Winter jasmine is one of those incredibly low-maintenance plants that just makes gardening easy. That said, if you want it to look its best, you’ll need to grab your shears every now and then. To get the job done right, you just need to keep three things in mind:
- Picking the right time
- Knowing how often to do it
- Following the right technique
Why Pruning Matters
Some gardeners think pruning is all about forcing a plant to grow faster, but with winter jasmine, that’s not really the case. There are actually three main reasons why a regular trim is essential:
- Encouraging new growth
- Stopping “runners” from taking over
- Keeping it from spreading too far as a groundcover
Here’s the secret: winter jasmine only blooms on one-year-old wood. By cutting back the branches that have already finished flowering, you’re making room for fresh shoots that will provide a spectacular bloom next winter. Plus, since those low-hanging branches love to take root wherever they touch the soil, pruning helps keep the plant from colonizing your entire yard!
The Best Time to Prune
Timing is everything. The sweet spot for pruning is in the spring, right after the flowers have faded—usually around April. This gives the plant plenty of time to grow those all-important new shoots before the next cold season hits.
If life gets in the way and you miss the spring window, you can still trim back woody stems into the summer. Just be a bit more conservative; in this case, less is definitely more.
How Often Should You Prune?
Winter jasmine is a bit of a slow starter, so don’t worry about pruning in the first couple of years. Once it’s established, a good maintenance trim every three years is usually plenty. If you’ve let it go for a long time and it’s looking like a tangled mess, don’t be afraid to do a “hard prune.” This plant is tough and will bounce back quickly.
If you’re growing winter jasmine in containers, you’ll likely want to prune more often just to keep it at a manageable size. Use your best judgment based on how much space you have!
How to Get the Job Done
All you really need is a pair of sharp bypass pruners. Pro tip: Make sure your tools are clean before and after you start. This prevents any nasty plant diseases from hitching a ride around your garden.
Follow these simple steps for a perfect trim:
- Identify a branch that has finished flowering or looks old and woody.
- Cut it back to about one-fifth of its original length.
- Repeat this process until you’ve worked your way through the whole plant.
Bringing the Blooms Indoors
One of my favorite things about winter jasmine is that it makes a lovely indoor arrangement. If you want to enjoy those yellow blossoms inside, snip a few branches in the winter and pop them in a vase. Look for stems with plenty of buds that haven’t opened yet. Just be sure to take your cuttings from different spots on the shrub so you don’t leave any awkward bald patches!
