CRASSULA OVATA IN AN UNHEATED GARDEN ROOM

In the early spring of 2016 I bought and tried to grow a Crassula ovata sometimes known as a Jade or Money Tree/Plant.  I failed miserably.  So did the plant.  It was not happy in my home and I never could work out whether I was not watering it enough, watering it too much, if it was too hot, too cold, not enough light, whatever.  It kept drooping and after a long while of pandering to it, I chucked it onto the garden and chopped it into the soil.  Done with that!  This year, in July, I bought another (after all, in a previous garden in the 1980s, I had grown a magnificent one in the conservatory) and by that time I had my new but unheated garden room built and wondered if a Crassula ovata might fare better there.  It has.  It has almost doubled its number of leaves since buying it. 

Crassula ovata - 01 October 2017

The label says: Crassula ovata (Money Plant) prefers a light position with temperatures of between 5C to 27C.  It must be kept moist with less water in winter.  It likes a monthly liquid feed when in active growth and should only be repotted when essential using a general purpose compost.

Crassula ovata - 01 October 2017

Since buying my plant in July, I have repotted it into a John Innis soil-based compost.  That allows for easy drainage and also gave this plant, which can be rather top-heavy, some weight at the base.  It seems happy in the unheated garden room which, according to the temperature monitor, has achieved since June temperatures ranging between 8C and 31C.  I keep it on the ground in the corner not to close to the windows where it can benefit from plenty of light.  I have left the blinds (which absorb heat and reflect sunshine) in a position which allows light at all times to the plant.

Close up of Crassula ovata, 01 October 2017, showing appearance of more succulent leaves

As you can see from the above image, even now, at this time of year, the plant is happily making new leaves.  But I'm not sure at this point what I will do when winter comes and I will have to keep an eye on the temperature monitor to see how cold it can get in the unheated garden room.  It's quite experimental at this stage and if I feel it is getting too cold, I will bring the plant into my home as and when it is deemed necessary. 

Newly bought Crassula ovata, July 2017

The garden room is double-glazed and the walls are insulated.  It is clad in cedar and the internal plywood walls and ceiling have been emulsioned with Dulux bathroom paint which is guaranteed anti-fungal for several years.  As yet there are no signs of damp and the hygrometer has never gone beyond 70.  Time will tell.