Planting, Growing, and Pruning Gardenias
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Planting
Consider the strong fragrance of the gardenia’s flowers when choosing a planting site. While their scent is enjoyable in passing, it may become overbearing if the shrub is planted near a window or frequently traveled area.
Gardenias appreciate a tropical climate, but may suffer in full sun at the height of summer. In warm regions (Zones 8+), select a spot that gets morning sun and light afternoon shade but that avoids the harsh midday sun. In cooler areas, select a spot that gets full to partial sun. Additionally, choose a sheltered spot where the gardenia will be protected from cold winds in the winter.
Gardenias require a low soil pH (acidic) of between 5.0 and 6.0 to grow well. Soil should be rich and moist but well-draining. To increase the fertility of the soil, add aged manure or compost to the site before planting.
When to Plant Gardenias
- Generally, the best time to plant gardenias is in the fall. In areas that get a light frost, plant gardenias at least 6 weeks prior to your local fall frost date.
- In cooler regions (Zone 7), it’s best to plant in the spring, as this will ensure that the gardenia has plenty of time to settle in before winter.
How to Plant Gardenias
Gardenias do not transplant well and respond poorly to root damage. Because of this, handle the plant with care during planting!
- Dig a hole that is twice as wide and a bit deeper than the root ball.
- Put a couple of inches of fresh soil in the bottom of the hole.
- Place the gardenia in the hole so that the top of the root ball is even with the soil surface.
- Fill in with soil around the root ball.
- Water deeply.
- Add 2 to 4 inches of pine straw or compost around the plant, leaving bare soil right around the stem to allow for airflow.
Growing
- Gardenias grow and bloom best when temperatures during the day are between 65° and 70ᵒF (18° to 21°C) and night temperatures are between 60° and 65ᵒF (15° to 18°C).
- Keep watering consistent. Gardenias will suffer if they dry out or are overwatered.
- Gardenias enjoy high humidity. Mist with water during dry spells.
- Fertilize with a slow-release fertilizer formulated for acid-loving plants, such as rhododendrons and azaleas, a couple of times during spring and summer. Do not fertilize in the fall, as this can cause a spurt of frost-tender growth.
- Routinely remove faded flowers to encourage more blooms.
- Bud drop can be caused by low humidity, over- or under-watering, insufficient light, and high temperatures.
How to Prune Gardenias
- Prune younger plants only to keep the plant nicely shaped.
- Prune back the new growth of established plants by two-thirds after flowering.
How to Propagate Gardenias
- In early spring, take a 4-inch stem cutting just below a leaf.
- Dip the end of the cutting in the rooting hormone.
- Put the cutting into a pot with a mix of perlite and potting soil.
- Keep the soil moist.
- Transplant the cutting into a bigger pot after it has been rooted.
How to Grow Gardenias Indoors
- Gardenias grown indoors need 6 to 8 hours of bright, indirect sunlight through a window.
- The gardenia is very sensitive to temperature changes, so keep it away from air conditioning, heat vents, and drafty windows.
- The plant prefers 70ᵒF (21°C) during the day and 60° to 65ᵒF (15° to 18°C) at night.
- The gardenia likes high humidity. To increase humidity, place the potted gardenia on a shallow tray with gravel and water. Water will evaporate and increase the relative humidity around the plant. Alternatively, place a humidifier close to the plant or mist the leaves often with water.
Types
Smaller Gardenias with Repeat Blooming
- ‘Chuck Hayes’ is a cold, hardy cultivar that grows to 4 feet high. It has 2- to 3-inch semi-double flowers during summer and re-blooms in the fall.
- ‘Kleim’s Hardy’ is hardy to 10°F and grows 3 feet tall and wide. The single flowers bloom in early summer and have a second bloom in the fall.
- ‘Variegata’ has interesting variegated foliage and beautiful double flowers on a small, 3- to 4-foot-tall and -wide plant.
Larger Gardenias with Double-flowers
- ‘August Beauty’ grows 4 to 6 feet high and 3 to 4 feet wide. It blooms from mid-spring to fall with double 3-inch flowers.
- ‘Mystery’ has large 4- to 5-inch double white flowers that fade to cream yellow. It grows 5 to 6 feet tall and about 3 to 4 feet wide, but may get larger.
- ‘Veitchii’ is one of the oldest cultivars and grows to 4 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. It has double flowers with a long bloom period.
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Since gardenia is native to tropical areas it only thrives outdoors in Zones 7 (some varieties) or higher. In South Dakota, it is best to treat gardenias as a house plant. But they also do not transplant well, so you will want to cover it well for the winter, but there is no guarantee it will survive the elements in your zone.
Perhaps wait several more weeks to see if things improve. Gardenias are evergreen, though, and should have kept their leaves over the winter season, so it is likely that the cause is not just the stress of being planted and getting established, although that likely plays a part. Look for signs of disease or insects, and be sure that the plants are in their ideal spot, as far as lighting, non-soggy but moist soil, etc.
Another possibility is if your area had experienced a cold snap, such as around December 24 in 2022. If the plants did not have enough cold protection, it may have caused dieback to branches, flower buds, and possibly roots due to cold damage. Even though Atlanta experienced nighttime temperatures in the 10s and 20s around December 24, and Foolproof gardenia is hardy to Zone 7a (0 to 5F), some plants (especially when they are just being established in their new home) might have been vulnerable. In certain cases, plants can recover from cold damage, although several branches, and likely all flower buds for the next year's blooming season, may be lost. Again, we'd suggest giving them a little more time, such as midsummer or so, to see if any leaves come out for the plants to make food over the growing season. If a plant's roots have not been damaged, in certain cases, the plants can come back. The fact that one of the plants is starting to leaf out suggests that at least that one has a chance for recovery.
Hope this helps!
Hi Brenda, Sorry to hear that your gardenia plants don't seem to be coming back this spring. As a plant that is native to tropical and subtropical regions, it does not do well with cold temperatures in winter months. Most gardenias are hardy in zones 8 to 11, but some varieties, like Klein’s Hardy gardenia and Summer Snow, are hardy in zone 7. If you planted a more tender variety, it could be that the winter temperatures were too low for them to survive. In zone 7, it is best to plant in the spring to ensure they have plenty of time to settle in before winter. In the future, you could also plant gardenias in pots so they can be outside during the summer months and then brought indoors for winter.
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