Jasmine: Home Growing Methods and Key Management Points

Growing Techniques Jan 1, 1970 0 views

The following are the home growing methods for jasmine: 1. Jasmine is one of the typical strongly sun-loving flowers, growing vigorously during the high-temperature summer season, and needs plenty of sunlight. There is a saying that "jasmine cannot be killed by sun." If the light is insufficient, the leaves will become larger and thinner, the leaf color will turn pale green, and it will bloom less with poorer fragrance.

The following are the home growing methods for jasmine:

1. Jasmine is one of the typical strongly sun-loving flowers, growing vigorously during the high-temperature summer season, and needs plenty of sunlight. There is a saying that “jasmine cannot be killed by sun.” If the light is insufficient, the leaves will become larger and thinner, the leaf color will turn pale green, and it will bloom less with poorer fragrance.

2. Fertilizing: During the vigorous growing season, jasmine needs plenty of water and fertilizer, which can promote vigorous growth, more flowers, and stronger fragrance. The saying “orchids want clear water, jasmine wants rich water” shows just how much jasmine loves fertilizer. If it lacks fertilizer, it may fail to bloom or even drop its buds.

3. Watering: During the growing season it needs plenty of water, while in other seasons water should be appropriately restricted so the potting soil does not become too wet. Waterlogged potting soil easily causes root rot.

4. Soil: Jasmine prefers to be grown in acidic soil, which can be bought directly from a flower shop. To mix your own potting soil, use 4 parts garden soil, 4 parts compost, 2 parts mountain yellow sand, and 1 part plant ash. The best time for potting is April to May, and not too early.

5. Keeping warm and blocking wind: Jasmine fears the cold, so before Frost's Descent move it indoors to a sunny spot for care, and the room temperature should not be below 8 degrees. When the temperature is too low, you can wrap it in a plastic bag to block wind and prevent freezing. In spring, guard against cold winds, and especially be careful to avoid northwest winds. Do not move it outdoors too early; it should be around Qingming after the frost has ended.

6. Jasmine very easily develops pale or yellowing leaves and heavy leaf drop, which affects blooming and in severe cases can even cause death. The main reasons are:

a. Kept indoors for a long time, with no or little sunlight;

b. The potting soil has been too wet for a long time, with poor permeability and lack of oxygen, leading to root rot;

c. The potting soil has not been changed in time, fertilizer has not been applied in sufficient time, and the soil fertility is insufficient;

d. The soil has become alkaline.

The solution is to change the soil frequently, fertilize frequently, and give it full sunlight. If the watering water is on the alkaline side, during the growing season you can regularly apply ferrous sulfate water at about two parts per thousand to change the soil's pH and keep it within a slightly acidic range.

7. Other points to note:

a. After each blooming, promptly remove the spent flowers and appropriately trim away overlong branches. You should also apply fertilizer once; if you are pursuing flower quality, the first bloom of each year should be removed, which can ensure the second bloom is more abundant, larger, and more fragrant.

b. When buying jasmine, try to buy young plants, as jasmine blooms on new branches. Be cautious about buying old plants that have already formed a woody stump; old stumps often bloom less and are frequently plants culled by flower farmers after their peak flowering years; c. After moving outdoors in spring, promptly change the soil, remove the old leaves from the previous year, trim away overlong branches (leaving about 10 cm is enough), and cut away diseased, dead, overly dense, and overly thin branches to encourage vigorous new shoots to sprout.

d. Pest problems are all caused by weak plants and poor ventilation; strong plants rarely have them.

e. By early September, fertilizing should stop, to help the branches lignify and aid overwintering.

How to Grow Jasmine: Jasmine Growing Methods

Today the editor shares with you How to Grow Jasmine; Jasmine Growing Methods is a fairly comprehensive article on jasmine cultivation, very worth reading and learning from for flower lovers who like jasmine, and the editor also hopes this article will be helpful to everyone in growing jasmine.

How to Grow Jasmine

Jasmine likes a warm, humid environment with plenty of sunlight, and grows best in a well-ventilated, semi-shaded environment. The most suitable soil is slightly acidic sandy soil containing plenty of humus. Most varieties fear cold and drought, and are not tolerant of frost, waterlogging, or alkaline soil. When the winter temperature is below 3°C, the branches and leaves are prone to frost damage, and if it lasts a long time, they will die.

Jasmine loves fertilizer very much; as long as it is cared for properly, a potted jasmine can bloom three times a year. If fertilizer is insufficient and nutrients are inadequate, it will bloom once and then no longer bloom. If jasmine is managed well, it can bloom continuously from the end of May to the beginning of November; the key is pruning, sunlight, and the control of fertilizer and water.

