Jasmine

Where to plant it

In sun or part shade, in a warm, sheltered spot. It adapts to many soils, including chalky ones, although the ideal is fertile, cool soil with good drainage. It’s a vigorous climber: give it a sturdy support, such as a wall, a pergola or a trellis. It can also live in a large pot with a stake.

Watering

In the first year, water regularly until it takes root. After that, regular but not heavy watering: roughly once a week or once a fortnight, depending on whether it’s in the ground or in a pot. In a pot it needs regular watering throughout the growing season.

Pruning

Straight after flowering, cut the stems that have flowered back to a strong side shoot lower down, and thin out weak, damaged or tangled stems. In winter, clear out dry, broken or diseased wood and suckers from the base. If it has outgrown its space, you can cut it back to about 60 cm from the ground, but it will take two or three years to flower again. Before pruning, check there are no nests.

Feeding

Planted in the ground it doesn’t need feeding: a layer of well-rotted compost in autumn over the root area is enough, leaving a few centimetres clear around the stems. In a pot, a potassium-rich liquid feed helps it flower.

In our climate

Cold combined with winter damp is what can harm it most, so choose a sheltered spot, for example next to a wall. If you’d like to cover a pergola or a trellis with jasmine, we can design it and take care of the pruning.