Winter Care for a Jasmine Plant with Curling Yellow Leaves

Heat and Light

• In the winter, it's tempting to move houseplants to the warmest or brightest locations of a home. This can cause problems for them and should not be done as a rule. A common cause of curling yellow leaves in houseplants is overheating -- so move the plant away from heat registers. A closely related cause for similar problems is overexposure to sun. Never place a plant directly in a window that receives a lot of daylight, because the effects of the glass pane magnify that light to a level the plant cannot tolerate.

Chlorosis

• Chlorosis is a common cause of yellow leaves, resulting from the plant's sudden inability to produce chlorophyll. Deficiencies in minerals such as iron, manganese and zinc are most common in this condition, but chlorosis can also be caused by environmental problems such as improperly draining soil or imbalanced pH. If your plant is potted, it may be best to simply replace all of the old soil with new, rather than trying to rebalance the pH and minerals. An outdoor plant will need a soil test before you attempt to treat the problem.

Insect Pests

• Curling yellow leaves on outdoor ornamentals create a calling card for the leafhopper. These small, wedge-shaped insects suck juices directly from plant cells with specialized mouthparts. Leafhoppers can be active during the winter in the Southeast, where jasmine is often planted outdoors. These insects are nuisance pests, often vectoring viral diseases during their feeding activities. Contact insecticide is most effective before adults appear. Contact insecticides like carbaryl, malathion, methoxychlor or rotenone will control larval populations. If you see large numbers of adults, apply a systematic insecticide such as imidacloprid.

Winter Care for Jasmine

• Indoor jasmine require little winter care. Keep temperatures around the jasmine as close to 50 degrees Fahrenheit as possible. Water it just enough to keep the root system from drying out. Normally, it's not necessary to feed a jasmine in winter, but if you suspect a nutritional deficiency, provide a small amount of water-soluble fertilizer to a repotted plant to help ease the stress of transplantation. Outdoor jasmine plants do not require special winter care.