Jasmine Growing Methods

I. Watering

In growing jasmine, learning to water is considered the gateway to jasmine cultivation. Many people's jasmine does not grow well, such as leaves turning yellow, being sparse, or having large leaves with long gaps between nodes, or blooming little or not blooming at all, or not surviving the winter, and by the next year either withering or growing even more misshapen and formless, and so on.

These symptoms show: first, that watering is usually inappropriate, mainly not knowing which season needs more water and which season needs less, and in the seasons needing more water, how to water in stages within a day, and in the seasons needing less water, how to water less. How to observe whether watering is needed, and so on.

These are all care steps that require a certain amount of skill and are also meticulous. If jasmine is overwatered, it easily suffers root rot, and laypeople often cannot see whether its roots have rotted, thinking instead that it has not been watered enough, or that it is malnourished, and then apply fertilizer to it, which immediately costs the jasmine its life! Watering jasmine less generally will not kill it. There is a gardening proverb: “dry jasmine, wet chrysanthemum”; this is the summary of experience from growers since ancient times, so it is said: learning to water is considered the gateway to jasmine cultivation.

How to judge watering:

1. Look at the potting soil: it should be dry before watering and wet after; the soil should not be dry to the point of a white crust, nor wet to the point of mud.

2. Tap the flower pot with your finger and listen to the sound: a crisp, pleasant sound means the potting soil is already dry; a dull, muffled sound means the potting soil still contains water.

Usually broken pot pieces and the like are placed at the bottom of the flower pot to aid drainage and aeration. Foam blocks used as a base under the pot are a new type of material, and can also be considered a new thing; one cannot define them simply as good or bad, it is just a matter of using whatever material is suitable. It is like how wounds used to be dressed with styptic powder and gauze, and after adhesive bandages appeared people used whatever material suited the purpose, the same principle.

II. Fertilizing

The three elements of plant growth: “soil, sunlight, water.” With these three elements, a plant can survive and grow. Then, if you want the plant to grow sturdy, with luxuriant branches and leaves and abundant flowers and fruit, you must know the three nutrient elements of plants: “nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium.” The same goes for growing jasmine; you must understand these two “three elements.” Often beginners at growing jasmine, because they do not initially understand the essence of the “three elements” of plant nutrients, casually fertilize the jasmine, and this not only fails to achieve the effect but actually backfires, making a jasmine that was growing fairly well grow worse and worse.

Once you have learned to fertilize jasmine, then you have moved up a step from the beginner stage of jasmine cultivation into an important care stage in the next phase. When jasmine is fertilized properly, the satisfactory results are self-evident: the jasmine will surely have abundant flowers and luxuriant leaves, sturdy branches, and a moderate tree shape, and thus its ability to resist disease, disasters, severe cold, and intense heat will need no worrying from its owner.

Why should home potted jasmine not be fertilized hastily in spring and early summer?

(1) Many enthusiasts are quite concerned about this issue, but often after believing the words of flower sellers, or introductions from the internet, books, magazines, and so on, they fertilize their jasmine at home at the first opportunity, hoping that after receiving fertilizer their jasmine will grow faster, bloom more, and have sturdier branches, and so on. The result is either leaves that grow wrinkled, or large leaves with long gaps between nodes, or only branches and leaves growing with few flowers, and at this point the owner still thinks the jasmine lacks fertilizer and keeps applying all kinds of fertilizer, and the result is still unsatisfactory, thus losing confidence in caring for jasmine. This is where the reason for not fertilizing hastily lies.

(2) Fertilizing must be done when the potting soil is dry, and should be carried out from the afternoon to before evening; generally home jasmine care should not fertilize in the morning or at noon. The next morning, give the fertilized ML a small amount of clear water; this is called watering [return water]. This step is very important and is a key move in whether the jasmine can absorb the fertilizer applied. For fertilizer, fully rotted human manure water is best, followed by rotted cake fertilizer (soybean cake and sesame cake) water, and third (when conditions do not allow) chemical granular fertilizer. The method is to loosen the soil at the edge of the pot slightly, put in the granular fertilizer, press the potting soil firm, and water with clear water; generally a flower pot of about 5 cun can take about 15 granules. In my early years (around the 1990s) I used "Feihuadan" produced in Zhenjiang with fairly good results; I do not know whether it is still sold now. After applying this granular fertilizer, remember the time and apply it on schedule according to the instructions, and remember that no fertilizer may be used indiscriminately. Jasmine loves rotted human manure most, but for home jasmine growing this is hard to carry out; generally use soybean cake and sesame cake crushed, soaked until rotted, then diluted with water and applied, or use eggshells soaked in water until rotted and then diluted with water and applied. Those without the conditions can only apply granular fertilizer containing phosphorus and potassium elements after flower buds sprout. Note to apply as little nitrogen-containing granular fertilizer as possible, otherwise it will only grow leaves and find it hard to develop flower buds.

