We planted Carolina Jasimine last year to climb up a trellis attached to the house. The vines/leaves are completely covering the trellis now but we still do not have flowers although this is the second summer we have had the plant. Is this normal (i.e. does it sometimes take longer than this for it to flower), or is there something more we should be doing, i.e. applying some kind of fertilizer or something?

Hello, Pam. Sorry to hear that your plant is not doing well. Carolina jessamine likes full sun (even here in Texas) to part shade and needs adequate moisture and composted soil to look its best. While it is very drought tolerant here, it will be a little raggedy looking until it gets more water though.

Your particular jasmine may not have established strong roots in its first growing year, especially if rainfall was skimpy, if it did not get enough water or if it is pot bound (root bound).

Also, since CJ flowers in spring on new growth, the timing of pruning is important; early summer after it blooms is the appropriate time to prune. But feel free to do minor pruning anytime (that is, to remove dead twigs, etc.... that kind of thing).

If your jasmine does not bloom well for you this summer, consider the suggestions listed above and make sure that it is well watered (the soil should be moist, not wet) and fertilize with a high phosphorus 15-30-15 (NPK Ratio) fertilizer in September.

If all that does not produce results, consider the possibility that you may have a weak specimen that needs to be replaced. If you do replace it, loosen the roots of the new plant, especially if it is pot bound/root bound. Shake half the soil off the roots and prune back the longest roots a little, to encourage faster establishment. Add a couple of tablespoons of slow-release phosphorus-rich organic fertilizer. Top it off with a two inch layer of mulch and water twice a week for the first month. And be careful when "working" nearby because CJ roots grow a long distance away from the main trunk.

Good luck,
Luis