I've had my jade plant for many years now and love it for its low maintenance and sculptural foliage. To keep it looking its best, I always give my jade plant a quick check in August. Doing a few simple tasks this month keeps these plants healthy and prepare them for the incoming fall.

Growing a jade plant is straightforward and really, these succulents thrive on neglect. But, a little TLC in summer can go a long way. Hotter temperatures can cause a jade plant's plump leaves to shrivel, so it's important to keep on top of watering. You should also watch out for leaf burn in intense sunlight, and monitor for pests that love the current dry conditions.

All of these things apply to a large jade plant and jade bonsai tree (like this one I love from Amazon) alike, leaving your plant looking bright and glossy. Here, I talk through exactly what to do with a jade plant in August.

1. Water Deeply in Summer

When a jade plant is dehydrated, its iconic plump leaves (which store water) become wrinkled and turn limp. Jade plant leaves may even drop off and its stems can become brittle and break off.

This is one of the biggest risks in summer, where warmer temperatures are drying out the soil more quickly. That's why it's so important to keep on top of watering your jade plant in August.

I like to use the deep watering method to ensure my jade plant is sufficiently hydrated. This helps avoid overwatering, which can cause a jade plant to suffer from root rot.

I opt for this method over a self-watering planter (like this pretty set of green ones from Amazon) because jade plants need their soil to dry out in between watering. For this reason, I also use a soil moisture meter (like this one from Amazon) to monitor the soil before picking up my watering can.

2. Protect It from Scorching Sun

In August, there's still plenty of summer sun to enjoy. For jade plants, however, the intense afternoon sunlight can cause discoloration and sun burn.

In fact, too much sun exposure can cause your jade plant to turn red as a stress response. Though, native to southern Africa, these succulents thrive in 4-6 hours of bright light daily and enjoy a spot near a south-facing window.

You can use a sheer curtain (like this from Wayfair) to filter direct sunlight from your window and protect your plant.

Any jade plant leaves with leaf scorch won't turn green again, so it's best to snip them off with clean and sharp houseplant snips (like these from Amazon).

3. Monitor for Pests

Many common houseplant pests thrive in warm, dry summer conditions. For jade plants, spider mites, mealybugs, and scale insects are among the biggest culprits.

Damage includes dropping leaves, discoloration, distorted growth, and the general decline of your plant's health.

That's why it's important to regularly check your jade plant for pests. In particular, monitor the leaves and stem joints for clusters of white mealybugs, fine webbing of spider mites, and sooty mold or raised bumps for sap-sucking pests.

You should then take the necessary steps to get rid of spider mites on houseplants or the other pests you're dealing with. The first thing I always do is isolate pest-infested plants to ensure the problem doesn't spread to other houseplants.

Getting on top of pest problems early will give your plant the best chance. You can use diluted organic neem oil spray (available on Amazon) to make your houseplants less inhabitable to pests as a precaution.

Shop Our Jade Plant Edit

Another thing you can do this month is propagate your jade plant to multiply your houseplant collection for free. You can do this with stem cuttings, which can be taken using these houseplant snips on Amazon. Summer is a good time to do this, as the plant is in its active growth season and the warm, bright conditions encourage rooting.

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