(3) After the Dragon Boat Festival, the temperature gradually rises. There is a saying in Wuhan: “After eating salted egg zongzi, send the cotton clothes away,” meaning there will no longer be a “cold wave.” High temperature and high heat are exactly the good climate that mli loves and that easily develops flower buds. People usually call the period from the Dragon Boat Festival to the Mid-Autumn Festival the flowering period of mli, and the flowers that mli opens during the dog days of midsummer are called fu flowers. Professional flower farmers have the saying “first fu flower tide, second fu flower tide, third fu flower tide,” meaning that during this peak flowering period mli blooms like a surging tide. Home-grown moli is the same. During this period, abundant flowers and luxuriant leaves are delightful to the eye, and the fragrance fills the nose and refreshes the heart...... During the peak flowering period of mli, people must never neglect its care. Each flower of mli lasts only one day and night, so after blooming promptly cut off the spent flowers and let the nutrients go to the other flowers. Prune progressively in this way, and after a whole batch of flowers has finished blooming, promptly prune the branches according to the shape of the plant and one's own wishes, and wait for it to sprout new branches and then develop new buds. Once new buds are found to have formed, promptly apply fertilizer water; the frequency of applying fertilizer water should increase as the buds grow larger. It is a principle that fertilizer cannot be applied when the potting soil is on the wet side. Stop applying only when the jasmine is about to burst into bloom and people want to enjoy the flowers without an off smell.,,,

III. Pruning

In growing jasmine, learning to prune is a very important step. Carrying out necessary and appropriate pruning of jasmine not only ensures the storage of the jasmine's own nutrients, aiding the growth of new branches and the development of new flower buds, but also ensures the beauty of the tree shape, and you can also use the vigorous branches cut off for cuttings and propagation, ensuring what is needed for replacing old jasmine with new.

Key points for jasmine care in early spring:

[Leaf removal] During the period from Qingming to Guyu, the temperature gradually rises and tends to stabilize, and the jasmine branches begin to stir. At this time, all the old leaves on the jasmine branches should be promptly removed. These old leaves have already completed their historical mission of storing nutrients to keep the jasmine safe through the winter, and their photosynthetic circulation function is basically all but lost. Keeping them not only hinders the jasmine branches from getting light but also greatly consumes the limited nutrients remaining in the jasmine branches after winter. Therefore, before the jasmine sprouts new buds, that is, before Qingming, all the old leaves on the branches must be removed.

Removing all the leaves from jasmine is experience summed up from many years of jasmine care. Those old leaves that have gone through last year and another winter have basically all but lost their photosynthetic circulation function. To beginners at growing jasmine, keeping them seems to make it look nice with green branches and leaves, but in essence, leaving these old leaves on the jasmine branches is greatly harmful to the jasmine itself:

[First] Leaving these old leaves on the jasmine branches, in early spring when the jasmine has not yet restored normal function, especially when the jasmine root system has not yet fully restored its function of absorbing nutrients from the soil, they are the first to absorb the limited nutrients within the jasmine branches, of which very little remains after a winter, directly affecting the sprouting of new jasmine buds, causing the new buds to sprout late or develop incompletely, and further affecting the formation of flower buds. Many people's jasmine that bloomed quite abundantly in the first year of care blooms less year after year simply because they do not understand this point.

[Second] Leaving these old leaves on the branches directly affects the jasmine branches' access to light, and further affects the jasmine's sprouting of new buds, and more importantly affects the formation of flower buds among the new buds. Jasmine's flower buds are all formed in new buds. Those old leaves left on the branches can neither help the jasmine carry out photosynthesis so that nutrients circulate normally in the jasmine branches and trunk, nor stop continuously absorbing nutrients that should be supplied to the growth of new branches and leaves and new flower buds. In this way, how could the jasmine being cared for grow sturdier year after year?

[Pruning] After new buds sprout, choose the direction in which the new buds extend, then carry out directional, shape-setting pruning of the whole plant.

After Qingming, the temperature gradually rises and is relatively stable, and the pruned jasmine can be placed on a flower stand for care.

Experience summed up over many years: do not rush to repot in spring; wait until after the first round of flowers has finished before repotting. The advantage is that after blooming it happens to have a period of recuperation for renewing and sprouting new buds, and during this period the temperature is relatively high and stable, so the jasmine roots disturbed during repotting easily recover their vitality.

