How to Care for a Jasmine Bush Plant
Jasmine (Jasminum officinale) produces a sweet perfume from its delicate white flowers, which bloom from spring through fall. The glossy green leaves provide evergreen curiosity about U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 10. Although frequently known as a vine, jasmine has a bushy growth that tends to sprawl unless it’s properly pruned. Annual trimming and suitable care maintains a jasmine bush in great form and ensures ample flowering.
Select a well-draining planting location that receives complete, sloping sunlight, although the bush can endure some light afternoon shade. Till a 2-inch layer of compost into the top 12 inches of garden soil before planting to improve soil fertility.
Plant container-grown nursery plants in the bed in early fall. Plant jasmine in a hole the exact same depth as the nursery pot and space multiple botanical bushes 8 foot apart.
Water jasmine weekly throughout the spring, summer and early fall when the bush is actively growing. Supply approximately 2 inches of water weekly, or sufficient to maintain the top 8 inches of soil moist. Reduce watering in the winter and water just frequently enough so the dirt doesn’t dry completely.
Pinch back every hinge on a new jasmine immediately after planting. Remove the tip of each stem back to the topmost bud, which encourages branching and bushier growth.
Spread a 2-inch layer of mulch around the base of the jasmine bush in the fall to give insulation, keep moisture and protect against weed growth. Pull the mulch back so it doesn’t rest against the trunk. Replenish the mulch layer in the spring so it stays 2 inches deep.
Fertilize jasmine in the spring as new growth begins. Use a balanced fertilizer or a fertilizer formulated for flowering shrubs. Use the fertilizer at the rate recommended on the package for the size of the jasmine shrub.
Prune jasmine annually in late summer or fall after the bush ends flowering. Cut back overgrown stems to within 1/4 inch of a bud, removing no more than one-third of their span. Prune to keep the desired size and shape of the bush. Remove dead or damaged branches back to a wholesome bud on the branch or to wherever they emerge from the trunk.
