| How do I care for my Star Jasmine that is new this year? It's in a large pot, should I take it in this winter? Zone 6. How far to cut it back? |
| Star jasmine is only hardy to about 40F so you'll want to take it indoors this fall and keep it inside all winter long. Jasmines make excellent houseplants. Provide average household warmth (minimum 45F in winter), bright light with some direct sunshine, keep soil moist at all times and mist the leaves frequently to increase humidity around the plant. If you regularly pinch out the growing tips of your plant it will produce new flowering stems. Start by bringing your potted jasmine indoors at night and taking it out during the day, gradually leaving it inside for longer and longer periods of time until it spends 24 hours a day indoors. (Reverse this process when the weather warms in the spring and it's time to take your plant back outdoors.) Once it has become acclimated to indoor growing you can pinch back the very long shoots to encourage new stems. Pinch them back to the point where you want 2 new shoots to appear. If conditions are right the new stems will develop flowers which will fill the room with a wonderful perfume. You can prune yours back by about a third (more or less depending upon size). While it is outdoors you simply need to water it regularly and enjoy! |
