What are the cultivation methods and precautions for jasmine?

The fragrance of jasmine has long been praised as “the finest fragrance under heaven.” It combines the sweetness of a rose, the fresh purity of a plum blossom and the deep subtlety of an orchid, plain and natural, and can truly be called an excellent potted flower, deeply loved by people. How do you grow jasmine? What needs attention during cultivation?

Potting soil selection and potting method

The growing soil for potted jasmine should be rich in organic matter and have good water retention, water permeability and aeration. You can mix 4 parts leaf mold, 3 parts garden soil, 2 parts river sand and 1 part cake fertilizer or livestock and poultry manure to make the growing soil, or mix 5 parts leaf mold, 4 parts sandy loam and 1 part cake fertilizer evenly, and place bone meal etc. at the bottom of the pot as a base fertilizer.

Potting is best done in March to April before the new shoots sprout. After potting, place it in a slightly shaded spot to avoid direct sunlight, and once it has resumed normal growth, give it plenty of light.

Potted jasmine should be repotted once every 1 to 2 years, replacing it with fresh growing soil. When repotting, generally do not remove the roots, but water thoroughly, place it in a shaded spot to resume growth, and pay attention to loosening the soil.

Watering method

Whether watering is appropriate is the key to whether potted jasmine grows well. Too much water and the leaves will suddenly turn yellow; if the potting soil stays too wet for a long time, it causes poor soil aeration, leading to root rot, yellowing and falling leaves, and even the death of the plant.

If root rot is caused by too much watering, you can move the flower pot to a cool place, stop fertilizing, control watering, and loosen the soil frequently to make the potting soil well aerated and encourage the plant to sprout new roots.

Watering should be determined according to the season and temperature

In spring, from April to May, it begins to put out branches and leaves, and water consumption is not great, so water once every 2 to 3 days, preferably around noon; June is the spring flowering period, so water slightly more, once a day;

In summer, July to August is the high-temperature period and also the peak flowering period of jasmine, so water once in the morning and once in the evening, and at the same time spray water on the leaves 1 to 2 times a day, and sprinkle water around the flower pot to increase air humidity;

In autumn, gradually reduce the amount of watering, and from September to October water once every 1 to 2 days;

In winter, strictly control the amount of watering and just keep the potting soil slightly moist; generally water once every 5 to 7 days. If the potting soil is too wet, the roots are prone to turning black and rotting, and the leaves turn yellow and fall off.

When you find that the leaves have just begun to turn yellow, be careful to stop watering, let it dry out for a few more days, then gradually water appropriately again to restore normal growth.

Jasmine likes slightly acidic soil; if the soil is on the alkaline side, the leaves will turn yellow. During the growing period, water once every 10 to 15 days with 0.2% ferrous sulfate water to keep the potting soil acidic.

Fertilizing method

Jasmine has a long flowering period and needs a lot of fertilizer, so the potting soil must be sufficiently fertile. Grasp the principle of applying thin fertilizer frequently, especially during the flower bud formation period when fertilizer must not be lacking. But too much or too concentrated fertilizer can easily cause root rot.

It is best to fertilize in the evening; before applying, loosen the potting soil, and be careful not to fertilize when the potting soil is too dry or too wet. Applying when the potting soil is semi-moist gives the best results.

Jasmine likes acidic soil, so “alum fertilizer water” can be used as a top dressing. From the beginning of sprouting in spring until late September, apply diluted decomposed cake fertilizer water once every 7 to 10 days, at a concentration of 15% to 20%;

During the bud-forming and flowering period, apply thin fertilizer frequently, about once every 5 to 7 days, at a concentration of 10% to 15%. When fertilizing, increase the application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer; you can add 0.1% to 0.2% monopotassium phosphate or 0.5% superphosphate solution to the cake fertilizer liquid to promote flower bud differentiation;

If too much nitrogen fertilizer is applied for a long time and phosphorus and potassium fertilizer is insufficient, the plant is prone to excessive vegetative growth, affecting flower bud formation and resulting in no flowering or very few flowers.

From October, stop fertilizing to increase the maturity of the branches, which is beneficial for overwintering.