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onecutesmile

How do I get my gardenia to bloom....?

onecutesmile
17 years ago

I have a gardenia that I think is an August Beauty that I purchased sometime in June or July (2006) from Target. The plant its self seems to be very healthy, although I haven't had blooms on it at all. I may need to feed it the Acidic type plant food, but other then that how can I get it bloom?? Any suggestions??

Kind Regards,

Steph

Comments (116)

  • birdsnblooms
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Richie, whenever a leaf yellows, it falls off. This is normal. Yellow leaves don't change back to green. Hopefully, the bare space will rebranch or reflower. Toni

  • cool81
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    hi Toni
    I just had to move all my gardenias inside their is a storm name FAY heading to FL.
    I hope This storm heads away from FL
    Pug their is a storm heading to FL please be-care-ful
    Take care
    Richie

  • puglvr1
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks Richie, be safe also. I HATE these storms/hurricanes...just brought in all my gardenias also along with my MANY other potted plants. Be SAFE for everyone in the state of FL...

  • cool81
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks Puglvr1
    I hope this storm does away.
    at least all the plants are save and
    I can only pray that everyone in FL makes it through this storm safe.
    Take Care
    Richie

  • cool81
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I mean that this storm goes away sorry typo
    take care
    Richie

  • cool81
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    well the storm did not damage much here in my are of tampa.
    Puglvr1 and other members in FL is everything ok
    their?
    Take Care
    Richie

  • birdsnblooms
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi..I heard about the huricane..I'll keep you guys in my prayers..
    How many months do canes last?
    So, this one is called Fay? Has it hit Fl? I heard it was coming from Cuba, is this correct?

    I can't even imagine the strength of those winds..when we have windy days, plants fly around..A few times I had to chase plants and pots down the street, but the winds were nowhere near cane level.

    Richie, where did you set your Gardenia?
    How long do you guys keep plants indoors? Weeks, months? Do canes mostly strike a certain area of Fl or can it appear anywhere?
    I wish you guys luck, Toni

  • cool81
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Toni
    canes season is until october or november not sure on that one. but the storms that come through FL last about two or three days. it did go through cuba then it headed up here
    to FL. their was trees that when down but as far as I know
    the damage was not as bad as we though it was going to be
    here in tampa but other parts did get some damage to moble
    homes and some trees when down.
    I hope this is the last storm for a long time
    as far as the gardenias I keep them in for about 2 or 3
    where they get bright light.
    days once the storm is gone I put them back outside
    The cane storms strike a lot by the florda keys
    key west and miami FL gulf coast
    Take Care
    and thanks for the prayers
    Richie

  • puglvr1
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hey guys, made it through "Fay", winds weren't as bad as it could have been...got 7+" of rain. Only kept the plants inside for two days. Brought everything back out today. I'm like Richie, I hope we are done with them for this year, but unfortunately the season is not yet over. Toni the "Canes" season is from June 1st to Nov.30. So it 6 months. But for us the peak season is from Aug through Oct.

    It can hit just about anywhere(Tx,La,GA,MS NC,SC)so its not just FL. Although sometimes we get our more than fair share of them. Last year we were very lucky, can't remember one? But the worst area usually are along the coast, since that is where it makes landfall, but that doesn't mean the inland is safe, just sometimes we have a little less intensity(sometimes) because hopefully it weakens when it makes landfall, but this does not happen all the time. The storm that hit us yesterday, actually got a little stronger after it made landfall(very unsual).

    That's one of the bad things living in FL...gotta take the good with the bad, LOL...

  • cool81
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    hi puglvr1
    it is still windy here not sure when I should put these gardenia back out side for the most part the winds are not bad but other times you can see tree branches out side moving a lot.
    Take Care
    Richie

  • puglvr1
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I put mine outside on Wed. under a palm tree. It's still windy here also, but its a little sheltered under the tree. I would wait till the winds die down if you're concerned. I was so glad the one I have planted in the ground made it through the storm with no damage...

