Question
hello. I got a stephanotis in a pot as a present 3 weeks ago.it didnt bloom yet and it started fading and loosing leaves and buds are falling. shall i repot it into a bigger pot and can i repot it before it blooms.much appreciate the answer.

Answer
Hello,

NO! Now is not the time to repot it, that will make it loose all of it's blooms. Move it to a location that it gets more sun, outdoors if the nights are above 10 degrees celsius where you are. They actually will hold their flowers longer if they are kept between 10 and 18 degrees. Also be very careful not to overwater it and do not leave it sitting in a tray of water constantly. The soil needs to get slightly dry between waterings. Put some water in a spray bottle and spray it twice a day thoroughly so it is kept more humid. Remember it just came from a greenhouse with bright light and high humidity, you have to keep it close to that or you loose buds but you don't want to keep it in a swamp. Leaving it in a tray of water and keeping it wet constantly is like keeping it in a swamp. Make these changes immediately and it should perk up. It should only be repotted between April 1st and July 1st and should not need repotted until next year after blooming. It will bloom better when it is rootbound. Fertilize it with a water soluable fertilizer for blooming plants. Good luck.

Darlene