Why Can't I Keep Star Jasmine Alive?

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talkingwall Chandler, AZ May 03, 2008

I've tried to plant and grow star jasmine three times, the first two died and now my third (planted in another area) is in trouble (I think). I live in Arizona. We have not yet had any really hot days (low 90's at most). I water every afternoon. I planted last fall and it's been green all fall and winter long. I have lots of blossoms and the vines are growing but recently it started losing lots of leaves. They turn yellow and fall off. The plant is in part-sun-part-shade, a few feet away from a large palm tree. All the other plants seem to do well. I love the scent of this plant and want to be able to keep one. Can you help me save this one?

mark

Post #4902029
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ecrane3 Dublin, CA(Zone 9a) May 03, 2008

Yellowing and dropping leaves can be either too much or too little water, and since you're watering every afternoon I'm going to guess it's too much. There would be other possibilities too, but watering issues are always a good place to start on troubleshooting. Maybe when it was newly planted it needed water every day, but now that it's been in the ground for a little while it won't need as much water. And especially when your weather hasn't gotten too hot yet I can almost guarantee it doesn't need to be watered every day. To decide whether to water or not, stick your finger down a few inches in the soil and see how it feels--if it's dry then you can water, but if it's still feeling damp then you need to hold off.

Post #4902308
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loganadu Toronto, Canada May 04, 2008

I am in the North (southern Ontario), so I grow my jasmine in pots so that I can winter it indoors. My experience with them is to let jasmine dry out between waterings. During the flowering season, tomato fertilizer (follow the directions for tomatoes) will make the plant bloom profusely. Don't fertilize until you have the plant in a healthier state.

I fell in love with Jasmine while living in East Africa. It was everywhere in the area I lived and flourished! Naturally, the soil always dried out between rains. Despite all of the instructions I have read on growing jasmine, and to keep it moist and humid, the best success I have had is to mimic nature in the area of Africa I was in, and let them dry between waterings. Jasime, in my experience, seems to enjoy being treated a little mean.

Give it another year before you totally give up - even though mine are container plants, I have found that as a rule, none of my jasmine did very well the first 12-18 months I had them.

Good Luck

Post #4905683
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