How to grow winter jasmine? Detailed explanation of cultivation methods

Winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) is the earliest flowering among many flowers, dignified and beautiful with extraordinary grace, so it is very popular. Its cultivation history spans over 1000 years. It is recorded in Bai Juyi's poem "Calling Liu Langzhong on Behalf of Winter Jasmine" from the Tang Dynasty, Han Qi's "Winter Jasmine at the East Hall of Zhongshu" from the Song Dynasty, and Zhou Wenhua's "Runan Garden History" from the Ming Dynasty. Let's take a look at the cultivation methods for winter jasmine!

Propagation methods for winter jasmine

1. Cutting propagation: Can be carried out in spring, summer and autumn. Cut semi-lignified branches 12-15 cm long, insert them into sandy soil, keep moist, and they will root in about 15 days.

2. Layering propagation: Bury longer branches shallowly in sandy soil without wounding, they will root after 40-50 days, and can be separated from the mother plant and transplanted in the following spring.

3. Division propagation: Can be carried out in spring when buds are sprouting. When transplanting in spring, cut off part of the aboveground branches and stems, and keep the original soil. Hardwood cuttings can also be used, that is, insert cuttings in a prepared seedbed and water thoroughly. Cuttings can be taken from mid-October to mid-November or in spring.

Cultivation methods for winter jasmine

1. Soil: The cultivation of winter jasmine has certain requirements for soil. It requires loose, fertile and well-drained sandy soil. It grows vigorously in acidic soil, but grows poorly in alkaline soil.

2. Temperature: In summer when the sun is scorching and high temperatures occur, winter jasmine should be moved to a semi-shaded place, which is more favorable for its growth. Around the Spring Festival, move it with the pot into a greenhouse or plastic tunnel, keep the room temperature at about 15°C, and flowers can be seen in about 15 days.

3. Watering: Winter jasmine likes moisture. From before flowering to the flowering period, water 1-3 times depending on the dryness and wetness of the soil. Before the rainy season arrives, water frequently. Do not apply additional fertilizer during the growing season. After the Start of Autumn, do not water, to prevent the branches from growing too long and too tender to survive the winter safely.

4. Fertilizing: When planting winter jasmine, place a few pieces of animal hoof at the bottom of the pot as base fertilizer. During the growing period of winter jasmine, apply 1-2 times per month of decomposed dilute liquid fertilizer. July to August is the flower bud differentiation period of winter jasmine, so liquid fertilizer containing more phosphorus should be applied to facilitate the formation of flower buds. If before the flowering period, apply one application of decomposed dilute organic liquid fertilizer, it can make the flower color brighter and extend the flowering period.

5. Pruning: Winter jasmine has strong sprouting ability. During the growing period, it is necessary to frequently pinch off growing tips and cut off or shorten certain branches to maintain the tree shape. After the flowers fade, the branches should be cut short, generally leaving only 2-3 buds; the main branches can appropriately retain a few more buds. After new branches grow, if properly maintained, flower buds will cluster.

6. Pests: Winter jasmine has relatively few common diseases and pests, mainly aphid damage. The control method is spraying 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate, dichlorvos 1500-1800 times solution, or using tobacco solution for control.

Pest and disease control for winter jasmine

1. Mosaic disease

[Symptoms] A whole-plant disease caused by cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). Symptoms include smaller, deformed leaves, distributed with dark green markings or yellowing. Infected plants do not flower, or if they do flower, the flowers are also short, deformed, and marked. The transmission route is mainly through peach aphids and cotton aphids carrying the virus. The main source of infection is infected weeds in the surrounding area.

[Control] First, promptly remove weeds to reduce the source of infection. Second, aphids should be controlled early to eliminate the virus-transmitting vector.

2. Brown spot disease

[Symptoms] Mostly occurs on Primula obconica. Caused by Alternaria species of the Deuteromycotina. Infected plants have brown spots on the leaves. The transmission route is through conidia spread by wind and rain.

[Control] Spray 70% chlorothalonil wettable powder 1000 times solution or other fungicides at the early stage of the disease.

3. Gray mold

[Symptoms] One of the common diseases of winter jasmine, occurring throughout the country. After the plant is infected, the whole plant turns yellow and dies. It mainly infects leaves, tender stems, flower organs and other parts, mostly occurring at leaf tips and leaf margins. At the early stage of the disease, water-soaked spots appear on the leaves, which gradually expand, turn brown and rot. In the later stage, a gray-yellow mold layer forms on the surface of the lesions. After the stem is infected, the lesions are brown and gradually rot. After the flower organs are infected, they also turn brown, rot and fall off. Under humid conditions, a gray mold layer appears on the diseased parts, which is a major characteristic of this disease.

[Control] Planting density should be reasonable. Pay attention to ventilation and reduce air humidity. Promptly remove diseased leaves and diseased plants to reduce the source of infection. At the early stage of the disease, spray 50% procymidone or 50% iprodione wettable powder 1500 times solution. It is best to alternate with 65% dimethirimol wettable powder 500 times solution to prevent resistance.

4. Leaf spot disease

[Symptoms] Mainly harms plant leaves. The disease spreads from the lower part of the plant to the upper part. Lesions are usually 3 to 4 mm in diameter, brown; in severe cases, diseased leaves wither and die, causing defoliation. The disease is caused by Ramularia primulae. The pathogen overwinters on diseased residues as mycelium or conidiomata, and seeds can also carry the pathogen, becoming the primary infection source for the following year. The disease mainly spreads through conidia carried by air and rainwater. Reinfection is frequent during the growing season. Plants are usually susceptible to the disease under warm and humid weather and when nitrogen fertilizer is applied excessively. It generally begins in July and becomes epidemic from August to October.

[Control] Breed disease-resistant varieties, strengthen fertilizer and water management, apply more organic fertilizer and phosphorus-potassium fertilizer, and avoid excessive application of nitrogen fertilizer. At the early stage of the disease, spray 70% thiophanate-methyl 1000 times solution plus 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder 1000 times solution, or 1:1:100 Bordeaux mixture.

5. Leaf spot

[Symptoms] Mostly occurs on leaves and receptacles. At the early stage, water-soaked irregular lesions appear along the leaf veins, then yellow and turn brown, the lesions expand, and the leaf margins dry up. In severe cases, the lower leaves wither and die.

[Control] Strengthen cultivation management, cultivate disease-free seedlings, disinfect seedbed soil, ventilate promptly in greenhouses to reduce air humidity. Promptly remove diseased plant residues. After the disease occurs, spray 50% copper bis(dihydrogen phosphate) wettable powder 500 times solution, or 72% agricultural streptomycin wettable powder 4000 times solution.