Question
When is the best time of the year to prune my jasmine, Maid of Orleans
houseplant and how much pruning should be done?  This year we only had two
blooms on it in early Spring, but this has been the first year in several that it
actually has bloomed.  Now that Fall/Winter is upon us, should we taper back on
watering and fertilizing.  Thank you and best regards.

Answer
Hi Tracy,

Jasmine usually bloom in January. Normally Jasmine is cut way back to half its size following a winter bloom and then new growth is kept pinched back to promote fullness until August. Keep the soil moist and fertilize regularly when it is putting out new growth.

In August, discontinue the pinching. In October; give it completely dark nights and cool temps (40 to 50 degrees) to promote January bloom. Keep the soil a bit more on the dry side and provide lots of sun during the day. It is usually recommended that you do this for 6 to 8 weeks. This will help set the buds. After that normal room temperatures and a sunny window will suffice. This is a difficult regimen to provide. If you can only do this for a few weeks, it is better than not at all. If you cannot do it at all, your plant will remain healthy but it may not bloom quite as much. In any case do not fertilize during the winter months. In the late winter or early spring, prune the entire plant back by half. New growth will soon emerge. Flowers appear only on new growth.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC