How to Maintain Jasmine Plant

Many people who opt to grow jasmine do so because of the smell of its small, white flowers. These flowers have such a strong scent that oil from the plant is used to add scent to many perfumes and cosmetics. Perhaps the most unique aspect of the jasmine plant is that its flowers begin to release scent actively in the evening rather than during the heat of the day. Speaking of heat, jasmine plants are very sensitive to temperature and in all but the mildest climates should be grown indoors to ensure the plant’s survival.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

• Sandy or clay soil
• Small humidifier or wet gravel
• Water-soluble fertilizer

1. Provide a sandy or clay soil that drains well.

2. Keep the jasmine in a relatively cool yet humid area. You may opt to run a small humidifier to provide the plant with the humidity it needs to survive. Another option is to place the pot in a tray of wet gravel.

3. Water the jasmine when the first half-inch of potting soil becomes dry. Add too much water, however, and the roots of the plant will rot.

4. Fertilize jasmine plants every two to four weeks from spring to early autumn. Use a water-soluble fertilizer engineered specifically for indoor plants. Dilute the fertilizer to half strength before you apply it.

5. Expose the jasmine to at least six hours of direct sunlight every day after it begins to bloom. You may opt to take the plant outdoors and alternate placing it in both sunny and shady areas.

6. Prune the plant as necessary to help it retain its shape. Stop pruning your jasmine in early August, as this is the time when jasmine begins to bud and you don’t want to unintentionally remove flower buds.

7. Expose the jasmine plant to cooler temperatures for four or five weeks as the weather begins to change. The ideal evening temperature should be between 40 and 50 degrees. This encourages the plant to form flower buds for the following winter.

Tips & Warnings

• It is not necessary to fertilize your jasmine plant from late autumn through the winter.

• The nectar of some varieties of jasmine is poisonous, so keep jasmine away from pets and children.

• Do not expose your jasmine plant to artificial light after it grows dark in the evenings.