The glossy dark green leaves and fragrant milky white flowers of the gardenia plant make it an irresistible plant to grow. Usually sold in bloom or bud, the intoxicating fragrance entices us to make it a must have plant but gardenia can be finicky and a challenge to grow in indoors. In fact, some treat it as a disposable plant and discard it after blooming.
Gardenia (Cape jasmine) requires loose well-drained, acidic (ph4.5-6.2) soil, bright indoor sun 6-8 hrs and dappled shade (morning sun) when outdoors in the summer. It prefers high humidity and moist but not soggy soil. Feed it with a 1/2 strength acid fertilizer every 2-4 weeks from March-October.
For winter care: Provide a cool bright location, humidity and keep away from heating vents. Do not fertilize and water less by allowing the top 1-2 inches to dry before watering again.
Blooming: Gardenias require an even temperature of 62-63 F and high humidity during bud formation. To increase humidity place plant in a water pebble tray or close to a humidifier. When the buds are formed, provide consistent cool nights (58-60F) and warm days (70-75F). A 10-15 degree temperature differential is needed to keep the buds from dropping off (bud blast). Opened flowers should last 3-8 days and bruise easily when touched.
Prune after the blooming cycle has ended, or when the plant is actively growing and needs a trim. Don’t prune during winter.
Propagation: Take 3-4 inch semi-woody tip cutting from a non-flowering shoot in early spring. Remove lower leaves, dip in rooting hormone and insert cutting in moist peat, vermiculite mix. It should root in 4-6 weeks.
Troubleshooting
Gardenias attract a number of insects: aphids, mealy bugs, scale, red spider mites and thrips. They are also susceptible to root rot, bud drop and yellow leaves.
In the south and west coastal areas (zone 7b), semi-tropical gardenias are grown outdoors as evergreen shrubs. Varieties can differ in size, growth habit and blooming season. ‘Mystery’ a California favorite gets up to 8′ tall and produces large double flowers.
From the reader archive
Useful reader questions
I just purchased a gardenia veitchii yesterday, an impulse buy. I know nothing about growing gardenias. The only thing I’ve grown is roses. This gardenia is going in a pot, how big a pot does it need? I have one that is…
Read Cathie discussionSoluble salt Thanks for your advice. I was told by the gardener guy that may cause by Salt built in the soil, and suggest me to put it in bathtub and completely show through the plant. It’s so sad to me for…
Read dudu discussionSpider mites I have an indoor gardenia. It has new leaves and buds forming. But old leaves are turning yellow and falling off. Also there’s some tiny insects which are forming a web (like spiders). How do I get rid of them?…
Read Sam discussionCurl grub I have (had) a lovely gardenia florida on my back verandah potted in premium mix. It was going very well until just now. Yesterday I noticed a couple of leaves on the deck but did not take any notice. This…
Read rossop discussion
Blooming requirements
HI-JUST FOUND YOUR SITE AND LOVE IT. I HAVE A GARDENIA PLANT IN FLORIDA, BUT IT ISN’T BLOOMING, ALTHOUGH IT IS LUSH GREEN AND HEALTHY. MY MOM HAS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HERS IN MASSACHUSETTS. WHAT CAN WE DO TO PROMOTE BLOOMING IN OUR OTHERWISE HEALTHY LOOKING PLANTS?
Cold damage
I have a question not a comment. I planted 3 gardenia bushes around my bay window last yr. and I think they are almost dead due to the extremely cold weather we had this winter. Is there a way I can save my Gardenia’s? I haven’t even seen them bloom.
Gardenia care
I live in Greece and have just bought my first gardenia. How often am i suppose to water it and should i give fertilizer now?
YELLOW LEAVES
I have a problem with Yellow leaves. What should i do to help the plant?
I have a formal water fountain garden with about 18 white gem gardenias and 18 english boxwoods which were planted in June of this year. The gardenias are very full with lush green foliage and bloomed all summer. At this time the outer leaves are still growing and healthy green however deep in the bushes there are yellowing leaves but they are not falling off. Any suggestion of the problem or remedy or is this normal?
SCALE
my plant leaves are shiny and wet with a sticky residue plant seems healthy and i cannot see alot of insect . ihave had mealy bug on my OLEANDER and have treated sucessfuly with malathion .should i use something different on my GARDENIA
Repot gardenia
i have had a indoor gardenia now for 2 years and am not sure when re potting is required the plant is about a foot tall and very healthy please advise
DRYING AND CURLING LEAVES
A friend gave me a transplanted indoor gardenia plant with what looks like two plants in the one pot. It has been healthy looking for the past 4 months but recently one of the plant’s leaves have started drying and curling. Could one of the plants be root bound and should I pull it and try to replant it separately?
Leaf drop
I have a gardenia that was given to me, it was doing not so well because I was having a hard time watering it regularly. So once I started doing that, it leafed up pretty good and got really green. I didn’t change the watering cycle, but for some reason all the leaves wilted and started to curl, and then….. when I went to touch the leaf, it fell off! All the leaves fell off except for some new growth at the end. I thought it might be the pot, so I recently repotted it – it’s doing a bit better, but there are still no leaves on the branches, just the new growth at the ends. More new growth has started to sprout up at the bottom – but what I am wondering is should I prune off the branches that have no leaves on them? Even if there is new growth at the ends? It just looks so naked with no leaves! It hasn’t bloomed at all since I got it for christmas. Help?
Yellow buds
I HAVE A GARDENIA TREE FOR ABOUT A MONTH, FULL, OF BUDS. AT FIRST THE FLOWERS WERE BEAUTIFUL AND NOW THEY ARE NOT OPENING. THE BUDS ARE YELLOW AND NOT OPENING, IT’S OUTDOORS AND GETS THE MORNING SUN. WHAT I’M I DOING WRONG…… PLEASE HELP. IT’S MY FARVOTE FLOWER, AND I LOVE TO HAVE THEM ALL OVER THE HOUSE THANK YOU
Spider mites
I have an indoor gardenia. It has new leaves and buds forming. But old leaves are turning yellow and falling off. Also there’s some tiny insects which are forming a web (like spiders). How do I get rid of them? I’m in NJ area. Thanks
Michelle ( Shellny2@hotmail.com / ) (IP: 24.45.47.178 )
After seeing much of the same complaints I have about my gardenia plant, i checked under the leaves and found tiny dark specs that when touched came off and looked brownish red on my hand, almost like I smeared a bug. What is this?
