One of the main reasons to grow Jasmine plants in your home are their beautiful flowers. It is always disconcerting when your Jasmine doesn't bloom. This can happen for those plants that are growing in the garden, or those that are kept indoors as potted plants. This can be very frustrating, especially after giving your Jasmine plant all the love and care.

It is important to understand why a Jasmine plant doesn't bloom and what to do about it.

Why Is My Jasmine Not Flowering?

There may be several reasons why your Jasmine plant doesn't bloom. The first thing you need to examine is your care routine. Jasmine is a tropical plant and it requires some care and effort to thrive.

Here are the main reasons a Jasmine plant is not blooming:

• Inadequate fertilizer. If you are sure you cared for your plant properly, the first possible culprit to examine is your fertilizer. In case you used a fertilizer with too much nitrogen, it will boost foliage growth. This is not a problem in itself, but too much energy put in foliage means that it takes energy from the forming blooms. As a result, not enough blooms are forming. This can also result in Jasmine flowers that are only peeking through and not blooming properly. To remedy this problem, try fertilizing with a no-nitrogen fertilizer, or the one with low amount of nitrogen. Plant food rich in phosphorus is excellent for encouraging blooming.
• Small container. Another thing that might prevent your Jasmine plant from blooming is a container that is too small. If you feel this is the case, you should repot it into a larger pot. Once it is repotted, it will need time to establish its roots before it can bloom. Just be patient and allow it to become root bound.
• Bad air circulation. Encouraging good air circulation is also beneficial. Air circulation benefits your Jasmine's health, which in turn boosts blooming. If your Jasmine is in need or anything, it is less likely to produce flowers. To improve air circulation, keep your Jasmine near an open window or near a fan, just make sure that temperatures are not too low.
• Inadequate conditions. Keep in mind that the right light, temperature and other conditions are needed to make a Jasmine plant bloom. A Jasmine plant should be kept at temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees F during the day.
• No pruning. Pruning can also encourage new blooms. As soon as blooms are finished, make sure to bloom them. If you can't prune immediately, make sure to do this by mid-summer. If you prune later, you can accidentally remove that season's buds that are forming, which will prevent your Jasmine plant from blooming. You can use heavy pruning on your plant. Good pruning, when done at the right time, will encourage more blooms.

Rest Period

If you wish to have your Jasmine plant bloom in winter, you need to give it a rest period. In other words, you should let your Jasmine rest in the fall so it can produce blooms during the winter. Your Jasmine plant should have dark nights, so ensure that there are no street lights reaching it. If this is not easy to achieve, you can put it in a closet during the nighttime.

In case you grow your Jasmine plants outdoors, make sure to cover them with dark and light landscape coverings. You may also use a dark sheet. However, make sure to remove the covering every morning when the sun comes up. Keep in mind that even Jasmine that is resting and is not producing blooms still need sunshine during the day.

During the rest period, it is important to water your plants on a limited basis. Also, withhold any fertilization during the 4 to 5 week period. During the resting time, temperatures should be around 40 to 50 F.

Once flowers start to appear on a Jasmine plant that was resting, it is a sign to move your plant into an area where it can get 6 hours of light per day. Temperatures should be around 60 to 65 degrees F during this time. You should also resume regular watering and fertilizing. This is the time when your Jasmine needs more humidity.

You can place a pebble tray filled with water near your plant once it starts to bloom. You may even place a potted Jasmine plant on a pebble tray, but make sure to leave it in a saucer so it doesn't absorb this water. Water absorption can make your plant soggy. Soggy roots are dangerous for your plant and this problem can delay or completely stop blooming. Make sure to water your Jasmine plant only when the soil is dry to half of an inch down.

Photo credit: Jevgenijs Slihto