Plant dope

…or, revenge of the jasmine
For the last three summers, I have optimistically bought a jasmine plant for the garden, with the intention of wintering the plant inside. Each summer, the plant has done reasonably well outside, so that every once in a while on a warm summer evening, a lovely waft of jasmine-scented air drifts across the patio. The last two winters, however, have spelled doom for Jasmine.
Apparently, this year I got it right. I brought in this year’s jasmine about three weeks ago. I washed off the pot, gave the plant some water, and gave it a week to get used to its new spot in the living room window before feeding it last weekend.
On Sunday, there were buds all over it, and I was excited.
On Monday, there was an open blossom, and I was thrilled.
On Tuesday, there was a lovely waft of jasmine-scented air from the two or three open blossoms. (Seriously, I walked in the door Tuesday evening and thought suspiciously to myself “what the heck? Why does it smell so good in here? Has someone been cleaning??”) I was ecstatic.
On Wednesday, the plant was in full bloom, and the lovely waft of jasmine-scented air practically knocked me over – in the hallway. An hour after I got home, I was nauseous. By suppertime I was popping Advil for the headache. By 7:30, I made Dr. T. relocate the plant to the guest room, where it will live until it’s finished flowering.
Oh, and now the gardenia is budding…