The fragrant jui jasmine, much loved by Bengalis, is very easy to grow, and the flower has lately been cultivated commercially in our country.

Jui is no longer just for beauty; it is now a cash flower. Because of demand for garlands, flower decoration and offering trays for worship, farmers are profiting from it.

In this article we discuss how to grow jui jasmine in an easy way.

Fragrant jui can be grown very easily with little effort. It is an extremely popular flower, and many species are found in Europe and the Pacific region. The plants grow 10-15 feet tall. The leaves are evergreen, about two and a half inches long, on green, slender stems, and the plant bears white flowers, which bloom mainly from March to June. It is used mainly for garlands, flower decoration and offering trays for worship. Because of its strong, sweet scent it is used to make attar and to add fragrance to soap, cream, oil, shampoo and washing detergents. With demand for the flower all year round, farmers earn well from selling it.

Jui can be grown in almost any soil, though gravelly soil is best avoided. It grows well in soils ranging from well-drained soil rich in organic matter to sandy loam, but gives the best results in rich sandy loam with good drainage. For the best results, mix plenty of cow dung into the soil. For planting, the soil pH should not be above 6.5.

Jui plants grow 10 to 15 feet tall, and the mainly white flowers bloom from March to June.

Although jui can be grown in almost all soils, it grows well in well-drained sandy loam rich in organic matter.

To make the land fit for cultivation, first clear the planting area of weeds; one or two initial ploughings are needed for this. After ploughing, pits of 30 cubic cm are prepared a month before planting and left in the sun. When preparing the land, 10 kg of cow dung should be mixed with the soil.

Planting is usually done from June to November. Different varieties are planted at different spacings, but on average a spacing of 1.8 by 1.8 metres is needed.

Source: Staff Correspondent. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.