Sara ( ego.sara@yahoo.com / ) (IP: 154.20.5.157 )
Thank you for your response. I have not found any sticky substance however I did find tiny tiny traces of web. Perhaps spider mites? All the leaves look really dirty which appears to be consistent with spider mites. Would you have any suggestions on how to control them. Thank you
I live in Mississippi where for the past 2 weeks it has been in the mid 70’s to lower 80’s. Today I got my yard landscaped and planted some dwarf gardenia’s. I just saw on the weather that we are under a freeze warning tonight. It looks like it might not get down all the way to 32 but really close. Should I cover the gardenia’s?
BUD DROP
how do i maintain the temperature differential required for the succeessful blooming of my gardenia indoors? it keeps getting buds which fall off, and it’s leaves aren’t lush green anymore. it had some tiny grey bugs on it which i’d been trying to control with some castille soap in water sprayed on it but it seems that the plant might be sensitive to it?
thanks
Transplant gardenia
Hi,
I have a beautiful gardenia bush that is taking over the space where I have it planted. When would be the best time to transplant the bush to another area. I am in Houston
Leaf drop
My green-thumbed mother has successfully nursed many gardenias through moving and other stressful times. Just recently her perfectly healthy and blooming (indoor) gardenia dropped all of its leaves – practically overnight. She had done nothing differently from any other time. Do you have any idea what would cause this to happen, and what she should do now? Thank you.
BUD DROP
I live in Albuquerque NM and bought to gardenia tree/shrubs from Costco and planted in pots on the east side of patio. They were blooming at first but now the leaves are yellowing, falling off and the buds are not opening. I see the posts regarding the humidity which we don’t have a lot of here. Am i fighting a losing battle trying to grow these in this climate?
I AM CONFUSED ABOUT 6-8 HOURS OF SUN REQUIRED. I HAVE MINE UNDER A LATTICE PATIO COVER ON THE EAST SIDE. IT IS IN A LARGE POT. PH IS 5.0 IT NEEDS TO GET OVER THE IRON DEFICIENCY. SHOULD I MOVE IT TO FULL SUN? IT HAS BLOOMS, BUT LEAVES ARE LITE GREEN W/ DARKER VEINS. I SPRAYED IT THIS AM. W/ NEEM FOR SCALE ON LEAVES.
I just recieved a gardenia tree , at my husbands funeral. I would love to keep this tree alive, in memory of him. It is in a pot right now. I live in Northern Georgia. Can the tree be planted in the ground ? Does it need to be brought inside during winter months ? Or would it be better to just repot it and keep it in a pot and take it out on the porch during the summer, so to bring it back inside during cold months. If I plant it in the ground, will it need a partial shade or full sun ?
I had a gardenia that was doing pretty well inside and left a friend responsibility for watering it in my absence, for about 2 weeks. He says he did so, but on my return the tree was completely bLack, all branches were dry and dead. I pruned all the branches off leaving only the stem of the plant and am watering when the top soil is dry and have left it where it will only get sun in the morning. (I am in New York.) However after a week I can’t see any improvement, I am very worried that the entire plant is dead. The stem is blackish brown in colour and has light brown flaking. What do you recommend? I love this plant so dearly!
Loss of fragrance
I’ve had a gardenia bush for about 15 years that is about 6-7 feet tall. It produces a lot of flowers each spring, but stopped having a scent. What does it need?
Thanks,
Ruth
I have an indoor gardenia that I have repotted 4 times. I repotted because the plant was root bound. Each time after repotting blooms reappeared. The gardenia is in a pot that weighs about 100 lbs and again and looks like it needs repotted although I can’t go any larger (pot). My question is: Is there a way to “split” the plant without harming it. I live in Pennsylvania so putting it outdoors is not a good idea. I don’t want to lose the plant.
APHIDS
Hello, I have an indoor Gardenia tree in Vancouver Canada. I bought it 3 months ago and it has done wonderfully up until now. My Gardenia is wilting and leaves are yellow but the flowers are also covered with white flakes. What are these white flakes?
WINTER CARE
Hi I live in North East CT I have an outdoor Gardenia tree that I bought in the beginning of the summer and it has been doing very well. I have been getting beautiful flowers but I have to bring it in soon, the nights have been getting colder. What does the temp have to be when its time to bring it in? And how do I winterize it? Do i need to change the soil completely? I dont want to loose it over the winter HELP 🙂
I have just purchased 5 medium sized Gardenia Bushes to place in my front landscape beds throughout yesterday and today. I live in the Upstate of South Carolina, so I do live in a hardier zone for Gardenia growth. My worry is that I have placed them in a location that gets full sun during the hottest parts of the day. I am not so worried about it during this lovely fall weather, but I fear for next summer. Will they completely die off next year? This summer we ahd several 90+ degree days. I think my best bet would have been to do a bit more research before snagging them up at the nursery. I really don’t have any other area to plant them, as Azaleas are filling up the side of my house. Any tips/ideas as to the best care for them?
I live in central Connecticut. This past May I bought a corsage gardenia “tree” (about 4 feet tall. When I began to have bud drop and yellowing leaves drop, I fed it a liquid chelated iron mixture about mid August. It responded beautifully and has lots of buds once again. However, the leaves have begun to yellow again and now I’m afraid I will lose the buds. How often can I feed it with the chelated iron? It was on my deck until last week when I brought it indoors. It has plenty of light and I’ve fed it with miracid twice in the past month. It’s my absolute favorite flower and I’d hate to lose it. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I just purchased a gardenia veitchii yesterday, an impulse buy. I know nothing about growing gardenias. The only thing I’ve grown is roses. This gardenia is going in a pot, how big a pot does it need? I have one that is about a 10 gal that I was thinking of putting it in, but would that be to big to start? It’s probably a little less than 12″ tall and wide right now. Also how deep does it need to be planted? Does it need anything other than potting soil, I use moisture control miracle gro. I do have a soilless rose planting mix that has a lot of different compost type things in it (composted bat guano, chicken manure, alfalfa meal, worm casings and lots of other stuff too, organics), would it hurt it to add some of that in? I live in the Bay Area of CA and the temp here is fairly cool about this time of year. It averages highs in the mid 60’s lows in the mid 40’s. Is this temp okay for it to be outside now? It does get hot in the summer for highs, 90-100’s. Will it do okay in morning shade and direct afternoon sun? It can be moved to get more shade if needed, especially in the summer months. Can it be pruned down to keep it fairly small if needed or will that hurt it? Thanks for any info you can give!
