White spots on Jade plant happen mainly because of excessive salt and mineral presence in tap water. It can also occur due to mold and mildew growth or an insect infestation.
We will be diving deeper into why Jade Plants could have white spots and what the solutions are to free it from them, keep reading to know all about it.
Why Are White Spots On Jade Plants?
White spots would show on jade plant because of excess salt and mineral deposit from the hard water, being overwatered, spider mites, oedema, insect infestation, or because they are being over-fertilized, these would cause white spots.
– Excess Salt And Mineral Deposit
The main reason jade plants have whitish spots is their mineral deposit and salt, and basically it happens because of hard water. If your locality has hard water, it will come through the tap. When you use tap water to rinse the succulent, it will wreak the plant.
Remember that hard water has a high concentration of salt and mineral presence. It contains magnesium, calcium, sodium, and other minerals. As you keep using the hard water from the tap for the plant, the mineral deposits and salt will slowly accumulate on the plant. As a result, white dust will grow on the leaves.
Furthermore, the salt and minerals will deposit themselves in the soil. As the root of the succulent consumes water and nutrients from the soil, it will also consume the mineral and salt deposits. As a consequence, the minerals will come on the leaves and stems. You will, then, find white powdery spots on the entire tree.
– Mold And Mildew Growth
Many times, we keep the jade plant in low-light conditions indoors. When the plant receives low sunlight continuously, it becomes prone to fungal and bacterial attacks. Plus, improper ventilation also increases fungal growth due to dampness in the soil.
As the fungal disease becomes severe, powdery mold and mildew are seen on the jade. The problems become acute in winter and summer for multiple reasons. During winter, the plant receives low outdoor light and remains moist due to dampness. In summer, excessive humidity is responsible for dampness.
All these unforgettable aspects work together to help the powdery mildew form on the jade leaves. It results primarily because of inappropriate lighting and ventilation.
– Overwatering The Plant
Succulent plants thrive in desert-like conditions, as their root and leaves are designed to preserve water. So, you do not need to water them daily or thrice weekly. In fact, watering the succulent plants once a week is enough. Many gardeners will even water the succulents twice or thrice a month only to ensure proper watering.
Thus, when you overwater the plant, it will dampen the soil. The root of the jade will consume this extra water and preserve it. Finally, it will boost the fungal attack and cause mildew disease. It is much like mold growth.
– Overfertilizing The Plant
Jades are smaller succulent plants, and since it is tiny, it requires the least fertilization. Yet, most homeowners and gardeners would pour too much fertilizer into the pot in hopes for it to grow, causing the soil of the jades becomes over-fertilized. Ultimately, it works against the plant with a higher amount of minerals.
Remember that if you feed the plant too frequently or use excessive fertilizer than the suggested level, it becomes fatal for the tree. The additional fertilizer will increase minerals and salts in the soil. Ultimately, the tree will consume it and suffer from white spots.
– Spider Mites
Spider mites are commonly seen in many regions. These notorious mites will likely hide in the soil if your home has these notorious mites. These mites are red-colored and remain mainly in damp soil and when you don’t treat the mites for too long, they will start increasing in numbers.
As a result, the spider mites will develop webs in the succulent plant leaves. As the webs keep building on the leaves, they will develop spots, too. If you don’t treat the plants from spider mites, it may even kill the jades.
– Oedema
Odema is not the same as over-watering the plant, the key difference is that this case happens when the plant receives a heavy amount of water and absorbs and consumes them quickly. Thus, there will be an imbalance in the cells, and white spots will appear as the pressure of the water builds up in the cells.
The cells will fail to utilize the additional water. Overall, it will start rotting and develop white spots. It happens when you continuously overwater to help Oedema development.
– Insect Infestation
Another highly likely cause of white spots on jade plants is insect infestation. You may have heard that due to the succulent feature, jades will rarely infest with insects. Nonetheless, mealy bugs may still attack and infest the jades.
Mealybugs love the comfort they get on the succulent leaves. However, the mealybug isn’t going to cause the spots directly. Instead, the mealy bugs’ whitish appearance looks like white spots on the leaves. Furthermore, the bugs live on the juices of the leaves. Thus, they will soak the nutrients from the jade leaves.
As a result, the leaves will be left nutrient-less. It affects the tree’s health badly. In the worst scenario, the tree will die due to the mealy bug infestation.
Remember that jade plants are indoor plants. Overall, in indoor conditions, insects might not attach to it. The problem begins when you put the plant outdoors for sunlight occasionally. During this time, the mealy bugs can attack the leaves. Keep in mind that it is important for you to be careful while keeping the plant outdoors.
How to Fix White Spots on Jade Plants
You can fix white spots on the jade plants by cleaning the leaves and other parts that have white spots, stopping using hard water, using water-soluble fertilizer, ensuring proper ventilation, pruning, spraying fungicides, and you can even repot the plant.
