How to Grow Daphne Odora

Locate well-draining, fertile soil in your garden with exposure to bright light and afternoon shade. Loosen the soil to a depth of 6 inches in mid- to late spring, when the danger of frost has passed. Incorporate shovelfuls of humus and compost to improve soil quality and drainage. Mix the amendments well and rake the soil to level the top.

Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and twice as wide. Set the Daphne odora plant in the hole, ensuring the top of the root ball sits 1 to 2 inches higher than the ground surface. Back fill the hole with soil and tamp it with your hands to remove trapped pockets of air.

Irrigate the plant immediately after planting, providing it a slow stream of water until the soil is evenly moist. Thereafter, provide Daphne odora with 1 inch of water every week, unless supplemented by rainfall. Do not allow the soil to dry out.

Spread organic mulch such as wood chips or pine bark around the base of the shrub to retain soil moisture and prevent weeds from growing around it. Keep the mulch layer 2 to 3 inches thick. Avoid direct contact with the trunk, since it causes rot.

Feed the plant every spring with a fertilizer specifically formulated for evergreens. Follow label directions for application rates, spreading fertilizer granules around the base of the plant. Irrigate the soil lightly afterward to release nutrients in the soil.

Prune Daphne odora shrub lightly as soon as it finishes blooming. Deadhead spent or faded flowers and cut back old flower stems to one-fourth of the uppermost leaves. Cut off tips of outer branches in late winter, just before spring growth, to maintain shape and size. Clip off dead, drying or damaged branches whenever necessary. Collect clippings and discard.

Inspect the shrub for pests such as aphids, spider mites and scale. Dislodge the pests with a spray of water from a hose, or use an insecticidal soapy solution to deter large infestations.