Question
I am in Florida from Dec. to May and have a jasmine plant on my lanai.  The person responsible for watering it all summer did not. The plant was almost void of leaves when we arrived Dec. 1.  The gardner said to water it and new leaf buds are now sprouting.  The problem is that the remaining older leaves are curling and some are turning black at the tips.  What is my problem and what do I do about it?     Thank you.

Answer
Renee:
The leaf curl and blackening may be a result from the previous drought conditions.  They may go ahead and drop. Nothing much to do to save many of these.  As a safety precaution, just remove and dispose those leaves that fall from the plant. You can focus on reviving the new leaves that are forming. Sounds like the plant is in a pot, so when you water it, put water on the soil surface until it flows out the bottom of the pot. Flush out the soil profile throughly, then leave it alone until it looks like it needs a drink.  If possible, try to avoid a little watering at frequent intervals and do a deep, but infrequent watering.  If convenient, you might want to check to be sure that the roots haven't filled up the pot over the summer.  If they do, you might want to go to a larger diameter pot (2-3 inches larger). Make sure that the pot has drain holes in the bottom and use a bagged soil that drains well (has some sand or perlite in it).

Not sure how far south in FL you are, but keep an eye on any potential frost or cold weather threats assuming it is outside right now.  I use to live in Ft. Myers and a cold snap didn't happen too often.

Enjoy your jasmine! I always wanted a night blooming jasmine- wanted to plant it under my window so I could smell it at night.

Regards

Steve