Aphids
I live in Houston, Texas. I have Gardenia planted in front of my house. They have lots of flowers, but the leaves look like the have a layer of black powder on it. From earlier comment, I think it might be aphids. What can I use to treat aphids?
Enjoyed reading all the questions and comments! I have an outside gardenia that lives in a pot facing the east morning sun. When temps get below freezing, I move it to the garage until the temps come back up. Here it is late November, temps in 40’s & 50’s day, low 30’s and 20’s nights – my gardenia is full of huge buds! Why?
I live in California, my gardenia plant is in a pot out on my porch, the leaves are beautifully green, however they are droopy. I have watered it, but it just stays droopy, no flowers yet. What is wrong?
Thanks
Transplanting gardenia
Hi! I got a gardenia from Home Depot a few days ago (I live in South Florida) and I planted it in a place that gets a half a day of sun, mulch, water, and the right fertilizer, but a few of its leaves have turned yellow and it’s buds aren’t opening. Also, it starts to wilt and then regains it strength again every few hours or so! I read somewhere else that because it’s from Home Depot, it might already have a ton of fertilizer in it. Is there any truth to that? I stopped watering it a couple of days ago just in case, because I thought I may have watered it too much.
I am a Master Gardener and a friend brought me something I’ve never seen. The 10 year old dwarf gardenias in his yard are covered with what looks like red buls. On closer inspection, it looks like the base of the bloom never separated from the plant and has produced a seed pot. Is this possible?
Aphids
I have a gardenia tree, it was doing pretty well outside, since I got it inside I noticed something everyday, my latest problem was white skins on the buds & leaves was shinyy & sticky. I cut the bud & took the nursery ( the spray they gave didn’t work), my second visit he told me to clean the leafs with alcohol ( and that I think killing my plant now), I still have those white skins (not like before but still some) and now most of the leafs dried & turned dark brown. Any suggestions? what can I do about white skins? and what can I do about dry brown leafs? (it doesn’t turn yellow, just dark dry brown). Thank any info you can give me.
Leaf drop
I lost most of the leafs of my gardenia tree & I trimmed some ( everyday I have dry brown leaves) even green leaves are just dry, I don’t know what’s going on, still living for now but not much leaves left & I still have that aphids ( gonna look for pyrethrin spray). thank you, any ideas about dry leaves ( not yellow) just dry (some are dark brown or black) and some green ( but dry).
Thanks for your quick respond, my gardenia tree is front of the window & next to the heating vent ( even I closed the vent) it might be to dry & too cold ( for being right front of the window). I am going to move the plant from there to another place tomorrow morning. I have one more question though, I want to buy a humidifier ( for the gardenia, for the increase the humidity), which one should I get? warm or cool moisture humidifier? Thank you very much.
I have a gardenia bush that I planted last spring and it has grown beautifully outside. I’m concerned about it now since winter has started. I live in zone 7 and it has gotten down into the 20s some nights. I’ve noticed the bush has turned very brown even though I’ve been covering it with a sheet on the coldest nights. Will it get new growth in the spring and will it bloom? Do I need to prune the old growth back in early spring? Do gardenias usually survive winter in zone 7? I would appreciate some advice on this. It was doing so well before I would hate to see it die. Thanks!
Thank you for answering my question above. I thought of one more thing to ask about my gardenia. If it does show signs of growth in the spring, can I transplant it into a large pot so I can move it inside during the next winter? I just wondered if moving it from the ground into a pot would kill it even more or would be ok to do. Thanks.
I have a Gardenia that is wilting, has some brown spotted leaves, and some leaves are crips and almost dead. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Chlorosis on gardenia
I live in South Florida and have a gardenia planted next to my east facing patio. Admittedly, I have not taken the best care of it over the years. Despite my neglect, it has somehow thrived, until recently. Over the past several months the leaves have started to turn yellow with the veins remaining green. I have tried fertilizing regularly with Miracid, but the problem persists and may even be worsening. I recently read that using distilled water, rather than tap water, may be better for gardenias. I have not yet tried that, but wanted to know if there is something else I should be doing.
Hi Elena
I’m assuming that your gardenia is planted in the ground. I would suggest that you test the soil ph, to make sure it is low enough(acid) to make iron available to the plant.
Here are some other ideas, gardenias that are growing under cold conditions (below 60F) for extended periods can also become chlorotic (iron)because the cold temperatures reduce nutrient absorption. They don’t take up as much iron causing chlorosis. Chlorosis is prevalent on the new growth. It can also be a sign of root disease caused by keeping the soil too wet.
For a quick fix add chelated iron to the soil or spray it on the leaves. If you don’t see any results in 2 weeks, try again. Another option is to apply ammonium sulfate or iron sulfate around the dripline of the soil. Follow the manufactureres label and avoid spraying any concrete, stucco etc as it will stain the surface. If that doesn’t work then there may be a problem with the roots being unable to absorb the iron and you may have to improve the soil the gardenia is growing in.
Sooty mold
I am at my mothers in Naples, Florida where her gardenia has a covering of black “soot” underneath leaves, on top of the leaves as well as on some of the branches. I was told to use detergent soapy water and “clean off” each leaf. Is there anything else I can do? We have not seen any aphids or bug activity.
I received a potted gardenia in bloom with many buds for Valentina’s. I put it in bathroom by large glass block window in large shower. Temp normal, cooler at night. I live in Melbourne, FL. It continues to bloom however the flowers turn yellow within a day or two. Leaves are green and shiny. I water when dry. I don’t take a shower in that particular bathroom often What am I doing wrong and why do flowers turn yellow in such a short time. It’s my favorite flower. My mom use to pin a flower on our slip strap as young girls for our perfume.
Hello, I am considering purchasing a few dwarf gardenias, but have some concerns about size. Is it true that the dwarf versions only get to be about 2 ft. tall?
