TEST OF TIME

During the sweltering summer days, my jade plant became an indispensable part of our small garden. I vividly remember the day I first brought it home from a paper exchange event. At the time, I had just finished a small research project on botany and was thrilled to take care of plants. The plant had delicate pink flowers that bloomed amidst lush green leaves. Every day, I would take it out to sunbathe and water it thoroughly. The jade plant looked plump and healthy, as if it were responding to my attentive care. I placed it in a corner of the garden where there was plenty of sunlight and cool breeze.

Then one day, my dad said that the hot sun would kill the jade plant. He advised me to keep the plant indoors instead of in the sun. My dad was very knowledgeable about plants; he used to be a farmer before moving to the city. Following my dad's advice, I moved the plant to my study corner. I placed it next to the window where soft light filtered in every morning. However, after a while, the jade plant began to droop and change color, no longer as lush as before. The leaves gradually lost their vibrant green color and became pale.

My sister saw the situation and advised me, "Every plant needs sunlight, you should put the plant on the balcony, why do you keep it indoors?" My sister is very fond of nature, and she has participated in many environmental protection clubs and planted trees at school. This time, I moved the jade plant to the sunniest corner of the balcony, where it received the most sunlight. Initially, the plant seemed to recover, but very quickly, after only two days, the jade plant suddenly withered and dried up. The plump leaves became wrinkled and fell off.

Remembering the early days when I took good care of the plant, and it thrived, I decided to follow my own instincts. I wondered if there was a way to combine my dad's and sister's advice to find the best way to care for the plant. After many nights researching jade plants in books and online forums, I realized that jade plants need sunlight but not too much, and they also need moisture but not too much water.