gallon of water. Fill a bucked with water and hang tea bags in the water. You can secure the bags on the lid, so they don't fall completely in the water. It is not much of a trouble, but it can be difficult to take them out later. Once they are secured and fully dipped in the water, leave them like this for 3 to 4 days. After this, remove the bags and use water to fertilize your Jade Plants.

Epsom Salt

Epsom salt is another great fertilizer for Jade Plant. It is rich in magnesium and it's perfect for providing your plant with added strength. It is very easy to make: simply mix two tablespoons of Epsom salt with one gallon of water. You can use either tap water or filtered water for the purpose. The Epsom salt dissolves quickly, so you will have your Jade Plant fertilizer in a matter of minutes.

If you choose Epsom salt as a fertilizer, make sure not to overdo it. Too much Epsom salt will be potentially harmful, stunting the growth of your Jade Plant instead of improving it. Make sure to use Epsom salt once per month and not more often. Give your plant a watering with a mixture containing Epsom salt instead of regular watering.

Also, when watering, make sure not to get any of the mixture on the leaves. Epsom salt should only be used in the soil. This is the only way to get nutrients from this fertilizer mixture to your plants.

Photo credit: Travis Wiens