Did I murder my star jasmine? :(

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AmandaBP Amsterdam, Netherlands Apr 07, 2020

I feel well and truly gutted. I hired someone to prune my star jasmine "just a little" and he completely bared it to the roots before I noticed and could stop him, with no care given to healthy vines, where the flower buds are, etc.

(He also exposed a bird's nest that I told him about :( Luckily they hadn't laid yet but I was looking forward to them being there and had warned him that it was there.)

Anyway, here are before and after photos. The top is left because the ladder didn't reach that high.

Is there any chance that this will grow back? It was so bushy and beautiful, and smelled so great. I'm really sad.

And is there anything I can do to help it along?

Am keeping my fingers crossed that I'll one day smell this jasmine again...

Thumbnail by AmandaBP Thumbnail by AmandaBP Thumbnail by AmandaBP
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Kell San Leandro, CA(Zone 9b) Apr 07, 2020

OUCH!! Poor you! Poor it, standing there naked. Your pruner must have gone to the lollipop school of pruning!

I think it will be fine. I have never seen 1 with such a hard prune but in general they are fast growers and usually recover. You will know soon for this is the best time for a plant to recover, spring!! The plant is getting the grow grow grow message. Hopefully you will see new growth budding all over the branches he left. As it comes in, you might want to gently prune the new growth to direct its growth.

Leave that pom pom on top so those leaves will provide for the rest of the plant.

I would help it along by fertilizing it.

Beware not to over water it because with most of its greenery gone, it will not need as much water as it did before.

So what did you say to that pruner after you revived from fainting?

PS
I hope you all are doing well in Amsterdam. Are things as dire there as here? My mind is just not grasping the enormity of this disaster.

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AmandaBP Amsterdam, Netherlands Apr 07, 2020

Oh thank you Kell! That really gives me some relief. I think this must have been a "lost in translation" thing, because I told his partner what I wanted ("a little trim") and his partner translated into Spanish for him.

I didn't say anything to him after because he couldn't really understand what I was asking. But...I tipped him (that's how I deal with awkward situations haha).

But I nearly died inside when I saw it.

Yes, things are pretty dire here, but the Dutch have a pretty positive this-will-pass attitude so far, and the beautiful weather is coming, which will help!

Thank you so much for your advice!

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Kell San Leandro, CA(Zone 9b) Apr 07, 2020

You are such a nice person! LOL And right now we all need some niceness.

I hope you stay well!

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