Growing tips
I purchased a beautiful dwarf variegated Gardenia with double flowers, from ‘X’ nursery. True to its word, the Gardenia hasn’t exceeded 2′.
It’s Gardenia ‘radicans’ variegata. A gorgeous plant.
Gardenias prefer being potbound. Tight roots promote flowering, but also, the smaller the pot, the smaller the plant. I’m not saying to keep a plant confined indefinately, but smaller areas slows growth.
Less fertilizer is another option. Althuogh, fertilizing gardinas with an acidic fertlizer is required, use half-strenght, once a month, during growing season. Halt in fall and winter.
Someone asked why buds drop prematurely. Overwatering is the number 1 reason this happens.
Less water and cool temps should do the trick..the problem is, the average household isn’t kept chilly. Although a few of my friends turn the heat way down at night, even in our cold area. If a person can deal with eight hours at 60-65F degrees, and soil is left to dry, buds should open, turning into beautiful blooms.
Thanks for the info.
My wife has 2 Gardenia Bushes and she would like to cut some of the blooms to put in the house. How do you do this without hurting the plant?
My husband gave me his late Mother’s gardenia tree about 3 years ago. I planted it at my home and it was doing great. About 7-8 months ago after our wedding we moved it to our new home. We were careful about having it in the “same sun” at the new location. Since moving it the leaves have become yellow and it’s rather sick looking. Of course this has a lot of sentimental value and I don’t want to lose this tree. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Help, please!
Thanks.
Its Missy again with another question… Its now starting to get warmer here in Northeast Conn. I have been putting my tree out when its 50 degrees and warmer to get some sun. Although now all my leaves have dried up and fell off!! It looked like there were new green buds for new leaves but they seem to have been drying up too. The soil is very moist and I try to spritz it down often. How do I make it come back? Do I trim it, do a half soil change? The stems of the tree are still alive and have green in them… help!!
Insect Problem
Hi,
I bought an indoor gardenia last year. It has started blooming again this March.
I have seen small bugs in the pot, sticky residue on the leaves, spider web like webs on some of the leaves, and some of the new leaves look like they have been chewed.
Please help me save this beautiful plant. Thanks.
Dried leaves and drop
Hello again, Its spring here and I have put my gardenia tree outside on those nice warm days but I am sure to not give it too much sun. Since I have brought it out from the winter all of its leaves have dried up and fell off. In the beginning of the winter I treated it for spider mites with Ivory soap and water and that seemed to do the trick. The stems have green to them I have fed it a week and a half ago and still no new growth. Is this a result from the mites? Any hints? or what should I do??
Just got gifted with lush gardenia plant for Mothers Day. Tag says “Grown in Canada”. There are no blooms on it. Can I plant it outside in this 9A grow zone or is it strickly an indoor variety? I’ve got a couple spots in mind that are sunny til noonish then house shades it. Also have screened porch on same side, but I’m not to good about remembering to water stuff regularly. Thanks for your help.
Hi,
I live in a very hot country (Dubai, uae) and recently(4 months back) got a gardenia plant which was blossoming in February.
Now that the weather is turning hot the gardenia’s leaves are curled down and some of it turning brown and it’s not blossoming at all. Today, I moved it indoors hoping that the room temperature will help. Shall I move it back outdoors?
Any advice how to revive it?
Thanks
Hardiness issue
Hi, I bought a gardenia tree and I planted it outside.I was told that it was an outside plant and now I find out that it might not survive the winter outside in Canada.When I purchased this plant I was looking for something thatwould come back th following year without any problems.
I am very upset it is a beautifull flower and would hate to lose it… help please…
I just received a gardenia plant as a gift. I bought a ceramic pot and transplanted it and added some Miracle Grow moisture control potting soil. I also added some Miracle Grow “stick” fertilizer. I have the plant in partial sun most of the day. I had it in full sun and noticed some of the leaves were turning yellow so I moved it to partial sun and the leaves look great. My only problem is “mold” growing on the top of the soil?? What is going on?? I did removed a “layer” of mold last night but it came back today. What should I do??
I bought new gardenia few weeks ago with no experience in gardening and newely developed hobby.I am not sure what that yellow powder is on leaves.it is flowering and has new leaves.
i live north of Ocala, fla. my gardenia is about 6 ft. tall and roughly 6 ft. diameter. it is blooming nicely. do i need to pull off old flowers as they turn yellow or let them stay on plant? if i need to pull them, do i take flower and pod or just the flower. thanks.
Pinch off flowers
I have an outside gardenia bush and this year it is full of beautiful blooms. When the blooms begins to turn brown, do I pinch them off from the stem or do I prune them similar to roses.
Gardenia growing tips
I started one from a cutting 21 years ago and it still looks and does very well. I don’t have any special secrets but this seems to work for me: I live in New jersey.
I put it outside on my front porch from May 1st to October 1st and only feed it during that time. My porch gets afternoon sun.I feed it every 4-6 days with a pinch of Muracid to a gallon of water and let it run through.
Before i bring it in for the winter I spray it with an all purpose bug spray and cover it with a cleaner bag for the night. Then I trim it.
Once inside I put it in the brightest room in the house-my diningroom and water it less often and do not feed it. It sets bud over the winter and blooms on the porch over the summer. I get about 50-60 blooms.
I repot it in the spring every few years when roots are coming out of the bottom.
Growing tips
Cut it back during the cool season and begin to feed it with a pinch of Muracid to a gallon of water every week. Do this for 4 months then do not feed it again for 8 months-just water. During feeding time it will set bud and become stronger. During the non feeding time it will rest. Gardenias need to rest to stay healthy and produce blooms.
Transplant time
After reading the many informative posts on your website, I now see that my outdoor gardenia plant, which I planted in full sun, needs to be moved where it can be in partial sun. I live in Seattle, in Zone 8b. However, I see that you strongly recommend not disturbing their roots. Is there a good time to move a gardenia? It is now July, and I planted it about six weeks ago.
We have a large indoor plant and we have noticed a white type of mold on the branches and leaves .It is sticky when we touch it and the leaves of the plant on the inside have turn brown /black what can we do about this?
My gardenia is setting buds.It has green outercvering that is lot longer than appearing tiny buds.Could someone please tell me how the buds look like when they are forming.