Jasmine spring care focuses mainly on cutting away old branches and leaves, pruning old and weak branches, and shape-setting pruning. In addition, there is an important care point that is not known to the general public: namely, removing the tips of new buds. A large portion of the new buds that sprout are leggy branches, and such branches generally will not develop flower buds. If not removed in time, they not only affect the shape of the plant but also absorb a large amount of nutrients from the pot, which is unfavorable for the development of flower buds, so they must be removed in time.

The flower buds developed at this time (April) are called: “mother-following flowers.” For the jasmine to be sturdier, they generally must all be removed, and removing them is of great benefit to it during the summer peak flowering period. People often focus only on the little bit of buds before their eyes and neglect the long-term cherishing and care of the plant. New leaves not being green is caused by the mother-following flowers absorbing a large amount of nutrients. Whether to prune the [mother-following flowers], or how much to prune, is up to the grower. If you want the plant's branches and trunk to be sturdy and to bloom more later, then the [mother-following flowers] should all be pruned off. If you want to admire the flowers in your pot at that time of year, you can leave the [mother-following flowers] unpruned, but if you do not prune the [mother-following flowers], these flowers will absorb a large amount of nutrients from the main trunk, affecting the main trunk's sprouting of new branches and new flower buds. This is a chain effect brought by the [mother-following flowers]. The so-called [mother-following flowers] are a kind of flower bud unique to jasmine's characteristics under an abnormal state; they sprout earlier, are fewer, and are not very fragrant. Professional growers and flower farmers who harvest flowers all know that the [mother-following flowers] must be pruned away completely for jasmine to achieve high efficiency and high yield. These are experiences summed up by people, and theoretical publications on them are relatively few, so they are often hard for people to understand.

Remove the tips according to the plant shape you like. You can carefully observe my pot of jasmine with the tips removed; generally, remove the [barren tip——a tip without flower buds] from the first or second node of the branch (that is, the first or second pair of leaf stalks from the base upward). It is not about removing the tips however you please!

[Several key points] (1) Ferrous sulfate must not be applied at will. Do not listen to the promotion by sellers of flower fertilizer. After the potting soil becomes too alkaline, jasmine leaves will turn yellow, which indicates that acidic elements need to be supplemented. When people use ferrous sulfate improperly, it can backfire, causing root rot, burning the plant to death, and other adverse phenomena. In fact, you have the raw material for supplementing acidic elements right at home——rice-washing water. Keep the rice-washing water and pour it into an empty Gaocheng bottle, let it fully ferment for later use. When needed, take a small amount, dilute with water, and pour it on to immediately supplement acidic elements; it is both economical and practical and relatively safe.

(2) Place it outdoors in the sun for care; do not put it indoors or in a dark place.

(3) After blooming, prune according to the plant shape you like; there is no fixed definition, and pruning techniques need to be summed up slowly by yourself.

(4) The height of the branches retained when pruning should be determined by the shape of the plant, or by the plant shape you personally like. For example, some people like a tall, sturdy form (growing upward, mainly the central trunk with side branches as auxiliary), while others like a low, spreading form (a shorter tree shape extending in all directions, mainly side branches, with the central trunk pruned in a directed way). One cannot generalize about cutting off a certain number of nodes or retaining a certain number of nodes.

(5) When repotting, whether intentionally or not, part of the root system will more or less be damaged, so [after repotting, never rush to fertilize]. If fertilizer is applied (no matter what kind), the roots will inevitably rot. People generally cannot see jasmine root rot, but from surface phenomena such as: not growing as well as before repotting, not sprouting many new buds, no flower buds sprouting, and so on, one can see that its root system has already been damaged. People often mistakenly understand it as: lacking fertilizer, lacking water, lacking this or that, and keep supplementing fertilizer and water, and the more they supplement the worse it gets, finally ending with themselves losing confidence in caring for jasmine. Generally when repotting, place an appropriate amount of fully rotted cake fertilizer at the very bottom of the pot, and cover the fertilizer well with potting soil; the root system must not come into direct contact with the fertilizer, to avoid root rot. After repotting, normal watering and fertilizing management can be carried out only after 2-3 weeks.

(6) On sunny days, a lack of water in the pot can easily be seen from the leaves, while on cloudy days it is generally hard to tell whether the pot lacks water. Also, there are the characteristics of the plant's size and its tolerance of light or shade: large plants consume more water, while small plants do the opposite; light-tolerant plants consume more water, while shade-tolerant plants do the opposite. If the tip leaves are wilted, first tap the flower pot with your finger and listen to the sound it makes. If the sound is crisp, then the potting soil is on the dry side; if the sound is dull, then the potting soil contains water. Sometimes the leaves may wilt because the plant's root system has a problem, and at this time the more you water, the more the leaves will wilt.

