I bought a gardenia plant which had several buds on it. I've watered it as the person in the nursery suggested. It's still alive after about 4-5 months but the buds just dried up. There are new leaves which are a lush dark green color but look very dry. I've checked for bugs and there are none. Does anyone have any advice and/or suggestions? Thanks for any help.
Hardiness Zone: 3b
Mairmie from Edmonton. AB
My gardenias are outside so it may be a little different. But they only bloom between May/ June and October. It may be that the temperature in your house is not as warm as the nursery and the plant went dormant. I would wait till it warms up considerably outside, about 80 degrees, and place the pot outside and it should bloom again. I am not sure what variety you bought but most Gardenias get pretty large and will out grow a pot quickly. (04/15/2007)
By Amy in GA
I have never seen them grow inside a house. Gardenia are not really house plants. They are suppose to be planted in the ground. But you can pick some of the stem with flower on then and bring them inside and they make your house smell good for a little while. (04/16/2007)
By elva
I always thought the gardenia to be an outdoor plant. Mine is in the ground. I live in the West Indies and it flowers year round. (05/15/2007)
If you really like your gardenia, you can try to make a faux tropical environment for it. I believe that's the only way you can grow them up north. Here is a website that a tropical nursery provides:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG336
Good luck (06/26/2007)
By Nan Corpe
Potted gardenias can be very temperamental, and when they get "angry," they tend to drop their buds. It sounds like your gardenia did not like the environmental change between the nursery and your house. As long as it is putting out new growth, it should be fine - just don't over water it.
By Lisa
I just purchased two aimee tree gardenias about six weeks ago. One adjusted well to its new environment and one developed yellow leaves that dropped, thought I was going to lose it. I re potted both to make sure they had good drainage. I put pea gravel and sand in the the potted soil mixture I bought and then added dry coffee grounds (before it was brewed, it is suppose to be more acidic then). They both were doing fine and the yellow leaves stopped developing on the one. I think the pot draining water easily helped.
I also found I wasn't watering enough for fear of over watering. Both plants have new growth and new buds and are blooming. As long as the pot can drain well (I water every two to three days, or if buds look a tad droopy) I think it makes a big difference, plus the weather in August is hot.
Now, the ants have hit the one plant. Their eating some kind of larvae in the buds. Suggestions? (08/09/2009)
By Sandy
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