Rosy
i live in northern va and have just bought a gardenia jasminoides ‘aimee’. It is about 3 feet tall and is potted. As adviced by the nursery i fed it Miracid, however its leaves started getting yellow. i would like to know how to take care of this beautiful plant. The zone of this area is 7b.
Drying and curling leaves
Hi. I live in Atlanta. I replanted my gardenia last spring. but after i did. the green color of the leaves seems to fadded, it is not losong the green color, very dry leaves and curling at the end. what to do?
One more variation on the endless yellowing leaves issue: This spring, I planted some Radicans dwarf gardenias in a relatively low-lying bed that has tended to stay damp. Recognizing that, I planted them fairly high, did the best I could to prepare the hole for good drainage (underlying soil is clay), and tried not to irrigate too heavily. Half of the plants seem to be doing well, while the others are thin and have many yellow leaves. Contrary to what I would have expected, the plants doing better are in the section of the bed I think is the dampest. How likely is it the the yellow leaves on the others are due to being UNDER watered? The surface of the soil does dry out between waterings. Any other thoughts? We’ve had our soil tested and it is acidic. Site is mostly sunny, zone 8. Thanks.
Winterover gardenia indoors
I purchased a blooming gardenia in April, repotted it and put it in a sunny spot outside. I live in Missouri. It’s grown considerably! I only had one bud on it, then we had a rain storm and the bud knocked off (no more buds). Now day temps are only in the mid 60’s with nights in the 40’s. I have doubts that it will survive the winter indoors because windows are east/west exposure. Do you think I could just put it in the basement and let it go dormant for the winter and revive again in the spring? I’ve never had success with indoor gardenias over the winter. H E L P please?
Leaf drop
I brought my gardenia inside for the winter…and it was fine at first, but now ALL of the leaves are dropping off. What does that mean?
Yellow gardenia
We have a whole bed of Gardenias that has been established for approximately 30 years. We live in Georgia (2 hours north of Atlanta) and have enjoyed the pretty white flowers every year. Today (Nov. 26, 2009) I noticed some orange colored blooms on them. There aren’t as many orange blooms as white ones in the summer but they are there none the less. At first I thought maybe there was another plant (like a weed) that had invaded the bed; but, the blooms are squarely on the Gardenias. Would you give me a ‘heads-up’ as to why they are there? We have never noticed them in the 30 years of the bed’s life. Thank You in advance for your answer email.
Sincerely,
Robert Fricks
Dried out soil on gardenia
hi. i have a small indoor gardenia (about 10″ tall) that i’ve had for a few months. i went away for a couple weeks and left 2 water globes in the pot to feed it. on my return a week ago, i found that only one of the globes was drained and the other had been blocked from draining by soil. needless to say, the pot was dry and as were all the leaves. i watered it immediately, and haven’t seen a change. i haven’t pruned it yet, but i’m just wondering if it’s gone to that big garden in the sky.
thanks
Curl grub
I have (had) a lovely gardenia florida on my back verandah potted in premium mix. It was going very well until just now. Yesterday I noticed a couple of leaves on the deck but did not take any notice. This morning I noticed alot of leaves and when I touched the branches a whole lot more came off! I ended up cutting it right back and will wait to see what happens. It has been well watered and fertilsed. I would just love to know what I did wrong!!
February 1st, 2010 at 5:56 pm · Reply · Edit
Curl grub
Thanks alot but I found out the cause of the stress to my gardenia. It was curl grubs. I am growing a new one in new potting mix. I was told to water with confidor every 2 months. Any other tips?
Black crispy leaves
Please help my Gardenia, I am in Toronto, Since I migrate it indoor in Winter last Oct., It’s began to dry the leaves as picture,fall after I touched it,the leaves look crisp. I checked the soil, still humidity, Please help!!!
This is take from last summer
I don’t know how I can keep it until this spring and bring it outdoors.
Gardenia picture here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/duduhome/4317135835/in/photostream/
Soluble salt
Thanks for your advice.
I was told by the gardener guy that may cause by Salt built in the soil, and suggest me to put it in bathtub and completely show through the plant. It’s so sad to me for the Plant tree was brought for my wife’s birthday gift last year. Because the flowers are so wild in my hometown(south-east of China). Now I don’t know how to take care of it.
Should I bathe it? It’s getting worse now. How am I going to watering and fertilize? I used to water once a week.
By the way, will the tea help it built acid condition? Can I mix some tea with the soil if I am going to re-pot it?
Many thanks
Scale
My gardenia is lush and growing quickly,but today I noticed what looks like light green scales on a few of the branches. It looks like it just started, but, I would like to take care of this problem before it damages or kills my plant. Are the scales dangerous to my gardenia and if so, how do I get rid of them.
Thank you in advance,
Acid fertilizer
Hi – I have read in earlier posts that I should use an acid fertilizer like Miracid – as I don’t have that brand I wanted to check to see if the fertilizer I do have is okay – – it is called Colorburst Flowering Plant Food and contained 15% total nitrogen, 30% phosphate and 15 % soluble potash – would that be considered an acid fertilizer or do i need to go out and buy new fertilizer?
Snow damage
I started & planted Gardenia bushes all around my yard & house 7 years ago. They have always had lush, shiny, green leaves, & have gotten bigger each year. I live in southeast Texas. It snowed once here this winter. All of the bushes that the snow landed on, now have only a few dead leaves left and the rest of the stems are bare. The snow was only on them for a few hours. I know the snow did it, because it didnt get on the bushes behind my house and they are the only ones that are still green and doing great. Is there anything I should do for my bushes that look dead? Will they put out new leaves?
My gardenia was great then the branches turned black and i was able to pull the branches from the ground they are dead I noticed some very small white worms in the holes the plant left anybody know whats up>?
Hi Dudu, how’s your gardenia now? I’m struggling with my gardenia too. It was so lush and full of buds when I first got it. But now, it has yellow leaves, looks dull, and loses buds everyday. Toronto really lacks of humidity and acid. My home city is Chongqing, where gardenia simply prospers. It’s already my 3rd gardenia. I’m doing everything to keep it alive and hopefully it can hang on until mid May, when I can take it outside. Good luck to our gardenia! 🙂
Bloom initiation
Purchased my first Gardenia last May and placed it outdoors. It bloomed all Summer and into the Fall. I took it inside before any frost and placed it in a southern exposure. It is doing fantastic and putting out new growth equally over the entire plant. My question is, when do the buds for this years season begin to appear, and where should I be looking for them. I have fed the plant with Muracid twice in the last month.I live in South/East Michigan on a Canal to Lake St. Clair so it does get humidity.
