From my perspective, light is my primary source of energy and the most crucial signal for my biological processes. I require abundant, direct sunlight to produce enough sugars through photosynthesis to support the energetically expensive process of flowering. If I am placed in a spot with less than 4-6 hours of direct sun, my system recognizes a survival threat. My resources are diverted solely to vegetative growth—producing leaves and stems to seek out more light—rather than to reproductive efforts like blooming. Low light conditions essentially tell me it is not a safe or suitable time to produce offspring.
My nutritional needs are specific and change throughout my growth cycle. While a general-purpose fertilizer might promote lush, green foliage, it often does so at the expense of flowers. Fertilizers high in nitrogen (the first number on the package) encourage me to focus all my energy on leaf production. To trigger and support flowering, I require a fertilizer higher in phosphorus (the middle number), which directly promotes bud formation. Furthermore, an excess of fertilizer can damage my delicate root system with salt buildup, causing overall stress that further inhibits my ability to flower.
My relationship with water is a delicate balance. Both extremes—soggy, waterlogged roots and prolonged drought—induce significant stress. Saturated soil suffocates my roots, preventing them from absorbing essential nutrients and oxygen, leading to root rot. This is a life-threatening condition, and my only response is to enter survival mode, ceasing all non-essential functions like flowering. Conversely, if I am allowed to become completely dry, I wilt and my cellular processes shut down. This stress also prevents the hormonal signals for flowering from being communicated effectively throughout my system.
For many of my kind, especially common jasmine (Jasminum officinale), a period of winter rest is not a preference but a requirement. This cool, dormant period with reduced watering is my natural cycle. It allows me to conserve energy and prepares my meristems (growth cells) for a burst of flowering in the following season. If I am kept in a consistently warm environment year-round, my internal clock becomes confused. I never receive the clear environmental signal that the threat of winter has passed and it is now safe to bloom. This lack of a restorative rest period depletes my energy reserves, leaving little for flower production.
Pruning is a form of communication. If you prune me at the wrong time, you might be unintentionally removing my flower buds. I typically form my buds on new growth that emerges after a period of rest. If you give me a heavy pruning in late winter or early spring, you are likely cutting off the branches that were destined to produce this season's flowers. The best time to shape me is immediately after my main flowering flush has ended. This gives me ample time to produce new growth that will harden off and develop the flower buds for the next cycle.
