If you grow this fragrant vine, train it to grow on a jasmine trellis to keep it happy, healthy and doing what it does best – climbing and blooming.
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If you’ve noticed your asiatic jasmine vine spreading out horizontally rather than climbing upwards, you’re not alone. This is a common issue many gardeners face with this popular groundcover plant. But don’t worry, there are some simple things you can do to get your asiatic jasmine vine growing in the right direction again.
What Causes Asiatic Jasmine to Grow Sideways?
There are a few key factors that can cause asiatic jasmine vines to grow sideways rather than upwards
Insufficient Support
Asiatic jasmine is a vining plant that naturally wants to climb upwards. However, without proper support like a trellis, fence, or wall, the vines will end up spreading out sideways along the ground Providing a solid vertical structure for the vines to cling to is key to promoting upward growth
Low Light Conditions
Jasmine prefers full sun to partial shade. Too much shade can result in lanky, sideways growth as the plant stretches out searching for more sunlight. Place your jasmine vine in a spot with at least 6 hours of direct sun per day. Morning sun is ideal.
Excessive Growth
If your asiatic jasmine is growing vigorously and becomes overgrown, the weight of the plant can cause the vines to collapse and start growing horizontally. Regular pruning keeps growth under control and prevents excessive sideways spread.
Poor Draining Soil
Wet, heavy soil causes stress for jasmine roots. This can lead to weak, floppy growth that snakes along the ground. Improve drainage by amending dense clay soil with compost or gardener’s sand.
How to Get Asiatic Jasmine Growing Upright Again
Luckily, with a few simple fixes, you can get your asiatic jasmine vine standing tall in no time:
Add a Sturdy Support
Install a trellis, arbor, pergola, or fence next to your jasmine vine. Use plant ties or garden twine to gently tie the wayward stems to the support. Over time, the vines will attach themselves using holdfasts. Continue training new growth upwards.
Improve Light Conditions
If possible, remove any large trees or shrubs that may be shading the jasmine. Even just pruning back encroaching branches to allow more light penetration can make a difference. If lighting cannot be improved, you may need to consider relocating the plant.
Prune Regularly
Cut back long, sideways-growing stems to redirect the plant’s energy upwards and encourage a more compact habit. Pruning every year after flowering also eliminates overcrowding. Make cuts just above leaf nodes.
Water Deeply
Water issues are often the culprit for poor growth. Check soil moisture regularly and irrigate your jasmine vine deeply only when the top few inches become dry. Deep weekly soakings are better than frequent shallow watering.
Use Fertilizer
Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer monthly during the growing season. This fuels strong growth so vines can more easily grow vertically. Use a low nitrogen formula to avoid excessive floppy growth.
Check for Pests
Insects like mealybugs, aphids, and scales can attack jasmine and stunt growth. Use horticultural oils or insecticidal soaps to keep populations in check. Healthy plants grow better.
Improve Soil Drainage
If you have heavy, compacted soil, work in several inches of compost or peat moss to lighten the texture. Consider planting your jasmine vine on a raised bed for improved drainage.
Best Practices for Growing Asiatic Jasmine Vertically
Once you’ve corrected any issues causing sideways growth, keep your asiatic jasmine vine growing skyward with these simple care tips:
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Plant against a sturdy vertical structure like a wall or fence. Provide trellises or obelisks if needed.
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Tie vines to supports frequently to train growth upwards. Don’t allow stems to droop.
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Prune regularly to control size and shape. Cut back wayward stems.
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Water 1-2 times per week during dry periods, aiming for deep moisture. Let soil dry between watering.
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Apply fertilizer monthly during spring through summer for vigorous growth.
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Monitor for pests like spider mites that can slow growth. Act quickly if found.
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Improve drainage if planting in clay-like soil. Add compost or use a raised bed.
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Thin overcrowded plants to allow good air flow and strengthen stems.
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Mulch around the base to retain soil moisture and reduce weeds.
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Provide some afternoon shade in hot climates to prevent leaf scorch.
With a little attentive care and training, your asiatic jasmine vine will soon be climbing neatly upwards rather than creeping out sideways. Just have some patience as you help redirect its growth towards vertical supports. Soon you’ll have the lush green coverage and delicate white blooms you envisioned in your garden design.
Jasmine Trellis Training: Grow Jasmine on A Trellis
Jasmine is a beautiful plant that gardeners treasure for its intoxicating aroma. You can find many different types of jasmine. Some are shrubbier than others, but all create vines. Growing jasmine on a trellis is a great way to showcase this beauty and its aromatic flowers.
Trellises are simply supports for a plant to climb on as it grows, and they can be anything from a fence, lattice or frame, or even the side of a building, so the sky is the limit.
When creating a jasmine trellis, feel free to get creative. You can aim for symmetry or train the plant to grow a pattern or shape, like a swoop or swirl. Just be sure your trellis is sturdy enough to withstand having more weight on one side than another.
A good trellis for jasmine training should be sturdy and either supported by another structure or dug into the ground for stability. While jasmine is not necessarily a heavy plant, it can overwhelm a flimsy structure.
- A trellis situated against a wall lets a jasmine vine appear to climb the house. You can paint the trellis to match the color of the wall so it “disappears,” showcasing the vine.
- Another good idea is to use an arbor or pergola as a trellis. Train the vines to grow up and over it to create a flowering arch or entrance to your garden.
- A simple criss-cross grid structure made from wood or bamboo will work well for jasmine if the trellis is stable.
- Try a French version with an obelisk-shaped trellis that will allow the plant to grow up in the shape of the Eiffel Tower. This is a space saver, as well as being beautiful.
- If you are an ambitious do-it-yourselfer, try connecting pliable tree branches with garden twine or wire to create an interesting structure on which your jasmine can creep and cling.
- Old bed frames, wide chicken wire and many other materials can serve as a trellis for jasmine, as long as they are sturdy. Check online or your local garden center for ideas, and find materials you already have to help your jasmine plant along.
How to Train a Climbing Jasmine Plant
Start by situating your jasmine plant in the right location. Jasmine plants prefer full sun but can tolerate partial shade. They also like fertile, well-drained soil. Most types of jasmine require a warmer climate. If your area is borderline for growing jasmine, choose a sheltered location.
Decide where you’d like the jasmine plant to climb, then plant it right at the base and center of the trellis. If the type you have chosen is more vine than shrub, secure the base of the main vine to the base of the trellis. The shrubbier types of jasmine are more stable and don’t need to be secured at the base.
As the jasmine grows, attach vines and new growth to the trellis, and if appropriate, weave the branches in and out of the trellis. You can use any type of material to attach the vines to the trellis. Zip ties are easy to use, and you can snip off the ends to keep them looking tidy. Garden twine or soft strips of cloth are other good options.
Asian jasmine is a tough, vigorous ground cover
FAQ
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