Tried every care routine but can’t seem to revive it? Here’s How a Spoon of Yogurt Can Save a Dying Jade Plant!
One of the easiest plants to care for, Crassula ovata is unsurprisingly a favorite of gardening enthusiasts. Although generally hardy, it can suffer from issues like overwatering, pests, or nutrient deficiencies, which can lead to yellowing, browning, or mushy leaves. Apart from that, when grown in the same soil for too long, its growth is restricted!
If that’s the case with yours and you’re looking for an easy solution, then try adding a spoonful of yogurt to save your dying jade plant.
The First Steps
This succulent needs bright, indirect sunlight and watering when the top inch or two of the soil turns dry. Jade plants also like to be fertilized with a diluted liquid fertilizer every two months during the growing season or more frequently.
If you have met all of these care requirements, yet your jade plant looks like it’s missing something, it’s time to whip out the yogurt!
How a Spoon of Yogurt Can Save a Dying Jade Plant
Yogurt is a probiotic that helps balance the microbiome in our stomachs. This action extends to plants, too, as probiotics can help plants access nutrients in the soil by making them more soluble!
So, how does plain yogurt become a surprisingly effective remedy in the garden? It’s a source of calcium (450 mg per cup) and probiotics (90 billion to 500 billion CFUs per cup), essential for plant health.
If you have noticed yellowing leaves or slower growth in your jade due to poor compact soil, it could be due to two reasons–One that the soil is old and needs replenishing, two it is likely due to alkaline soil, as Jade plants prefer slightly acidic to neutral soil with a pH range of around 5.5 to 7.0.
The probiotic in yogurt improves soil quality, and it also contains lactic acid bacteria, which can help lower the pH slightly, making the soil more acidic. This mild acidification means better nutrient availability for the jade plant.
Note: However, if the soil is already within the ideal pH range or is too acidic, adding yogurt regularly could further lower the pH, harming the plant. You can check it with this simple test at home.
How to Use it
There are two ways to use yogurt for your jade plant: Either spread a spoonful of yogurt around the base of your Crassula or dilute a small amount (about 1-2 teaspoons of plain, unsweetened yogurt) in a liter of water and apply it to the soil.
This solution should be used sparingly—once every 4-6 weeks—to avoid over-acidifying the soil or encouraging unwanted microbial growth.
Pro Tip: Avoid flavored or sweetened yogurt, which can harm the plant.
Avoid doing it if…Yogurt can exacerbate issues in soggy soils by promoting anaerobic microbial activity, which can harm plant roots. So, do not use this yogurt remedy if your jade plant is dying due to overwatering issues. In such cases, here’s how to save it.
Let us know how it goes in the comments below!
