How to Plant Jasmine Berries
Jasmines are a group of perennial flowering plants that like warm weather and easy to grow. They are favored not only for their lovely flowers but for the sweet fragrance that is unique to jasmines. Jasmines can be grown as small shrubs along borders or as vines for arbors or trellises. Whatever variety of jasmine you are going to start from seed, make sure you start with fresh, viable seeds. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Jasmine berries
- Hobby knife, nail file or sand paper
- Bowl
- Perlite or coarse sand, peat moss and compost
- Wire basket
- Brush (optional)
- 4-inch or 6-inch plastic pots
- Tray
- Plastic bag or acrylic sheet
Instructions
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Preparing the Jasmine Seeds
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1
Remove the semi-dried jasmine berries from a jasmine plant. You will know the berries are ready for harvesting when they turn light brown and start to split apart. Berries can appear on jasmines from summer through the fall, depending on the variety.
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2
Separate the seeds from the berries. The seeds are contained inside each berry. They may be dark brown or black depending on the variety of jasmine you are planting. If there is any pulp on the seeds, place them into a wire basket. Use a small brush to clean each seed.
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3
Cut, scratch or file off a section of the seed coat on each jasmine seed using a hobby knife, nail file or a piece of sand paper. Remove approximately 1/8 to 1/4 inch of the seed coat on each jasmine seed. You can use a pair of forceps to hold each seed if you are having difficulty handling the seeds. Removing a section from the seed coat will hasten germination time.
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4
Soak the jasmine seeds for 12 hours in a bowl of water. The water should cover the seeds completely. After 12 hours has passed discard any seeds that you find floating and plant the remaining seeds.
Planting the Jasmine Seeds
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5
Mix together equal amounts of perlite or coarse sand, peat moss and compost. Place this mixture into a wire basket to sift out any litter such as pebbles or sticks.You can also use a seed-raising planting mix that contains sand, perlite and peat moss.
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6
Scoop the germinating media into 4-inch or 6-inch wide plastic pots. The germinating media should be about 1/2 inch from the top of each pot.
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7
Plant two jasmine seeds in each pot. Plant each seed about 1 to 1 1/2 inches apart. To ensure good seed-to-soil contact, use your finger tip to set each jasmine seed about 1/4 inch into the media but do not cover the seeds completely with the germinating media.
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8
Set the pots into a tray-like container that can hold about 1 inch of water. Pour water slowly into the tray until the media in the pots has absorbed enough water to become damp when touched.
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9
Move the pots to where it is remains right around 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, as recommended by Dewayne L. Ingram and Thomas H. Yeager with the University of Florida Extension. This can be indoors or outdoors if you can provide shelter from direct sunlight and wind. The plant should receive approximately 6 to 10 hours of indirect light daily.
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10
Set each pot into a plastic bag. Loosely close the bag and tie it shut. You can also place a layer or clear plastic wrap or acrylic sheeting over the tray of pots. Make sure the sheeting or plastic wrap does not come in contact with the germinating media.
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11
Water the planting pots as often as needed to maintain moisture so the media is moist but never provide water so often it pools up on the soil surface. You should begin to see the jasmine seeds begin sprouting between two and three weeks.
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12
Transplant the seedlings when they have at least four to five sets of leaves. You can plant them into tubs, barrels or into larger sized containers until you are ready to plant them into their permanent location.
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References
- Photo Credit Jasmin image by Ralf Wende from Fotolia.com