Gardenia hardiness
i’m planning to buy Gardenia plant for my backyard landscaping. i stay in NJ area and like to know whether it will withstand in winter or not. i’ll appreciate your response.
thanks,
dev
Hi! I found a gardenia plant on the discount shelf at Lowe’s. I only paid a dollar for it. The plant was placed in a decorative metal bucket but when they watered it at Lowe’s the plant never got a chance to drain and sat soaking in the water. I cut back the dead parts and took it out of the metal bucket it was sitting in. What should I do now? The plant surprisingly has buds and some open flowers on it. Should I cut it all the way back after these flowers die? I really want to save this plant.
Help! Just bought my first miniature gardenia and transplanted it into a large pot. I put gravel in the bottom of the pot to assist with drainage and fed it with my hydragena fertilizer. I think it has wet feet. The leaves are yellow and falling off, the blooms aren’t opening. What can I do?
Please help…I bought a Gardenia Tree last month at the local garden store. It was full of blooms and looked beautiful. Unknowningly, I replanted it in a larger pot within a few days of buying it. Now the leaves are yellow and the buds are falling off. I do have one bud that flowered but that’s it so far. I realized that it’s stressed by being replanted, but I need to know what I can do now for it. I live in south Texas and have the plant on my back deck. It does get the morning sun but is shaded in the afternoon. The weather has been hot and humid lately. Do I need to do anything special for my plant or do I just have to hope that it will come back? Thank you for any help you can provide.
Gardenia care
I have a gardinia that is 10+ years old, six foot in diameter and planted next to an oak tree. I live in the Atlanta suburbs.
Half the branches have very small leaves with no blossoms.
Is there anything I can do about this? Fertilizer / feeding, or severe pruning?
my gardenia has dry curly leaves and i had went to cut it back and noticed that my branches even looked dead.what did i do wrong?
how can I keep my gardenia corsage looking fresh all day?
Very informative, thanks a lot.
Scale on gardenia?
My gardenia is quite large and full, but, I believe it has spider mites. I have a black sticky substance all over. I’ve sat & wiped each and every leaf and stem with water which worked for a short time. I’ve used Organocide spraying each branch under and over without much luck. Now this sticky substance is attacking my orchids which killed one. I would appreciate any feedback that works. I’m ready to cut the plant back to bare bones before it kills the rest of my plants or just put outside in the hot Miami sun. Currently, the gardenia sits in a corner of my screen covered patio with afternoon sun.
Thank you in advance for any and all advice given,
Deb
Transplanting gardenia outdoors
I am in Houston and have several Gardenia bushes outside my sunroom. Fall is finally here and I need to move one of the bushes to the other side. What reccomendations do you have while I transplant the bush to it’s new location. Currently. it is about 4ft. wide by 3 ft. tall and has a couple of blooms. It is healthy with just a few yellowing leaves but quite a bit of new growth. Thank you so much for any help you can provide!
Winter protection for gardenia
Hi! I had four beautiful healthy gardenia plants, actually bushes now, planted in my back yard in East Hampton, NY in May. I am originally from South Florida, so I know they are tropical plants and typically do not fare well outside of zone 8. But these particular plants are so healthy and strong – trunks are 2-3″ diameter and plants are 3’x4′ large now. They bloom very regularly and have more than doubled in size since they were planted. They are 10x healthier than any gardenia I ever had in SoFla. Is there anything I can do to protect them during the winter and try to help them survive? Potting and bringing them in is not really an option. We tried that with some smaller gardenias a few years back and they immediately curled up, turned brown, got mites and died because we are only out here on weekends and they couldn’t be watered that often. Is there anything I can do to at least TRY to protect them in the ground during the winter and give them a chance?
Thank you for responding. In response to your question, yes, some leaves have bumps on both the leaves and stems. How do I get rid of them? As I stated in my previous email, I’ve used Organocide spraying each branch under and over without much luck. I even spent an afternoon with a warm bucket of water and wiped the “soot” off the stems & leaves of most of the plant. I look forward to hearing from you and others with any suggestions or advice.
Again, thank you,
Deb
Repot gardenia
Hi, I have two gardenia plants from the same nursery that have two differnet soil types. The one in the lighter soil is doing so much better that I want to transplant my second one into a light soil. I am afraid I am going to damage the roots in the process. I have the plant out of the container but the soil is still damp and won’t release. How aggresive can I be in getting the wet soil off of the roots? Thanks for any advice. Jenean
Sooty mold
Hi, I have a neglected gardenia tree in the ground. It was pretty much totally covered with black and just a few leaves, I sprayed with liquid sevin, which seemed to help alot. What should I do now in October in Florida, cut it back? Put something different on it? Thank you for any help. Nancy PS I live in Orlando, FL
hi ,i live in perth WA my gardenias old leaves were getting yellow so the nursery told me that it could be lack of magnesium and gave me epsom salt to put after doing that the leaves r releasing some white substance what could that be and what could i do
Home fertilizer remedies
I live in the middle east and have 2 gardenias in pots growing outside. It has been a bit chilly and much rain and my plants are turning yellow and red. I dont have fertilizer or pesticides availible to me I need some home remedies. I believe the gardener has been using water with salt in it to water but I dont believe that is soly the problem seeing as that was what the plants were use to prior to me owning them? Ideas I dont wnt to loose them.
I have a Gardenia tree growing indoors. It is about 4′ tall and sits in front a window where it gets a lot of light with the morning light being almost direct. Sits in a ceramic pot with drip tray and pebbles in the tray. I feed once a month starting March and ending September. She flowers all year with the spring being the most blooms. The problem is her leaves are very small and sparse and not very shiny looking like what I see in garden shops. What am I doing wrong? I love this plant as she is so fragrant and beautiful when in full bloom, just looks so thin due to the lack of leaves.