  • cool81
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Toni


    Here is a gardenia leave that looks weird can you please help me I need to stop my gardenia from getting all the leaves like this
    Thank you
    Richie

  • cool81
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Pug: do you have any ideas what can be the cause of this gardenia turning into this weird color from the picture I posted? Please let me know.
    also I found a few leaves had been eatten by a bug not sure what bugs to look for
    Take Care
    Richie

  • puglvr1
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Richie, I'm not sure what those spots can be since you already fertilize with miracid, iron. One possible cause might be too much water from the rain? You might want to try some epsom salts. Use 1 Tablespoon per one gallon of water, shake very well to dissolve. Add to the soil. Might take a week or so to see results. I'm not sure if this will help, but it might. I have some leaves that turn yellow and fall off, it is very normal with gardenias.If the overall plant looks healthy I wouldn't worry about it too much.

    I have had some of my other plants that have chewed up leaves also. I finally found out what it was...it's Snails!! I have been removing them when I see it...I think the rain(moist soil) is drawing them out. I didn't have this problem last year, it was much drier. Not sure if that is what is chewing up yours, but that's one bug I would consider?

  • snasxs
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Cool81, I thought I have already answered your question 3 or more times. The close-up picture suggests that the root is not happy. Oops, root rot is coming. See, I told you before. Soon, the in-between could turn brown and dry up.

  • cool81
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Pug
    I try looking at the leaves but I don't see snails.
    some leaves look eatten up and some are brittle looking and eatten up on the leave tips.
    I will buy snail bait and put it around the pot to keep them at bay,
    Pug how long does it take for bayer trees and shrubs protect and feed to start taking action once applyed to the plants?
    1 new gardenia has holes in the leaves and I see dead bugs but I would like to know if it could be moths eatting up my leaves.
    cause I don't see any bugs expect dead
    bugs due to this bayer
    do your gardenia leaves somethings look a little curl up?
    does this bayer also take care of moths?
    Take Care
    Richie

  • cool81
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    hi snasxs
    how could this be from over watering if I have cut down the waterings to about once a week now???.
    following your own advice using the meter I waited until it showed on the dry side to water again and from time to time waited until the leaves droop a little before watering it again.
    Pug: can you post the link to bayer again
    I want to see the info on what bugs they control. I had a little accident where my bayer fell off my table and leaked what was left. now I got to buy a new one
    Take Care
    Richie

  • cool81
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    hi snasxs
    when I water the gardenia it is when the meter reads number 3 on the dry side.
    may be it is not to late yet to save it.
    as far as my leaves being eaten away I think this started when I brough in the plants to keep them safe from the cane storm. in that time span it had 5 leaves eaten up
    some leaves are new and others are old ones.
    I don't see snails but I do see some scale insects on it
    I when to lowes got snail bait and spead it around the bottom of the pot just in case.
    I did find a few bugs that I killed by hand.
    I will keep checking it at night thats when I see the bugs
    active and kill them.
    snasxs: i have one of the gardenias in the back flordia room. that one is doing great.
    I only water it once a week and has been well mulched
    please help me as to I am at a lost of whats eating the leaves.
    Take Care
    Richie

  • cool81
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi snasxs
    I think I found aphids on one of them plants.
    I seen some leaves curl down ward that
    leads me to think its from aphids.
    this is on one of the new plants.
    I will try to blast them off the plant
    with a strong jet of water.
    until the bayer trees and srubs take action
    it has been raining a lot here in FL
    I just dont water them in hopes that they dont get over watered when its raining.
    Take Care
    Richie
    P.S. Snasxs: how is your gardenia doing?
    did you find out what was eating your gardenia leaves

  • cool81
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi puglvr1
    I when to the store today and got a new bayer advance trees and shrubs protect and feed. wow I forgot how much they cost lol.anyways I want to say
    thank you to everyone for
    their help and that I'm
    sorry I asked so many
    questions i'm very new to gardenias and wanted to
    learn from people who know
    how to grow them.
    The person who use to take care of them for me move to miami fl.
    so now I'm on my own.
    snasxs: is right gardenias should not be water to much. I find that once every 5 days is good. unless the weather reports shows rain coming then I don't water at all. also i am going to feed them like snasxs: does with every watering half a table spoon per gallon.
    Take Care everyone and once again I'm sorry that I asked all those questions
    Richie