– Clean The Leaves And Other Parts
Whenever you see white spots on the jade, you must clean it as soon as possible, as salt and mineral will accumulate on the leaves. It ultimately forms the whitish spots.
Use a wet cloth to wipe off the salts and minerals from the leaves. The cloth needs to be slightly wet. You must continue wiping the white and brown spots for a week. If it remains, the reason may be insect attack or over-fertilization, but as you clean you will get rid of them.
– Stop Using Hard Water
You have to stop using the hard water to help the succulent get rid of mineral and salt development on the leaves. Hence, instead of tap water, or distilled ones for plants, these types of water are lower in their mineral level. You can even use rainwater. In addition, you could even boil the water for a while and then use it after it cools down, or you could even use filtered water.
– Use Water Soluble Fertilizer
Succulent plants can thrive in extreme conditions, which means that they don’t need a higher amount of fertilization. It means that you shouldn’t use too many fertilizers for the jades. On average, fertilizing the trees once every three to four months is enough.
You need to fertilize the jades only once every three to four months. Plus, the amount of fertilization is limited. You can feed the plant twice every four months during the active growing season. Fertilizers such as water-soluble ones will suggest the fertilizer’s required amount, which you should follow.
– Ensure Proper Ventilation And Lighting
Another cause of white spots on the jades is inappropriate lighting. On average, jades require six hours of proper sunlight at least. It won’t have proper nutrients if it receives less than six hours of sunlight. The lack of nutrients makes it vulnerable to infest attacks and bugs.
Thus, we recommend you place the jades on the balcony during the daytime. It helps the tree to receive proper sunlight. During winter, you may keep it close to a 100W incandescent or halogen bulb. So, it mimics the natural sunlight to fool the succulent plant.
On top of it, you must provide proper ventilation for the plant, as it becomes vulnerable to spot fungal attacks if it is in a highly humid and closed location. Thus, we suggest you keep the jades in a cooler location with proper ventilation. In addition, you can place it close to a window, because it helps the plant receive maximum sunlight during the daytime and enjoy proper ventilation.
– Pruning
When you need to remove the fungal mildew powder from the jade leaves, you can trim and prune them. Pruning helps to eliminate the white spotted parts of the plant. It also boosts the natural growth of the succulent.
You can use a sharp knife or pruner for this purpose. The best time to prune a jade is right before its growth season. Usually, you can prune the jades before the summer season, as it helps the tree to grow faster and better.
Pruning won’t hurt the jades, either. It can grow large and so trimming it is helpful to maintain the perfect shape. Just make sure you use a sharp trimmer or pruner, so it doesn’t damage the leaves.
– Spraying Fungicide
Nothing will work except fungicide if the spot is caused by a fungal attack and powdery mildew disease. So, you need to spray proper fungicide on the jade plant. First, wipe the plant with a clean towel or cloth.
Now, spray fungicide on the leaves and other parts of it. It will remove the fungus from the leaves and keep the insects away. You need to continue spraying fungicide for several days to see any visible results.
You can use different fungicides such as sulfur, potassium, bicarbonate, and even Myclobutanil. Furthermore, you may also consider adding a fungicide to the soil. It will be helpful to remove mold and mildew from the sources.
– Repotting
Last but not least, you must report the jade plants. The soil may lose its integrity due to too much watering and hard water. When it happens, you will have to repot the plant. As you use a new pot, ensure it has a sound draining system to circulate the water properly, giving the plant a fresh and new environment.
Also, use fertilizer in the new pot properly. Finally, use recommended soil for succulents from reputed manufacturers.
FAQ
– What Is the Appearance of an Overwatered Jade?
When you overwater the jade, it will consume too much water. As a result, its leaves will become dull and yellowish. Eventually, the jade plant will shed off the rotten leaves and face a slow death. It also results in a brown spot on the Jade plant.
Conclusion
White spots on jade plants can be problematic for you. It destroys the look of the plant and causes its death, however, as we covered, here are some points to keep in mind:
- White spots can be the result of mold, spider mites, over-fertilization, hardy water, and insect infestation.
- Always maintain proper sunlight and ventilation for jades. It must receive at least six hours of natural sunlight for protection from white spots.
- If you live in a hard water region, try using distilled water for the plant. Hard water from taps will cause mineral and salt development on the leaves.
- Always use the fertilizer and food for the jades at the recommended level. Otherwise, it can damage the root and cause spots on leaves as a by-product.
- Keep the plant away from insects and bugs. You should inspect it regularly to see any pest infestation. If you see any infestation, you must treat it ASAP.
Following these suggestions and care guide, you can quickly eliminate white and other spots in your favorite jade plants. It will help you maintain the perfect interior look with green leaves for a rustic feel.
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