Place a newly repotted plant outdoors in a cool, ventilated place, generally for at most 1-3 days. Or place it in a place with light but no direct sun (that is, not exposed to the sun) for 1-3 days, after which normal care can resume.

(7) Any newly potted or newly repotted plant (including jasmine) cannot be placed directly in the sun to be scorched. Generally place it in a place avoiding direct sunlight——seeing the sky but not the sun——for 3-5 days, the purpose being to let the already disturbed root system recover its vitality. Once the root system's absorption function is normal, the branches and leaves of the plant will show a response, and then it can be placed in the sun for care. The three elements of plant growth: soil, water, sunlight; none can be missing.

(8) If jasmine leaves are found to be wrinkled in spring: first, fertilizing too early. Second, too little light at the growing site. Third, watering too frequently.

(9) The potting soil is taken according to one's own conditions and what is suitable locally. If conditions allow, dried [lotus pond mud] is best for growing jasmine; next is old [vegetable garden soil] used for growing vegetables——oily sandy soil. The soil must both retain moisture and have good water permeability, and is required to be dry without a white crust and wet without becoming mud.

IV. Early Summer Management

Entering early summer, the temperature gradually rises and is relatively stable, and the jasmine's branches and leaves also grow fairly vigorously. When the temperature reaches above 30°C, it will begin to develop flower buds. The key management points are as follows:

(1) For jasmine placed on a balcony flower stand for care, during this period pay attention to frequently (at least once a week) turning the direction of the flower pot, so that the jasmine does not always grow toward one direction and become crooked in shape. Turning the pot in this way can also let the jasmine branches bathe evenly in sunlight, better sprouting new branches and flower buds. Jasmine's flower buds are all developed in new branches.

(2) In this season, also pay attention to appropriate pruning of the branches, to ensure that the jasmine keeps sprouting new buds and keeps developing flower buds, so that during the peak flowering period (the three months of July, August, and September) the jasmine can let its owner admire its abundant flowers and luxuriant leaves and enjoy its heart-refreshing fragrance.

(3) Watering should be moderate; do not water if the potting soil is not dry. On cloudy and rainy days, prevent waterlogging in the potting soil that could cause jasmine root rot, and ensure the drainage function of the pot bottom. When placing the flower pot, do not block the drainage holes at the bottom. When watering is needed, it is best to do it in the morning; generally do not water at noon or in the evening, unless it is a supplementary watering after missing the morning watering.

(4) After new branches grow, prune according to the shape requirements, cutting off tips that affect the beauty of the plant shape, barren tips (leggy branches that are very unlikely to develop flower buds), abnormal tips (single leaves, whereas normal ones are opposite paired leaves), and so on.

(5) Promptly cut off the mother-following flowers. Jasmine's peak flowering period is in midsummer. The buds that sprout in this season are developed from the nutrients remaining in the branches and trunk after the jasmine has overwintered, and are generally single flowers, some even deformed buds. If not cut off, they have a great impact on the jasmine's sprouting of more new branches and development of new flower buds. Many people are very happy to see their jasmine developing buds early, and fearing they might be lost, they carefully tend them until they bloom, only for some of them to become deformed flowers, and some, even if they bloom, not to be very fragrant. But the biggest drawback lies in this: these mother-following flowers absorb a large amount of nutrients from the branches and trunk, making it hard for the jasmine to sprout new flower buds when it enters the peak flowering period, the reason being that the nutrient supplement for sprouting new flower buds is lost too early. Cutting off one mother-following flower tip can at least cause two new tips to sprout, and by the same reasoning, by its peak flowering period, the new flower buds it sprouts will far, far exceed these mother-following flowers that have no “gold content.”

[Key points for jasmine care in autumn]

When entering autumn, jasmine care must pay attention to the following points:

(1) Strictly prohibit fertilizing. Avoid too many leggy branches affecting overwintering.

(2) Water sparingly. Encourage the jasmine branches to lignify to aid overwintering.

(3) Retain branches and leaves. Do not prune branches or leaves, so that the jasmine uses its branches and leaves to store nutrients and create conditions for overwintering.

(4) Outdoor care. Place the jasmine outdoors day and night for care, so that it adapts to the gradually colder seasonal climate and is better able to overwinter.

(5) After entering autumn, leggy new buds near the jasmine's potting soil, especially on the main trunk, generally must all be removed. New buds sprouting on the main trunk in spring and summer can be retained or not according to the plant shape.

In addition: it is not very normal for jasmine leaves to turn yellow in autumn; the main reason is that problems occurred in summer care, such as improper watering, fertilizing, or lighting, which only show up in autumn. If it happens in spring and summer it is fairly easy to treat, but in this season it is not very easy to cure completely. Conservative care methods: (1) Keep it on the dry side and promptly remove the leaves that have turned quite yellow. (2) Give it more light; photosynthesis can alleviate leaf yellowing. (3) Add a trace amount of ferrous sulfate (crystalline powder) when watering, and stop using it once the leaves show some improvement.

