The decorative flowering shrub Jasmine solanum originally comes from Brazil, which is why it is not hardy in the local latitudes and must therefore be protected from cold and frost. The popular summer jasmine, for example, only tolerates a temperature of -3° Celsius, so it is better if it moves to a warm winter quarters before the first cold days. However, the plant can easily be accommodated in a dark, cool room as well as in a warmer, bright room over the winter.
time
Jasmine solanum is a perennial if it is protected from frost and cool temperatures in winter. In this way it can survive for many years and show its full splendor in the summer if it is brought to a frost-free place before the first expected minus temperatures. Winter protection must begin when the first night frosts are expected in autumn.
Of course, this varies from region to region and therefore cannot be measured with a specific date. But at the latest when the 10° Celsius mark is no longer exceeded in autumn, action should be taken. Although the jasmine can still tolerate temperatures down to -3° Celsius, this can weaken the shrub before hibernation, which also means stress for the plant due to the temperature differences and change of location.
location
The right location
There are many locations where jasmine can overwinter. However, care should be taken that it does not get too warm for the plant in winter, because it still needs hibernation in order to be able to fully develop again next summer. However, whether the cool location is chosen dark or light is relatively irrelevant to the plant, it can handle both conditions well.
So the following locations are to be chosen for the winter:
- in the basement, preferably dark
- Temperatures in the dark should be around 5° Celsius
- in cool living spaces, such as bedrooms
- a warm living room, on the other hand, should not be chosen
- in a stairwell
- in an unheated, frost-free conservatory
- in a bright location, temperatures between 10° and 12° Celsius
- under a winter tent
- if the plant has been cultivated in the garden bed
- in a frost-free greenhouse
Of course, it is ideal if the jasmine solanum was cultivated in a bucket, because the location can be changed at any time. However, it must be noted that cool rooms are preferable to a warm place. Because especially when the jasmine winters very warm, there can be a significant pest infestation. If, on the other hand, the plant was planted in a bed, the location should be chosen in such a way that the shrub can be well protected even in winter, although it remains outdoors.
Before hibernation
Measures before hibernation
It is irrelevant in which location the jasmine will overwinter, various measures should always be carried out before overwintering. So it is important to cut back the shrub in autumn before moving it to winter quarters. This is not only necessary for space-saving reasons, because if the jasmine has been reduced in size, it needs less energy in winter and can devote itself entirely to the hibernation, which will strengthen it again for the next year. Fertilizers should now also be discontinued.
Hibernation dark location
Jasmine overwinters in a dark location
If the Jasmine Solanum overwinters in a dark location, such as in a basement or a frost-free garage, then temperatures around 5° Celsius can prevail here. A boiler room is therefore not a good choice, as the plant gets too warm here in winter. If the jasmine has therefore been prepared for the winter, it moves to a sheltered corner. Regular checks should be made to ensure that the soil is not completely drying out.
However, since it is relatively cool, it only has to be watered very sparingly from time to time. It is important to ensure that the soil is not made too wet and, above all, that there is no waterlogging. Plants that are overwintered in a dark location should start overwintering again at an early stage so that they can slowly get used to the brightness, warmth and sun again. When overwintering in a dark location, the following happens to the plant.
- it falls into complete hibernation
- to achieve this, the leaves are also shed
- this is then no cause for concern
- therefore it hardly needs any water
Hibernation in a bright location
Jasmine overwinters in a bright location
If the decorative shrub is overwintered in a bright place, the temperatures can be between 10° and 12° Celsius, but it should not be warmer here either. An unheated conservatory, a bright stairwell, a cool room such as the bedroom in the apartment are ideal here, but a greenhouse that is protected from frost can also serve as a location here. The main advantage of overwintering the plant in a bright place is that wintering out becomes easier again in spring, since the decorative shrub is already used to brightness and a little more heat. When caring for a bright location, proceed as follows.
- also cut back before hibernation
- Jasmine solanum usually keeps its leaves
- so make sure you have enough water
- Check regularly for any pest infestation
Since the jasmine is perennial, it keeps its leaves and often its flowers in a bright location. It is also very decorative to look at in a bedroom, stairwell or other cool place, such as a conservatory. Therefore, a bright, cool location is ideal for overwintering the jasmine, as it will then also show its full splendor in winter and not only in the summer months.
Hibernation outdoors
Overwinter jasmine outdoors
Since jasmine is not hardy, it is ideally cultivated in a bucket. If it was nevertheless planted in a garden bed, then it must be very well protected here. Unfortunately, just covering the soil with mulch to protect the roots from frost is not enough. Therefore, to overwinter the jasmine standing outdoors, the following procedure should be followed.
- use a winter tent
- this can easily be built by yourself
- use plant fleece or transparent thick film for this purpose
- nail to wooden struts to form a square of the appropriate size
- overall above the plant
- this is prepared in advance by a cut
- mulch the earth all around
- watering is only done when it is very dry
- otherwise the rainwater reaches the roots in a bed here as well
If transparent foil is used, it can still get considerably cold for the decorative jasmine at very high sub-zero temperatures despite the protection. Therefore, on such days and especially on very frosty nights, a warming plant fleece should be pulled over the structure. This creates additional protection against extreme cold. But in order to overwinter the jasmine, it is advisable not to plant it in a very open garden bed. If the jasmine is to remain outside in winter, a location in front of a protective wall or in a corner of the garden in front of a high, protective fence is the better choice.
After hibernation
Preparation after winter
The jasmine should be accustomed to a brighter location with slightly higher temperatures as early as possible. This is not always possible outdoors, because as long as sub-zero temperatures are to be expected, it should not be taken outside unprotected. Now the twigs or branches that have died are also removed. Because the shrub loses some of its leaves in winter, this damage also becomes visible. So he can concentrate on the new sprouting and not unnecessarily put his energy into dead plant parts.
Furthermore, the following should be observed during winterization:
- if the jasmine is made lighter and warmer again, it needs more water
- the first fertilization can now also be started
- now is the right time for repotting
- the plant is still quite small
- new shoots do not interfere with the work
Only when the last night frosts are over does the shrub reach its final location in summer. This is usually the case after the Ice Saints in mid-May. However, if you have the opportunity, for example with a sheltered place on the terrace or balcony, put the jasmine outside during the day and then bring the bucket back inside for cold nights. It is particularly important to ensure that the young shoots and leaves are not exposed to constant, direct sunlight. A light shade and a little morning and evening sun are ideal immediately after wintering.