How to Prune Pikake Bushes
Pikake is an aromatic Jasmin species that is native to India and widely grown in Hawaii. It can grow to 6 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. The white, star-shaped flowers are commonly used in Hawaiian leis, so the flowering shrub is widely grown commercially. That's why there are numerous known methods for encouraging flower production in the plant. The right method for your pruning depends on the time of year. Pruning for controlled growth should be done in winter, while pruning for flowering can be done in spring and summer. Proper care and the right application of fertilizer can further assist you in growing the pikake plant as desired. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Cut back pikake plants to control their growth during their non-blooming period in winter, from November to January. Using a hedge trimmer or pruning shears, cut branches back along all edges of the bush to a desired size. Pikake can be cut back severely and still recover. This may be necessary if you are growing a large crop and need to ensure spacing between plants.
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Apply fertilizer at the time of winter pruning to encourage new growth, using a balanced fertilizer or one with 10 parts Nitrogen, 30 parts Phosphorus and 10 parts Potassium, to encourage flower production.
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Prune plants to encourage lateral branching in spring and summer. This helps increase flowering since buds appear at the terminals of branches. Pruning is not essential for significant flower production. Other methods help as well. Removing some leaves also improves flower production.
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Rejuvenate aging plants by cutting back them back to 2 feet, ideally in winter. Pikaka plants are very resilient and can recover after being cut back severely.
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Tips & Warnings
By logging the dates that you prune and tracking how your pikaka plants respond, you can encourage a flush at just the right times to maximize production and schedule a harvest. In the hottest months of summer, plants generally flower about 30 days after pruning. In the cooler months of summer, they flower about 40 days after pruning. These dates can vary by location.
Those who are producing large-scale or commercial crops of pikake may benefit from a pruning schedule of one field section per week. This ensures a continuous crop.
