What to Do When African Jasmine Drops Its Leaves? Causes and Control Methods

African jasmine, commonly known as qinghuangguo, is a fairly common ornamental household plant, but what should you do when African jasmine drops its leaves? Below, we introduce the causes of and control methods for African jasmine leaf drop.

Causes of and Control Methods for African Jasmine Leaf Drop

Causes of African jasmine leaf drop:

1. Repotting. Potted African jasmine needs its potting soil changed every one to two years. After the soil is changed, the original root system cannot support the water demand of the upper leaves, so the plant will certainly shed some of its transpiring leaves. It may also be a lack of some trace element, but this is very unlikely.

2. Watering. Too much or too little watering will both affect the growth of African jasmine, thereby causing its leaves to turn yellow and drop. When the potting soil is too dry, the roots cannot supply enough water to meet the plant's needs, so the leaves lose water and drop; when the potting soil is too wet, it affects the respiration of the root system, and in severe cases causes root rot, so nutrients cannot be supplied and the leaves wither and fall.

3. Low temperature. African jasmine is a tropical plant and needs a relatively high growing temperature. When the temperature is below 5°C, it stops growing and its leaves drop easily.

4. Light. African jasmine likes light but dislikes strong light exposure. During growth it requires fairly ample scattered light, or should be placed near a window; it should not be kept too dark, otherwise the leaves turn yellow and lose their green color or drop.

5. Pests and diseases. Some diseases and insect pests can also cause the leaves of African jasmine to turn yellow or drop.

Solutions for African jasmine leaf drop:

1. When growing African jasmine, pay attention to its water needs: keep it well watered, but the roots must not sit in waterlogged soil. In spring and autumn, water just enough to keep the potting soil moist; during the plum rain season, guard carefully against waterlogging; in the scorching summer, spray water once in the morning and once in the afternoon to increase humidity and lower temperature; in winter, keep the potting soil slightly moist, and around midday when the temperature is relatively higher, spray a moderate amount of water on the leaves;

2. Maintain good indoor temperature and ventilation conditions;

3. Place the African jasmine pot where it can get sun, and provide shade when the sunlight is intense;

4. For potted plants in northern regions, to prevent leaf yellowing, add 0.2% ferrous sulfate when watering and fertilizing during the growing season. When planting in the ground, apply plenty of base fertilizer; in late autumn, dig a trench around the root zone and bury cake fertilizer, 0.5 to 1 kg per plant;

5. Pay attention to the control of common pests and diseases of African jasmine.

What should you do when African jasmine drops its leaves?

African jasmine is somewhat particular about its environment. Improper care easily leads to slow growth and frequent leaf drop, a situation especially common in northern regions. African jasmine is a foliage plant; once the leaves drop it becomes bare and loses its ornamental value, so the most commonly used rescue method for African jasmine leaf drop is to "shorten the branches and force out new leaves." Let's see how it is done:

1. After the beginning of spring and before May 1, begin withholding water to let the African jasmine plant dry out for a period.

2. After May 1, first carry out severe shortening of the plant, leaving 2-3 buds at the base of the surrounding branches and cutting away all the rest, without leaving a single leaf.

3. Immediately after shortening, repot, apply plenty of base fertilizer, then water thoroughly several times in succession; do not water again until a large number of new shoots appear.

4. Keep it in a cool, ventilated place for care. At this time, observe carefully, prevent insects and disease, and protecting the tender shoots is very important.

5. After the tender shoots gradually increase, thin them out in a planned way, letting the plant grow according to the intended shape, and at the same time cut away dried branch sections at any time.

6. Three months after shortening, gradually expose it to sunlight; water must be sufficient, but there must be no waterlogging; just pay attention to routine care.

That is all for today's introduction to the related knowledge about the causes of and control methods for African jasmine leaf drop. We hope the above content can be of help to everyone!