Climbing jasmine should rebound after cold damage
Question: I have a climbing jasmine. It is 7 years old. It did very well this winter. It kept its green leaves despite the cold weather. However, all of a sudden, a lot of the leaves are turning burnt orange and yellow and dropping off in masses. The only thing I have done differently is increase watering to three times a week at the beginning of March. Can you suggest what is happening to the vine?
Increasing watering to three times a week should not be a problem provided you have good drainage. However, I think three times a week is a bit too often this time of year. Twice a week should be plenty, as long as you are watering deeply.
The only thing I can come up with is some delayed damage due to cold, which fits your description. It should come back all right. You might have lost some stems due to the cold this winter — not necessarily how cold it got as much as the timing of the freezes. They came at some times when plants were not prepared for that kind of cold.
Bob Morris is an associate professor with the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. He can be reached at morrisr@unce.unr.edu or 257-5555.