Cold damage to gardenia tree
I have a gardenia tree that I have had for 9 years. It’s easily 6 ft tall and 4-5 ft wide. I live in Austin TX and it is planted in the ground. Most winters I am able to cover it with a sheet when it’s below freezing and it does just fine. This winter, however, was brutal and we had many days in a row, many times, of freezing weather/rain/ice. It’s now the beginning of March and all of the leaves are brown and crisp, except for two very small sections at the back. It looks to me like it’s dead – should I trim it back and see what happens? I’m just not sure how far to trim it back and how long to wait to see if it shoots out any growth.
Sooty mold
I have a gardenia tree that I bought 2 yrs ago and has been outside on my porch (I reside in Arcadia, Fl.) with no problem until this week. I noticed that the leaves are turning black. what does that mean?? can you help my gardenia tree back to health. thanks.
Winter damage
I’m in Tennessee and have an outdoor gardenia that also looks like it might have died from the cold winter. There are no leaves at all and the tips or half of the branches are dark brown and snap off easily. Towards the base of the plant, the branches are lighter brownish/gray and don’t snap off. I’ve read to trim off the dead branches and see if new growth appears, but how long might it take before new leaves appear? I don’t want to dig it up prematurely thinking it’s dead.
Heya, I have had a gardenia professor pucci, i planted my dead babys(12wks) remains under it, this was a few years ago, this plant has never been happy, has never bloomed maybe one flower at the most, trys too, always goin yellow, thin and hardly any foliage, it looks so sick and i want to save it..have been giving it a liquid feed but still doesnt perk up 100%.not sure what to do but its the only sickly plant thats not happy :(…id just love for it too fully bloom and be busy and happy!:) thanks:)oh yes i live in New Zealand and i grow it outdoors!
SPIDER MITES:I have read almost everything here, but didn’t see the 70% isopropyl alcohol(rubbing alcohol in beauty supply or first aid isle of store) mist treatment for spider mites. I have had great success with misting my gardenia bonsai with this for spider mites, (you will know they are spider mites because when you mist you will clearly see webs) I found this cure at another website and it was one of a kind so I thought I would share it and ask your opinion. It is a solution of 1 part 70% isopropyl alcohol to 2 parts water or even 1:1, I put it in my mister and sprayed under the leaves and stems and top of soil and pot (the spiders crawl). They said that the alcohol evaporates but I rinsed it off after about five minutes (which might not be been good if it is rinsed into the soil I covered my soil when I rinsed), one spray and they have not re-infested. Does the alcohol completely evaporate, what about in the soil?
Yes, the alcohol with completely evaporate.
I am a proud owner of a new Kleim’s hardy Gardenia… it gets shade in the morning and afternoon sun… It seems to be very happy but I am wandering why the while blooms turn yellow? and it seems when I water it it takes a while for the blooms to look good… am i hurting it?
gardenia tree.
hello i live in tennessee and I bought a gardenia tree two weeks ago it has roots coming out on top and underneath she does not need to be put in another pot right? My gardenia is a young tree it has 10 “our 12” [in]. I have not yet started with the fertilizer. she looks ok has new leaves emerging. and is my first gardenia and i do not know how to care for her. my questions are: gardenias need the full sun when? in the morning or afternoon? and how many hours? I can put it outside so She Can Have full sun or not? flowers only come out when you fertilize right which I have air conditioning and temperature suitable for the gardenia indoors? so that it is moist I added pebbles at the bottom of the pot. when to fertilize gardenia how do I put the product diluted in water or put directly into the soil? I read that putting tea or coffee in the soil is good for the soil and so true Our ​​False. sorry so many questions and I never took care of a gardenia before. wait for your answer. thanks
Hi- my husband bought me a gardenia and it was really happy for about 2 months, blooming and lots of new growth. Then I noticed little tannish spidery things crawling around, making webs. My local garden center told me to spray the plant with Greenlight Neem II to kill the bugs. I have been spraying for 3 weeks on a 6 day schedule, and the bugs are still there. Now I noticed little jumping white wormy things in the soil. Help!!!
Brandon here again….. ok so now me and my Kleims Gardenia are having martial issues!!! So after it budded (and was quite beautiful) all the leaves are falling off of it…. it still produces blooms but it is branchy and the yellowing wasn’t a problem really the green leaves are everywhere. I still love the little fellow but what does one do? the more i talk to it, the more it doesn’t like its home and frankly its hurting my feelings… HAHA what do I do? i gave it azela food and it gets good light and watering not too much…. ??
Please read my post just above yours….there are a lot of posts but it is helpful to read them, it’s your loss if yo don’t. Mine is the one about the isoropyl alcohol treatment for the mites…it’s is funny that the webmaster of this site, having commented on my post, didn’t guide you to my post to begin with. 🙁
I read the entire above thread. I planted a Kleim’s gardenia about 4-6 weeks ago. It seemed to do great at first, looking lush and bursting into bloom, but now more and more leaves are turning solid yellow. I don’t think it’s underwatering, maybe slight overwatering, but normally soil is barely feeling damp when I water.
So how do I eliminate criteria? I guess first step would be to water with Miracid? How long do I wait to see if this is the right answer? It seems I should try Miracid and if that is a no go, try the iron, right? How long do I wait or can both be done at the same time w/o anuy harm?
Gardenia in Tucson AZ
Ok, I’ve read so many of these blogs/posts on how to care for and grow Gardenias, not a single one says they bud more than once a year, and no way do they bloom in 103 to 105 degree temps! Was hoping someone could explain why mine are doing everything that they shouldn’t be, not that I’m complaining, I adore them! But is this as unusual as it seems to me to be??? Now for some info, I had wanted to have a Gardenia bush outside my front door ever since I was a child as my grandmother had them outside her front door and the smell of them has always reminded me of her. So Finally I got the opportunity and I purchased a 2 gallon plant with lots of new buds on it from my local nursery on 3/5/11 and transplanted that night, by 4/13/11 only 1 had opened, and by 4/19/11 it had really began to open up, blooming continued through 5/7/11 and then I noticed lots of tiny new buds, by this time the temps had reached the high 90’s and I figured they’d drop off, but to my surprise last night, 6/18/11, one has actually opened and none of the buds have dropped off, they’re only getting bigger!
