How can I train my Jasmine?
Question:
I have a jasmine which has been planted by the front door and have been trying to train it over the door but to be honest I've no idea what I'm doing. It has been there 12 years and has many trunks if you know what I mean. I don't know if I should be cutting some of them out or what growth to cut out. As you can guess I'm a novice gardener.
Answer:
The first thing we need to do is establish which plant you have.
There are two main types of Jasmine, one flowers in Winter/Spring the other flowers in the summer and they need to be treated differently.
The most well known jasmine is Jasminum officinale which has white or cream flowers in the summer and is highly scented. It is most likely that your plant is this one as it is often planted by doorways to appreciate the scent. It don’t mind a little shade but the sun will bring out the scent; it should also be in a sheltered position. It can grow to 12m which makes them ideal for training over an arch but it can take over if it isn’t kept in check. You have two options at this point; prune it back and hope it recovers or get rid of it and start again.
If you want to try to rejuvenate it then follow these steps but bear in mind that all hard pruning can be risky and in most likelihood it will not flower this year:
• This work should be done during February or March but not if frost is expected
• First cut out any dead or really old stems right down to the base
• Cut down any remaining main stems to about 18”
• Cut back any stems growing out from the main stem to about 6”
• If possible remove the top layer of soil from around the base and replace with new top soil or compost
• Water well and top off with a thick layer of well rotted compost (this is called mulch)
• Keep well watered during dry spells
• Fertilise with a general fertiliser in the spring
Once the plant is cut down you will be able to see the trellis or arch so check that it is still sound and if not replace or repair it. Once the plant begins to grow you must regularly tie in the new growth to fill in any gaps up the trellis and keep tying them in right up to the top of the arch (don’t tie in too tight, leave some room for growth). Once the stems get too long just cut them to the length you want. Cut out or shorten any shoots which begin to grow outwards from the main plant to ensure that it doesn’t get too wide. When making your cuts always cut just above a “node” with a slanting cut. A node is a “join” on the stem, once cut, this join produces a new stem or a flower bud. Cutting below the “node” means you are cutting off the chance for a new flower or stem. The thing is that you want to produce a plant that you like the look of so if something doesn’t look good to you then cut it out or cut it down and let it re-grow to the shape and size you want.
Plants that grow close to a house, wall, or fence never get enough water from rain alone so need to be watered regularly particularly during dry spells, when it is developing buds or after a hard prune. Always keep a good layer of mulch on the surface of the soil which will help keep moisture in the soil and help stop weeds developing. Fertilise with a general fertiliser once a month from spring through to autumn.
If your plant flowers in Winter/Spring with yellow flowers then it is a Winter Flowering Jasmine which means that it develops it's buds during the summer/autumn and therefore should not be pruned during the autumn or winter otherwise all the flowers will be lost. All pruning needs to take place once the flowers have gone over which is usually around April or May. They are very good for training over an arch but they only reach 2.5m so will not cover a large area. They like the sun but do not mind some shade. Follow the same steps as above but carry out the work in late spring or summer.
There is another plant, Trachelospermum, which has scented jasmine-like flowers and is often known as star jasmine. It is evergreen so if your plant does not keep it’s leaves in the winter then this isn’t the one you have. It is an excellent climber for a sunny, sheltered spot but does not survive outside in all areas. If you think this is your plant then let me know and I’ll let you know how to deal with it.
Similar Articles:
- Photinia fraseri dropping it’s leaves - I recently moved to the Netherlands. In my new yard I found a Photinia fraseri Camilvy. Over the winter it’s leaves where light green with a few brownish spots. The winter was very cold. I don’t think anybody cut the photinia back last year. Now spring has arrived and new red leaves are growing from ...
- Busy Lizzies - Question:Every year I purchase Busy Lizzies and Impatiens Don’t mind the cost really but would love to be able to save them tell me how to do it please.Answer:Unfortunately you won’t be able to save your busy lizzies. Being annuals they will naturally day after one season regardless of how you look after them. What ...
- Oriental Poppy - Question:I’m not very knowledgeable when it comes to gardening. I absolutely adore poppies and I bought an Oriental poppy plant in the summer and planted it in my front garden. It flowered fine in the summer but into the autumn the last couple of heads turned black and failed to flower. I have about six ...
