Jasmine

Several years ago I bought a collection of jasmine cuttings through the post. Two of these I planted against a north-facing wall of my house. Although I've had plenty of foliage growth every year (they are now beginning to look very untidy) these plants have never flowered. I've only ever given them a light pruning. Should I prune them hard and will this encourage flowering?

 

Hi Jack-How much do you feed them may I ask?

 

What varieties are they Jack?

 

We bought one of those sold in Homebase and other DIY places as house plants, we planted outside the kitchen window, after about 4 years its spread about 25 feet and still going. seems to flower when it feels like it, i.e. quite often. I would describe it as rampant and then some.

Don't know the variety but it's a darkish leaf and white flowers in clusters with a touch of reddish pink.

 

I'm afraid I don't know the variety. As for feed, I suppose they don't get much except what they can scrounge from the dressing of growmore I give the ground in the spring.

 

Sounds like the plant take better than I had initially thought. I may try it on the north/ west side of my garden.

 

That is the somewhat tender Jasminum polyanthum, which needs winter protection indoors away from the south. I have one that has run 30ft. in every direction and is almost always in flower, with main flushes in August, early spring and early summer. For southern gardens that do not suffer temperatures below -5C regularly, this is one of the best, provided you prune in between flowering to keep it in check.

The hardy J. officinale has smaller flowers carried in fewer flowered clusters during summer. Although it will grow against and tolerate a sheltered north wall, it needs a fair amount of sun to promote good flowering. My guess is that the OP's plant just isn't getting enough direct sun. The only Jasmine I would expect to do well in such a situation is J. nudiflorum - the 'winter Jasmine'.