  • snasxs
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Richie, I did not find out the eater of my gardenia. The usual suspects are 5 squirrels, 2 of my neighbors dogs, 3 of my housemates cats, leaf-cutting insects, etc. I just sprayed an insect-spray which I bought from WM. The liquid is a little oily. After that, nothing bothers the leaves any more. The plant is doing wonderful! One more thing: Gardenias absolutely do not require humidity.

  • cool81
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi snasxs
    I'm glad to hear that your gardenia is doing good. I will check out the insect spray at wal-mart.
    I notice gardenia's grow pretty fast
    I mean in less then a year it has grown
    a lot. I don't know why but cats do like to eat gardenia leaves.
    Take Care
    Richie

  • birdsnblooms
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hey Guys, I am SOOO happy to hear the worse is over.
    Pug, that's the sad part, for good there is bad, for day there is night..for right there is wrong. Balance, I guess

    Maybe prayers from 'everyone' were heard. I'd like to think so anyway.

    Richie, is that a bud forming where the leaves are a bit yellow???
    I hope it's not root rot. What are your meter/guage numbers? From 1-10?
    If there's only a few yellow leaves, don't worry..now if the entire plant starts yellowing, then there's a problem.
    Remove yellow leaves..Can you describe the insects you saw? They may be nothing that harms plants..We get a ton of flying bugs all summer long, but they're harmless.
    Look for cottony patches, brown or white bumpy things, fine webbing.
    Is your gardenia sitting in a tray/saucer? If so, and you're getting a lot of rain or overwatering, remove it. (the tray) Gardenias sitting in water for long periods cause root rot and insects. And Yellow Leaves.
    Richie, don't use too much stuff..When people use this chemical and that chemical, IMO, it's too much for the roots.
    I allow soil to dry somewhat between waterings. When it looks/feels a bit crumbly, it gets a drink. Stick your finger in the soil before you plan on watering..If it comes out wet, wait a few days and retest..if it comes out dry, it probably needs water. You can use a probe/stick in place of your finger..a probe inserts deeper.
    I don't know if we're getting Fl weather or not, but tropicals are in heaven..it's been super humid (97-100%) and hot, yet there's a breeze. Today's a tad cooler, high 80's and windy.
    In fact, I have a good number of succulents outdoors so I'm worried they're getting too much moisture. I may have to haul them inside. I have about 20 Euphorbia Crown of Thorns, one from a cutting started in 1982. I don't want to lose any. The year before last, I bought a gorgoues Thai Crown of thorns for 15.00. It stood almost 2' tall. It bloomed, bi-colored flowers all winter. In the spring of 2007, we had a ton of rain..way too much for the COT's. It died..I hunted again, looking for the same type..the green house I bought the first had similar sizes/types but they wanted 67.00!!! I'm now buying bare-root Euphorbias and Adeniums from Buried Treasures. I also have several Adenium, Desert Rose, the newest a beautiful variegated..

    Soon all plants will come in..boohoo..You guys in warm climates are so lucky. When temps dip 3F degrees, no plant will survive that weather.
    One of my citrus died, but the rootstock is doing well..I'm going to keep it outdoors all year..Next spring I plan on buying a palm that's hardy to z7, but can be grown with lots of winter protection. This is something that can't be done with Gardenias, no matter how hardy it is..LOL. Too bad..

