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Star Jasmine

davidpritchard195davidpritchard195 Posts: 9
in Problem solving
my star jasmine is not looking very happy at the moment. The leaves are turning brown and crinkly and the plant looks dry. I have been watering it but the water is running straight through the container. I pruned and repotted it to the current container some 5 years ago and it has been ok until now though flowering has never been as profuse as I expected. Any advice as to the problem and solution would be appreciated. Thank you.

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The soil will be bone dry in the pot, which is why it's running straight through it. If you can slide a tray of some kind under it, removing the feet first,  and then water, let it soak it all up and do that as often as needed to thoroughly hydrate the soil, that will help.
    However, if it's been in the same soil for that length of time, it'll be starving. Potted plants need the soil refreshed every year at least, and additional food. That's also why it won't be flowering well.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I agree - and would also say it needs a much, much, much bigger pot with a good John Innes-based mix with plenty of grit added.
    They want to be enormous plants.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • Tizzie44Tizzie44 Posts: 22
    I have exactly the same problem, but my star jasmine is planted in the garden and is 7 or 8 years old, about 8 ft high. Has always been fine but the leaves are shedding at an enormous rate...actually it’s nearly bare. I do not understand why it’s suddenly appears to be turning up it’s toes. Do you think there is any chance it will recover or is it time to get the loppers out?
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    Hello @Tizz44, it's very probably the same problem - lack of water even though it's in the ground. We've had a very dry spring and when evergreen plants are stressed, they tend to drop their leaves. I would give your plant at least two full watering cans full, slowly watered on, twice a week and see if it perks up.
    Good luck.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    Totally agree with the above comments - bigger pot, fresh JI no.3 compost with grit for drainage. If lots of old dry compost drops away from the roots during this process it's probably a good thing. You'll probably want to cut back some of the foliage (lots of it has gone crispy anyway by the look of it - in which case it will die back) and allow the plant to recuperate in a cool shady spot for a good while. Recovery will not be instant and the plant is probably going to look worse before it starts looking better. Perhaps try an annual climber to fill the gap.
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • davidpritchard195davidpritchard195 Posts: 9
    Thanks everyone for your helpful comments. I will place a suitable tray under the pot initially to try and hold the water to allow the plant to soak it up. If that doesn’t work I will prune it and repot it into a larger pot. I don’t want to lose it as it was a gift and I love the flowers and fragrance.
  • stvkhillstvkhill Posts: 9
    Late to this discussion. I’ve recently bought a star jasmine and need to get a pot. I was told in one place a minimum size of width 40cm x height 32cm but another place said a tall tomato pot would do… I was also advised against terracotta spang pot which is what I’d prefer as it would crack in winter (NE England) B & Q do spang pots almost half the price of the ones at the garden centre but dimensions are smaller too width 35cm x height 30cm. If it’s probably going to crack anyway, could I just pot it on in a few years? I’ve got a willow trellis ready, and the John Innes no3 recommended. I’ve got spare crocks, but are hydroleca granules a good idea too?
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    They want to grow into very big plants and will reach 40ft x 30ft, so you want the biggest pot you can get for it. That said, of course you can re-pot it in stages.

    I've got quite a few terracotta pots and they're been ok through the Beast From The East and the little Beast we had a year or so ago, some pots seem to be more resilient than others.
    Pot feet are also important so the pot doesn't become waterlogged over winter and rot the roots.
    You JI compost is fine, but it is a heavy mix so I'd suggest about 20% by volume of grit to open it up a bit and let it drain well. A few handfuls of well rotted manure would introduce some life into it too.
    The hydro-granules don't last more than a season, so I wouldn't bother.
    They're good for hanging baskets and the like for the summer, but they soon break down.
    Keep it well watered in the summer. If it dries out for a while scale insects often take advantage. They won't cause a lot of damage though, but they do make the leaves look awful.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • davidpritchard195davidpritchard195 Posts: 9
    I have managed to repot my star jasmine into a new, much larger pot and have replaced with JI no3 compost and some grit. It is still in its original position as it is tied in to a wall trellis. However the good news is that it appears to be recovering and has plenty of new green growth. 
    I'd like to thank you for the advice and suggestions you posted. 


  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Looks good David, must have been a tricky job!
    Glad we could help :)


    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
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