(Supplement)

A—Whether jasmine's root system sprouts depends mainly on temperature. When the temperature is below 30°C, the jasmine's leaves, branches, and root system all grow slowly, and it certainly cannot sprout flower buds. If a cutting has not sprouted new roots, it is mainly constrained by temperature and light. Strengthening light after autumn may still leave a glimmer of hope for the cutting to sprout new roots.

B—In autumn, jasmine care must absolutely not include fertilizing!! Be sure to let the potting soil be on the dry side (with the standard being that the jasmine branches and leaves do not wilt), so that its fibrous roots are full, the main root is sturdy, and the branches and leaves are luxuriant, storing enough nutrients to safely pass through the cold winter. Note: first, if the potting soil is on the wet side, root rot easily occurs (obviously, the white, fresh, tender fibrous roots are the most delicate and most prone to rotting). Second, if care is improper in summer and autumn, and if strong main stems, branches, and leaves cannot be retained, then the jasmine can neither use its leaves for photosynthesis to sustain life nor rely on a sturdy root system to absorb water to supply leaf growth. Third, if pruning is improper in late summer and early autumn, leggy branches and leaves that are not removed in time will wither because they are too tender. Fourth, do not indiscriminately use ferrous sulfate solution or any other biochemical substances; improper use can very easily cause the whole potted plant (jasmine) to die prematurely.

V. Key Points for Winter Care

It can neither be dry nor wet (without watering the branches easily dry out and are ruined; with too much watering the roots easily rot), and it can neither be frozen nor wrapped (without wrapping the branches easily freeze and are ruined; with tight wrapping the leaves easily drop), and it can neither be closed up nor blown (without ventilation the branches easily suffocate and are ruined; with too much wind the branches easily wither), and it fears both cold wind and sunlight (without light the branches easily suffocate and are ruined; with too much sun exposure it easily suffers cold damage).

Improper winter care of jasmine has a direct impact on its sprouting of new buds the following spring. Winter care of jasmine is the key season in jasmine care, and views on how to care for it vary; numerous newspapers, magazines, and flower books all introduce it. I have cared for jasmine at home for more than thirty years, and winter care is especially meticulous.

Key points for wrapping branches against the cold:

In winter, jasmine still has a weak physiological circulation function, such as leaf respiration and water absorption by the root system, it is just that people cannot see it as directly as in hot weather, and a slight mistake in care can cause it to lose its vitality. Therefore, when wrapping it against the cold, only materials like woven plastic sacks can be used; such materials can both block wind and prevent cold and also breathe. Never wrap it with plastic bag-type materials. Wrapping with plastic bags, although it can temporarily block wind and prevent cold, does not breathe and directly affects the jasmine's functional circulation, causing the branches and leaves to suffocate and be ruined, resulting in jasmine branch necrosis and complete leaf drop, so that by the next spring it cannot sprout and slowly withers.

Jasmine Growing Methods and Precautions

Jasmine Growing Methods and Precautions is a fairly comprehensive article on jasmine cultivation, and is the care insights of a flower lover with 30 years of jasmine experience. It is very worth reading and learning from for flower lovers who like jasmine. The article covers important steps such as watering, fertilizing, and pruning jasmine.

I. Jasmine Growing Methods——Watering

How to judge watering:

1. Look at the potting soil: it should be dry before watering and wet after; the soil should not be dry to the point of a white crust, nor wet to the point of mud.

2. Tap the flower pot with your finger and listen to the sound: a crisp, pleasant sound means the potting soil is already dry; a dull, muffled sound means the potting soil still contains water.

II. Jasmine Growing Methods——Fertilizing

Why should home potted jasmine not be fertilized hastily in spring and early summer?

III. Jasmine Growing Methods——Pruning

Key points for jasmine care in early spring:

[Pruning] After new buds sprout, choose the direction in which the new buds extend, then carry out directional, shape-setting pruning of the whole plant.

After Qingming, the temperature gradually rises and is relatively stable, and the pruned jasmine can be placed on a flower stand for care.

(2) Place it outdoors in the sun for care; do not put it indoors or in a dark place.

(3) After blooming, prune according to the plant shape you like; there is no fixed definition, and pruning techniques need to be summed up slowly by yourself.

