How to Care for Confederate Jasmine
Pearl white flowers that bloom in late spring that give off a sweet smelling fragrance that hangs over your garden like mist. This beautiful plant provides a fragrant vining shrub that spreads across your yard’s walls and is a great ground cover. Confederate jasmine or jasmine trachelospermum jasminoides is a precious gem adorns any garden and adds to its appeal. Learn how to care for Confederate Jasmine.
It is easy to appreciate the presence of the confederate jasmine/ star jasmine in any garden, due to its low maintenance. If you have bare walls that you would like to see covered with star shaped flowers, confederate jasmine provides you with the perfect opportunity. Let these glossy fast growing vines and their delicate chalk-white flowers take control of your flower garden!
Confederate Jasmine Care
Confederate jasmine may look sensitive, but these tough plants can surprise you with just how much they can bear. However, that does not mean that they do not require care and attention. You will need to grow star jasmine in a full sun area in order for it to thrive. They like something for their twining vines to cling on like a trellis, wall, or fence. You can even grow it in a container as long as the pot has a drainage hole. Grow these across the United States in USDA growing zones 8-11. They are not the most cold hardy and grow best in the south. Follow the guidelines below to ensure a healthy growing plant.How Often to Water Confederate Jasmine?
The confederate jasmine grows well even if it does not have access to ample water. These plants are drought tolerant and can go for days without being watered once it’s an established confederate jasmine plant. However, making sure that your confederate jasmine is adequately hydrated can help them look perky and fresh all year round.You will need to use your fingers to feel around the topsoil where your true jasmines are growing. Only water if you notice that this soil is dry and crumbling at least 1 – 2 inches deep into the ground. Water the soil enough for it to saturate the ground by around 5 – 6 inches from the top.
Your confederate jasmines will benefit more from consistent deep watering, instead of frequent shallow watering practices. Water these plants regularly every 10 – 21 days, and twice a week during the hot season to ensure it has moist, well drained soil.
Star Jasmine Fertilizer
Fertilizer in the Soil Confederate jasmine does not enjoy a lot of fertilizer. Just lay down an organic compost or use a high-quality potting soil when you first begin growing them. Fertilize these plants once or twice a year, during the early spring or summer season. Any all-purpose fertilizer will get the job done. The best time to apply fertilizer to the soil for your confederate jasmine is once it is done flowering. Just be sure not to fertilize them too much! Excess fertilizer can burn your plant, stunt their growth, and cause their appearance to wither over time.
Star Jasmine Pests and Diseases
Scale on a Trunk Thankfully Confederate Jasmine doesn’t have many pests or diseases to worry about. Here are a few you could run into when growing jasmine: mealy bugs, scale, sooty mold, and Japanese beetles. Mealybugs and Japanese beetles have a wax coat around their bodies. This coat makes it trickier to get rid of them using chemical pesticides. The best solution is to physically remove them. These insects are least active in the early morning hours. Giving you the perfect chance for you to remove them from your plant. Getting rid of bugs is easier if you can detect a pest problem early on.
Place a container filled with soapy water underneath the green leaves of where your confederate jasmine plant grows. Once the container is set, shake it vigorously to cause any harmful insects to fall off. Repeat this several times a week to take care of your pest problem.
Pruning Jasmine Shrubs
Pruning helps shape your confederate jasmine vines by giving them a sense of structure and encourages healthy growth. The best time to prune them is soon after they finish flowering (late summer or early fall). If needed you can do a light pruning before the cold winter frost.You will want to cut back this plant by a third of its size by making deep cuts across the stem. Be careful, as confederate jasmine is known to ooze white plant sap after their growing season. This chemical can irritate your skin while pruning your plant. To avoid the sap wear gloves, and clean your pruning equipment thoroughly after each cut you make.
Before pruning, you will want to dip your pruning tools in a bleach solution that is: one-part bleach and nine parts water. This tip can help deal with any harmful pathogens and bacteria and prevent infection after pruning.
Jasmine flowers are a lovely addition to any garden or terrace. To learn more about planting a star jasmine visit the links for more information:
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