When to prune winter flowering jasmine for fabulously fragrant blooms

Do you know when to prune winter flowering jasmine? These delicate perfumed blooms are a boon to any garden over the colder months, lifting the darkness and creating an outdoor space worth spending time in... even when it's very chilly.

It's little wonder, then, that many of us are reluctant to take up our pruning shears too soon when it comes to our jasminus nudiflorum – just in case we ruin the magic.

Now, you likely already know when to prune jasmine if you favour its white-coloured blooms over summer, but things are different when it comes to the yellow-coloured winter varieties, so cast your eyes downwards for everything you need to know...

When to prune winter flowering jasmine 

Just as it's important to get regular trims if you want healthy hair, it's every bit as important to prune your plants – including, yes, your winter flowers – regularly, too.

When it comes to your jasmine, there are far more benefits than just a vigorously growing plant, however: it will also keep the flowers lower down on the stems, meaning you'll be more likely to catch their fabulous scent.

'Pruning may also be necessary to keep them within their allotted space, and prevent the growth becoming too straggly, tangled or congested,' add the experts at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).

So, when best to do the deed?

'Winter jasmine should be pruned immediately after flowering, which is usually late winter/early spring,' advises Morris Hankinson, director of Hopes Grove Nurseries.

Morris Hankinson

Morris Hankinson is the founder and managing director of Hopes Grove Nurseries Ltd, the UK’s only specialist grower-retailer of hedging plants, which he established after graduating with a Commercial Horticulture Degree from Writtle College, Essex in 1992.

'It is important that you don't prune before flowering because it flowers on the previous year's growth,' adds Morris firmly, noting that timing it right will allow the new buds time to mature before the next season.

Now that you know when to prune winter flowering jasmine, it's important to suss out the basics as to how. Thankfully, it's a very similar method to pruning the summer variety, which makes it one of the easier winter gardening ideas to add to your list.

And, according to Monty Don, there is actually 'only one rule' to follow when it comes to cutting back any of the flowering plants in your garden.

'There is only one rule to follow which is always cut back to something, be it a side shoot or leaf bud,' writes the gardening expert via his popular blog.

'Other than that do not worry unduly about outward facing buds or any such finessing. Cut with abandon or, don’t cut at all. Either way the plant will be almost certainly fine.'

The official RHS guidelines, meanwhile, are a little more specific, advising that you 'cut back flowered stems to a strong side-shoot lower down' before thinning out any 'overcrowded, damaged or wayward shoots, and remove any weak or thin stems'.

FAQs

Now that you know when to prune winter flowering jasmine, you can sit back, relax and enjoy its pretty blooms until they've faded away. Then, and only then, should you pick up your pruning shears and set to work.

Good luck!