(5) When repotting, whether intentionally or not, some roots will inevitably be damaged to a greater or lesser degree, so [never rush to fertilize after repotting]. If fertilizer is applied (no matter what kind), the roots will definitely rot. People generally cannot see the root rot of jasmine, but from surface signs such as: not growing as well as before repotting, not sprouting many new buds, no flower buds emerging, etc., it can be seen that the root system has already been damaged. People often mistakenly interpret this as: lacking fertilizer, lacking water, lacking this or that, and keep supplementing fertilizer and water, but the more they supplement, the worse it gets, ultimately ending with losing their own confidence in caring for jasmine. Generally when repotting, place an appropriate amount of fully rotted cake fertilizer at the very bottom of the pot, and cover the fertilizer well with potting soil so that the roots cannot directly touch the fertilizer and root rot is avoided. After 2~3 weeks from repotting, normal watering and fertilizing management can resume.

(6) On sunny days, water shortage in flower pots is easy to see from the leaves; on cloudy days, water shortage in flower pots is generally difficult to determine. There are also characteristics such as the size of the flowering plant, light tolerance and shade tolerance. Large flowering plants consume a lot of water, while small flowering plants are the opposite; light-tolerant flowering plants consume a lot of water, while shade-tolerant flowering plants are the opposite. If the top leaves are wilting, first tap the flower pot with your finger and listen to the sound the pot makes. If the sound is crisp, it means the potting soil is on the dry side; if the sound is dull, it means the potting soil contains moisture. Sometimes wilted leaves may also mean the flowering plant's root system has a problem. At this time, the more you water, the more the leaves will wilt.

Place newly repotted flowering plants outdoors in a cool, ventilated place, generally for at most 1~3 days. Or place them in a place with light but no direct sun (that is, no sun exposure) for 1~3 days, and then normal care can resume.

(7) Any newly potted or newly repotted flowering plant (including jasmine) must not be placed in direct sunlight. Generally place it in a place avoiding sunlight——a place with sky visible but no sun——for 3~5 days. The purpose is to let the root system that has been disturbed recover its vitality. When the root system's absorption function is normal, the branches and leaves of the flowering plant will show a response. At that time, it can be placed in sunlight for care. The three essential elements of plant growth: soil, water, and sunlight, none can be missing.

(8) If jasmine leaves are found to be wrinkled in spring, first, fertilizing too early. Second, the cultivation site has too little light. Third, watering too frequently.

(9) Potting soil is obtained according to one's own conditions and local suitability. If conditions permit, the best for jasmine care is dried [lotus pond mud]. Next is old [vegetable garden soil] used for growing vegetables——loamy sand soil. The soil quality must both retain moisture and have good water permeability. It is required that when dry it does not turn white on the surface, and when wet it does not become mud.

IV. Jasmine cultivation methods——early summer management

Entering early summer, the temperature gradually rises and is relatively stable, and jasmine's branches and leaves also grow vigorously. When the temperature reaches above 30 degrees Celsius, it will begin to sprout flower buds. The key management points are as follows:

(1) For jasmine kept on a balcony flower rack, pay attention during this period to frequently (must rotate once within a week) rotate the direction of the flower pot, so as to prevent the jasmine from always growing in one direction and developing a crooked tree shape. Rotating the pot in this way can also allow the jasmine branches to evenly bathe in sunlight and better sprout new branches and flower buds. Jasmine's flower buds are all nurtured in new branches.

(2) In this season, also pay attention to proper pruning of branches to ensure that jasmine continuously sprouts new buds and continuously nurtures flower buds, so that during the full bloom period (the three months of July, August, and September) the owner can appreciate its abundant flowers and lush leaves and enjoy its heart-stirring fragrance.

(3) Watering should be moderate. Do not water if the potting soil is not dry. On cloudy and rainy days, prevent waterlogging in the potting soil that could cause jasmine root rot. Ensure the drainage function at the bottom of the pot. When placing the flower pot, do not block the drainage holes at the bottom. When watering is needed, it is best to do it in the morning. Generally do not water at noon and in the evening, unless making up for a missed watering in the morning.

(4) After new branches grow, prune according to the desired tree shape. Cut off tips that affect the beauty of the tree shape, leggy tips (branches that grow excessively and are unlikely to sprout flower buds), abnormal tips (single leaf blades; normal ones are opposite double leaf blades), etc.

(5) Promptly cut off follower buds. Jasmine's full bloom period is in midsummer. The flower buds sprouted in this season are nurtured by the nutrients remaining in the branches and trunk after jasmine overwinters. They are generally single flowers, and some are even deformed buds. If they are not cut off, they have a great impact on jasmine sprouting more new branches and nurturing new flower buds. Many people are very happy to see the jasmine they care for developing flower buds early, and are afraid they will be lost, so they carefully cultivate them until they bloom. As a result, some become deformed flowers, and some, even if they bloom, are not very fragrant. The biggest drawback is also that: these follower buds absorb a large amount of nutrients from the branches and trunk, making it difficult for jasmine to sprout new flower buds when it enters the full bloom period, because the nutrient supplement for sprouting new flower buds is prematurely lost. Cutting off one follower bud tip can at least sprout two new tips, and by extension to its full bloom period, the new flower buds it sprouts far exceed these follower buds with no “gold content” by many, many times.

