Potted Jasmine Care | Gardening On

Jasmine is a beautiful climbing shrub that has what any plant of this type must have to be able to grow in a pot: it does not grow very much, it tolerates pruning very well, and it also produces many flowers in spring. Therefore, even if you acquired a specimen that was a meter or more, you would not have to worry, because if you wanted, you could trim its stems a lot to make it smaller.

Its maintenance is not complicated either, but So that you know how to take care of your potted jasmine, here are a few tips.

How many hours of sunshine does a jasmine need?

One of the first and most important things that you have to keep in mind when growing a jasmine, whether in the garden or in a pot, is that it is a plant that will grow much better in an area where it is directly exposed to the sun.

In the event that it is not possible, you can place it in semi-shade, but it is necessary to give it a little light, even if it is filtered by, for example, the branches of a tree that is close to it.

How to water jasmine in pots?

Irrigation of jasmine, in general, should be moderate. If the climate is very dry and hot, it will be necessary to be a little aware of the substrate, since it is necessary to avoid losing all its humidity; On the other hand, if it rains frequently there will be no need to water.

But yes, when it comes to re-moistening the substrate, you have to pour water until it comes out of the holes in the pot. Just pouring a glass into it is not enough; You must add until the earth is well moistened.

If you see that the soil has a hard time absorbing the water and it goes sideways, take the pot and put it in a basin of water for about 30 minutes. This happens when grown in peat, especially in climates with a high degree of insolation and where temperatures are high and there is little rain.

The water to use, whenever possible, should be rain. But it will also be worth the one that is suitable for human consumption, any type of soft water or with little lime.

What compost is good for jasmine?

Your jasmine will appreciate that you fertilize it from spring to late summer. If you live in an area where there are no frosts or they are very weak (up to -2ºC), you can continue to fertilize it until autumn. For it We recommend using a fertilizer that stimulates flowering in spring (like this one they sell here!), and another growth during the summer (like the one they sell here!).

These are liquid fertilizers, the dose of which is mixed with the irrigation water. Said dose is indicated on the packaging, and it is very important to respect it, since if it is overdone, the roots will burn and the plant, therefore, will suffer significant damage, such as rapid browning of the leaves.

Other fertilizers that will be very useful are, for example, egg shells chopped and placed on the surface of the substrate, wood ash once it is at room temperature, fresh tea grounds, and / or coffee beans or the few drops of this drink that have remained in the coffee maker.

How do you prune a potted jasmine?

The type of pruning of potted jasmine will vary depending on whether you want to have it as a climber or as a shrub. So let’s see how it is done taking this into account:

• Creeper: If you want to have as a climber, pruning is simple, since you only have to cut the stems that are dry, weak or that have been broken for some reason.
• Bush: You only have to trim the stems that are getting too long, letting between 4 and 6 leaves grow and cutting 2-4. Of course, keep in mind that most species will not be able to grow as a tree, but rather as a low shrub.

When should jasmine be pruned?

Again, it will depend on the type of pruning. If you are only going to trim the stems a little, and / or remove those that are broken, you can do it whenever necessary; but if it is a training pruning, that is, if you are going to cut some whole stems and trim others, then you will have to wait for it to finish flowering.

How to transplant a potted jasmine?

In late winter, or if you like and the weather is warm, fall is a good time to see if your jasmine needs a larger pot. That will be known if roots grow out of the holes in the pot, and / or if it has been in it for more than 3 years and hardly anything has grown in recent times. Also, if the substrate is very worn, or if the roots have developed so much that there is hardly any substrate left, it will be necessary to transplant it. But how?

Following this step by step:

1. The first of all is to take a pot that is about 5 centimeters in diameter and deeper than the one you have now.
2. Then, throw in a layer of balls of arlite. This will improve drainage, while preventing the substrate from being rapidly lost.
3. Then fill the pot a little with quality universal substrate, which has peat but also perlite. If some compost of the vermicompost or mulch style was also added, all the better. For instance, No products found. It is highly recommended.
4. Now, carefully extract the jasmine from the pot, and plant it in the new one. If you see that it is too high or too low with respect to the edge of the container, remove or add substrate.
5. Finally, finish filling the pot and water.

Do you have to protect it from frost?

It depends on the species and the climate in which it is grown, but in principle if the temperature does not drop below -5ºC there will be no need to protect it. Now, if the climate is colder in your area, then you will have to put it in a greenhouse or indoors.

I hope it has helped you to grow your potted jasmine.