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Trachelospermum jasminoides

I planted this last year and made sure it was well fleeced and protected for the winter. Problem is the stems are now almost completely brown and the only green leaves are right near the soil and there's only a few of them now. Should I cutt it right back and hope for new growth or just see if it survives. I so want this plant to go up a trellis, as I love the scent. Mum's got one that grows like mad and I did not expect problems with mine!

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  • DaintinessDaintiness Posts: 980

    Oh dear! It sounds as though it has already been cut back enough. I'd give it a feed and lots of TLC but also question its situation. Is it in a sheltered spot? How much sunshine does it get a day? What kind of soil do you have? What part of the country are you in?

  • I have one in my garden wasnt very happy when i moved it, brown leaves dropping off. Its now on a west facing fence and after tidying it up and feeding it this year it is beautiful. Love the smell. Good luck.

  • diggingdorisdiggingdoris Posts: 512

    Mine is on a west facing fence as well. I didn't cut it at all after I bought it as I didn't want to stress it anymore than necessary. It's fairly sheltered with tallish plants either side, and I protected it well against frost. I might cut off some of the brown bits and feed like mad, though at the moment it's getting a lot of rain, so it won't be thirsty!

  • GretelGretel Posts: 4

    Mine took a long time to establish, but benefitted from some bone meal dug in around the base to help the roots get going -especially through my clay soil.  It is now 2 metres tall x 1 metre wide.  Perhaps you could try bone meal too?

  • Sarah20Sarah20 Posts: 3

    I love the idea and look of this plant and was just about to buy it; however I've found out that it doesn't like coastal winds (which we have lots of!). Can anyone suggest something similar (evergreen, with red foliage in winter and flowers in summer)? Thanks.

  • I've had exactly the same experience as diggingdoris for 2 years now and have nearly given up on it twice...but it springs back to life eventually. However it has produced little top growth and seems to be constantly catching up.....although healthy enough once it gets going. it is west facing but our prevailing wind will give it a blasting in the winter. So this year I will try protecting it with a sheet of polycarbonate rather than fleece which seemed to float around a lot last year.

  • I planted three in a row and they all flowered profusely in the recent hot weather. However, one of them has suddenly given up the ghost and the leaves have gone frigid, not brown but just 'ceased up'.  I've watered and mulched round the roots and the other two are fine.  What next/?

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