How to Water African Jasmine and What to Note When Repotting
African jasmine has a very strong ability to adapt to its environment. Its flowers are very beautiful and also give off a floral fragrance, making it very suitable as an indoor potted plant and much loved by many flower enthusiasts. Although the cultivation of African jasmine has always been relatively rough-and-ready, some routine care is still indispensable. Now follow along with the editor to learn about the daily watering methods for African jasmine.
How to Water African Jasmine
1. Summer
In summer, keep its soil continuously moist; water as soon as it becomes slightly dry. At the same time, spray water on the plant and its surroundings in the morning and evening: first, to lower the temperature; second, to raise the humidity.
2. Winter
In winter, just keep its soil slightly moist, and spray water on the plant surface and its surroundings at midday. Indoor air is rather dry in winter, so this can increase the moisture level. In winter, it is also best to choose midday for watering.
Precautions for Repotting African Jasmine
1. For African jasmine, it is better to repot after November, when winter begins, and before Qingming in the following spring. For small potted plants, once a year is best. When repotting, tip the pot to one side, first remove the surface soil, then dig soil from the pot edge toward the bottom of the pot, clear away the soil around the edge, and then lift the whole jasmine out of the pot. Remove part of the old soil and residual roots around the jasmine's root system, replace with new culture soil, and improve the soil's aggregate structure and nutrients anew, which is beneficial to the jasmine's growth. After repotting, water thoroughly two hours after planting, so as to help the roots and soil bind closely and resume growth.
2. Do not disturb the old soil on the roots of African jasmine, because the plant's roots secrete a certain substance that forms an electrolyte with the soil on the roots, thereby decomposing and absorbing nutrients from the soil. Once the old soil is removed, re-forming such an electrolyte requires a process, and the plant often cannot wait for this process to form before dying from lack of nutrients.
Cultivation Methods and Precautions for African Jasmine
I. Cultivation Methods
1. Choose the Right Soil
Growing African jasmine in the south and north has different soil requirements: in the south, the planting site should be loose, fertile, well-drained sandy loam. For potted African jasmine in the north, you can use a mix of 7 parts leaf mold, 1 part river sand, 1 part composted organic fertilizer, and 1 part fermented sawdust.
During the growth period, loosen the soil once a month to keep the root area well aerated. Potted African jasmine can be repotted with fresh soil once every 1 to 2 years.
2. Apply the Right Fertilizer
For potted African jasmine, during the growing season apply a dilute, fully decomposed cake fertilizer solution once a month. Before flowering in May, apply a phosphorus-potassium fertilizer once to promote flowering. After autumn begins, apply fertilizer 1-2 times to supplement phosphorus and potassium, which helps it overwinter safely. For potted plants in the north, to avoid yellowing leaves, add 0.2% ferrous sulfate when watering and fertilizing during the growing season to keep the leaves lush green.
3. Control the Temperature Well
African jasmine grows well in a warm climate environment, with an optimum growth temperature of 18°C to 32°C. When the summer temperature is above 38°C, the plant's growth will be inhibited. Increase ventilation and humidity as much as possible to lower the temperature. In some southern regions it can overwinter outdoors, but try to keep the temperature at 3-5°C.
4. Provide Good Light
African jasmine likes sunlight, and its native environment is mostly semi-shaded. For household potted plants, full sunlight can be accepted in spring and autumn, while in summer it needs shade from a shed, or it should be moved to a shaded place, at least avoiding direct sunlight for several hours around noon. Special note: from June to July, after long periods of rain, when a bright sunny day comes and the temperature suddenly rises with very strong sunlight, shade work must be done well to prevent young new shoots and tender leaves from being scorched.
5. Water the Right Way
Potted African jasmine requires sufficient water, but the roots must not have standing water, otherwise root rot easily occurs. In spring and autumn, water to the extent of keeping the potting soil moist. During the plum rain season, reduce watering. In summer, spray water once in the morning and once in the afternoon to increase humidity and lower temperature; in winter, for indoor potted African jasmine, it is suitable to keep the potting soil slightly moist, and spray an appropriate amount of water on the leaves around midday when the temperature is relatively higher.
II. Precautions
1. If the African jasmine at home was just bought in autumn or winter of that year, cold protection should be done even more carefully. Especially when strong cold air from the north moves south and causes a sharp temperature drop, be sure to keep it warm in time.
2. Many flower enthusiasts' African jasmine plants do not bloom for many years. This is actually not a disease, but simply a difference in the care environment. As long as you pay a little attention in daily care, blooming is only a matter of waiting.
What to Do If African Jasmine Has Root Rot
1. Symptoms
If the roots begin to rot, the plant's leaves will fall off in large areas.
2. Causes
The main cause is mostly standing water around the roots, so fellow growers must pay attention to this when watering plants. If the soil drains slowly, water slowly; a single watering can be divided into several small rounds until water seeps out from the bottom of the flowerpot, and then one more small round is enough. If the soil drains slowly, loosen the soil appropriately, and at the same time this can also improve the drainage of the potting soil.
3. Treatment Methods
After discovering root rot, you can pour carbendazim solution, thiophanate-methyl solution, or chlorothalonil solution on its roots every 10 days to half a month.
However, because root rot is extremely easy to spread after it occurs, it is best to repot and change the soil, discard all of the original soil, do not use it again, and even more do not use it to plant other plants. Also, all rotted parts must be pruned off, and after pruning, the wounds can be disinfected with medication, and then it can be planted into a new flowerpot. If you want to increase the survival rate of replanting, you can prune off some of the branches and leaves from the upper part of the plant.
The cultivation method for African jasmine is relatively easy. It is evergreen all year round and also produces beautiful little white flowers. Keeping one pot at home can not only decorate the home environment, but when it blooms it also has a faint floral fragrance and has a sterilizing and disinfecting effect.