Oh, and it has been more than 100 degrees for the last almost 2 weeks, I live in Tucson, Arizona Zone 8A
Also the food I give it is nothing more than used coffee grounds and crushed up eggshells once a month…
Most definitely counting my blessings and enjoying it very much! What a nice thing to say! 🙂 I think she is too! Another one opened today,(6/21/11), Yay! One other thing I do, since it seems to really love humidity, I have gravel in my yard where I don’t have plants, so I soak the gravel all around the container within about an inch of the container itself right after watering it for about 10 seconds every evening. I’ll definitely let y’all know how it’s doing next season, currently it’s nearly 24″ tall from the top of the container to the tallest point and 29 1/2″ around. Hopefully some of my tips will help someone else’s Gardenia… 🙂
I live in Las Vegas, NV, and have a potted, bush-type Gardenia plant. It was purchased several months ago, and had a happy time blooming outdoors, with lush green foliage, and vigorous blooming when the days were about 60-70, and the nights b/n 50 and 60.
Several weeks ago, it started showing classic symptoms of pH imbalance w/ the yellowing b/n veins, along w/ leaves going bright yellow all over, so i applied the acidic-fertilizer w/ a gallon of water to let it soak in. Leaves continued to turn yellow for a bit, so it was repotted to a larger pot w/ fresh soil. The progression of the yellowing seems to have stopped, however the plants leaves have almost all become dry, curled, and crispy.
Over the past few weeks, the temperatures have been spiking around and above 100.
I’ve tried to keep watering it regularly, without panicking and over watering it, and several of the leaves on the plant (old growth at the top, and new growth at the bottom) look like they are starting to perk up again, getting fleshier. However, the majority (>99%) of the leaves remain curled and crispy. I stick my finger down into the dirt as far as i can near the base of the gardenia, and the soil feels cool/wet. I’m scared to keep watering it, even though it looks like it’s starving for water.
Can the heat during the day be causing all this trouble? It is kept outdoors where it receives morning sunlight, and remains in the shade all afternoon.
None of the branches look “dead”, or are completely devoid of leaves, in fact some of the branches are bright green where some of the more perkier growth is occurring.
Should I knock off all the crispy green leaves, or hope that they will perk back up? (I’m assuming the yellow leaves can be gotten rid of)
Hardy gardenia
I live in central Massachusetts and gardenias are my favorite flower. I’ve heard there are cold hardy varieties, will any of them make it through our winters?
Sean,
Everything I read about gardenias says not to mist them as they are susceptible to mold. I’m just starting out with mine so I have a lot to learn I’m sure. Good luck!
winterover gardenia
I have a gardenia (7 yrs old and huge) in a pot which stays indoors in the winter and outside on the deck in the summer (I leave in the northeast) Obviously it is way too cold in the winters for the gardenia to be outside during that time. Since it has gotten so huge, I am trying to figure out what to do. Can I put it in a portable greenhouse on the deck in the winter months? Would it survive?
I have a small gardenia tree. It is new to me and it just bloomed abouy 14 beautiful flowers. When trimming what do I do with the “pod” that the flower grew in? Do I cut that back like I would a dead rose or just leave it alone?
All the instructions re trimming are for shaping but nothing about this question. Thanks
Bud drop
My gardenia in a pot has lots of buds but then drops and does not flower?
Scale
My Gardenia is covered with sticky white spots. I’ve only noticed this since bringing it indoors for the winter. What treatment options should I consider? Thanks!!
I brought my gardenia inside for the winter. It was a newplant I kept in a pot outside. It never bloomed this summer but I knew I had to bring it in and changed the pot. I used Miracle Grow soil and I put rocks in the bottom to make sure the roots didnt get “wet Feet”. The leaves are curling up and alot have fallen off and I am scared. What could I have done wrong? I snipped off the branches that I think were dead because there was no way the leaves would come back. I knew the branches were dead because when I clipped them, they broke off and there was no green left inside. Is there ANYTHING I can do to save this plant. My mother in law used to have one of these and it was huge.It was the only plant she had and it always bloomed and she never did anything to it but water it. When I changed the soil, I noticed there were a few little bugs in the soil outside (in the pot), so I changed the soil completely. PLEASE HELP!!!!! Thank you very much..
I bought a Gardenia at a local farmers market 2 years ago. It was small, but had 3 buds, which fell off. I changed to a larger pot, & it looks good , except that the leaves are turning up. which i brought in last week. what causes the leaves to turn up, it stll looks good.thank you:)
Two years ago I moved into condo in So. Fla. with a gardina plant outside. It bloomed for the first time this year and we enjoyed bringin cut flowere into the kitchen. Now all the blooms are turning brown. Any ideas of the problem and fix.
Hi Rich
Which flowers are turning brown? The cut flowers or the ones outside?
I live in the Phoenix area and our local Costco had beautiful Gardenia Plants with lots of buds. I bought one because I love gardenias and it looks healthy, I have it in the front so it gets morming sun it gets watered every day, I have it in a pan with some marbles so it is not sitting in a pan of water. But the blooms get so big and then they just dry up and fall off without opening.. What do I need to do and should I be planting it in the ground with full sun.
I will appreciate any help you can give me.
I use to grow gardenias and had problems with teeny tiny red insects. My neih or has gardenias and has these same pests. These are now in my petunias. What are these pests? I live in Georgia. These bugs move really fast and seem to also jump. They are barely visable, especially to me without my readers! They seem to stay in the flowering part if the plant.
Thanks
Scale
My gardenia has started dropping buds. I noticed that there is a white sticky substance where the bud meets the stem. I think this is causing the bud to die. Do you know what this is and what I can do?
Nan,
Hey, they are actually called red bugs. it is a common bug and easy to kill. they sell a concentrate at Lowes that you mix in a sprayer that will take care of this for you, but you are right, they are hard to see, they jump and they bite too. the do tend to spread quickly so the sooner the better.
I live in Northern Virginia and propagated some gardenia clippings from a beautiful and hardy outside plant in NC, a very similar climate to mine. I planted them in April and they are doing pretty well. I have them in a pot outside, and am wondering what I should do with them now that it is getting cold. My ultimate goal is to plant them outside in the ground. Should I bring them in for the winter? At what point should I plant them in the ground, ie how big should they be and what time of year? I have tried several times to grow gardenias inside and have failed miserably, so am worried about killing the new plants if I bring them inside.
Thanks!!
The Daisy Gardenia that i have did good for 1 year, about March 12th of this year the leaves are turning brown and falling off Please help