[Key points for jasmine care in autumn]

When entering autumn, the following points must be noted in jasmine care:

(1) Strictly prohibit fertilizing. Avoid excessive leggy branches affecting overwintering.

(2) Water sparingly. Promote lignification of jasmine branches to help it overwinter.

(3) Keep branches and leaves. Do not prune branches or leaves, so that jasmine can use branches and leaves to store nutrients and create conditions for overwintering.

(4) Outdoor care. Place jasmine outdoors day and night for care, so that it adapts to the gradually colder seasonal climate and is better able to overwinter.

(5) After entering autumn, leggy new buds near the jasmine potting soil, especially on the main trunk, generally must be removed. Whether new buds sprouting on the main trunk in spring and summer should be kept can be decided according to the tree shape.

In addition: jasmine leaves turning yellow in autumn is not very normal. The main reason is that deviations occurred in summer care, such as improper watering, fertilizing, and lighting, which only become apparent in autumn. If it occurs in spring and summer, it is relatively easy to treat; in this season it is not very easy to cure. Conservative care methods: (1) Keep it on the dry side, and promptly remove the leaves that have turned severely yellow. (2) Increase light exposure; photosynthesis can alleviate leaf yellowing. (3) When watering, add a trace amount of ferrous sulfate (crystalline powder). Once the leaves show some improvement, stop using it.

(Supplement)

A—Whether jasmine's root system sprouts mainly depends on temperature. When the temperature is below 30 degrees Celsius, jasmine's branches, leaves, branches and trunk, root system, etc. all grow slowly, and it is even less able to sprout flower buds. If cuttings have not sprouted new roots, it is mainly due to the constraints of temperature and light. Strengthening light after autumn may still leave a glimmer of hope for the cuttings to sprout new roots.

B—In autumn, absolutely do not fertilize jasmine!! Be sure to keep the potting soil on the dry side (judged by jasmine branches and leaves not wilting), so that the fibrous roots are full, the main roots are robust, and the branches and leaves are lush, storing sufficient nutrients so that it can safely pass through the cold winter. Note: First, if the potting soil is on the wet side, root rot is easy (obviously, the white, fresh and tender fibrous roots are the most delicate and most prone to rotting). Second, if care is improper during the transition from summer to autumn, and strong main stems, branches and trunk, and leaves cannot be preserved, jasmine can neither use leaves for photosynthesis to maintain life, nor have robust roots to absorb water to supply leaf formation. Third, if pruning is improper in late summer and early autumn, leggy branches and leaves that are not removed in time wither because they are too tender. Fourth, do not use ferrous sulfate solution or any other biochemical products indiscriminately; improper use can very easily cause the entire potted flowering plant (jasmine) to die young.

[Key points for jasmine care in winter]

Neither dry nor wet (without watering, branches are easily damaged by dryness; with too much watering, roots easily rot),

Neither frozen nor wrapped (without wrapping, branches are easily damaged by cold; with tight wrapping, leaves easily fall),

Neither closed nor blown (without ventilation, branches are easily damaged by stuffiness; with too much wind, branches easily wither),

Both afraid of wind-cold and afraid of sunlight (without light, branches are easily damaged by stuffiness; with too much sun exposure, it easily suffers cold damage).

Improper winter care of jasmine has a direct impact on its sprouting of new buds the following spring. Winter care of jasmine is the key season in jasmine care. Opinions differ on how to care for it, and numerous newspapers, magazines, and flower books have introduced it. I have cared for jasmine at home for more than thirty years, and winter care is especially meticulous.

Key points for wrapping branches to protect against cold:

In winter, jasmine still has weak physiological circulation functions, such as leaf respiration and water absorption by the root system, but people cannot see them as directly as in hot weather. A slight mistake in care can cause it to lose its vitality. Therefore, when wrapping it for cold protection, only materials such as snake-skin bags can be used. This kind of material can both block wind and protect against cold and also breathe. Absolutely do not use plastic bag materials for wrapping. Although plastic bag wrapping can temporarily achieve the effect of blocking wind and protecting against cold, it does not breathe and directly affects jasmine's functional circulation, causing branches and leaves to be damaged by stuffiness, resulting in jasmine branch necrosis and all leaves falling, and by the following spring it cannot sprout and slowly withers.

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