    Again, I'm happy to hear the worse is basically over. You guys take care. hugs, Toni

  • cool81
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Toni
    yes that is a bud growing where
    the leave with yellow spots is.
    as far as I seen their is two more leaves like that one but the rest of the plant looks great
    I water the gardenias when the meter
    reads 3. today I check the gardenia
    and it reads 7. I also use a wood dovel
    to double check my findings as to
    I dont want to over water the plant
    and as snasxs said to much water
    can lead to root rot and I don't
    want to lose this plant.
    I did find aphids on the plant
    that i blasted with a strong Jet of
    water to knock them off until
    the bayer kicks in.
    I also bring in my Succulents when it
    rains more then one day to avoid losing them to over watering.
    I'm sorry to hear about your citus
    as long as the roots are ok it can make
    a come back.
    about over wintering gardenias inside
    the house I head this can be done but it is hard.
    Thanks for the prayers we all made it through this storm.
    I dis like cane storms but other then that I like Flordia.
    P.S. Toni: how many plants do you have?
    I got a total of 45 plants here.
    to feed all these plants takes me
    1 hour. may be I need a garden feeder
    to use miracle gro and cut the time in half lol.
    Take Care
    Hugs
    Richie

  • birdsnblooms
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Richie,
    I don't know if this is coincidence, happens frequently or not supposed to at all, but everytime my Gardenia blooms, for some odd reason, a few leaves yellow..Those on the same branch as the bud..Perhaps my soil is lacking something, and I admit, I haven't kept up fertilizing this year. It's been some time since testing pH, too.
    I can't find any info in my plant books that indicate it's normal for some leaves to yellow when gardenia's bud, so I'm probably doing something wrong. Just don't know what. I should fertilize one more time before winter..we in IL stop fertilizing, except for people who use soil-less mixes. I think they fertilize year round, but not sure. The problem is, I foliar spray every plant with Fish Emulsion before hauling indoors. (to prevent scale) So, I'm afriad of over-feeding by using Gardenia fertiilzer and Fish Emulsion.
    How many plants do I have? between 350-400..Tropicals, sub-tropicals and succulents. It's been 3 or so years since last count..That number will increase a little..in spring we bought annuals/tender perrenials (perrenials for Fl, not IL) that I'm going to dig up, pot, and try to keep going. One problem is insects..sometimes annuals attract pests, especially mites. We'll see.
    Richie, you have 45? What are your favorites? I'm assuming you grow succulents too. Are they difficult keeping in Fl with all the humidity?
    Richie, actually 2 citrus died last winter. One a dwarf grapefruit that wasn't in the bet of health when received, I'm unsure why the second died though..The latter is the one I'll try growing in the ground..It depends on the rootstock used..certain types are hardier than others.

    Richie do you have a photo album or website? I love looking at ppl's pics. Toni

  • cool81
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    hi Toni
    My gardenias also get yellow leaves when they bloom
    I think this is normal.
    after flowering they should get more green leaves.
    as far as Feeding the gardenia I would feed it once more but half of table spoon per gallon of water
    to avoid over fertilizing it.
    I am working on a online photo album I will post it
    here as soon as It is done.
    I do grow succulents it can be hard to grow them when it rains a lot but for the most part as long as I dont water them to much they do ok.
    I like gardenias, basil, mints, sunflowers,
    and succulents like Euphorbia just to name a few.
    I will post some pictures of them soon.
    in Flordia I have to feed the gardenias all year long
    due to the warm weather.
    I once had a sunflower bloom in october and that shock me
    cause I though sunflowers only do well in the summer time.
    are citus just like gardenias that like acid plant food?
    if so then feeding them with this kind of food should help them stay happy
    Take Care
    Richie

  • cool81
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Everyone
    I heard that coffee grounds are good for gardenia?
    has anyone ever use this on a gardenia?
    Take Care
    Richie

  • cool81
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago


    Ok Toni
    Let me know what think of this sunflower that bloomed?
    photo ablum is almost done.
    I will post it very soon
    Take Care
    Richie

  • birdsnblooms
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Howdy.
    Richie, I can't wait to see your photo album..
    I've been so busy...I started bringing a few plants inside, even though it's early..but it's a lot more working bringing them in than taking them out..they all need cleaning..too many spiders and earwigs..Yuck.

    I also did something I never thought I'd do..I gave a friend 99% of my Philos..It was difficult, but mainly because of lack of space..oh well, she'll care for them.

    Richie, yep, Citrus prefer acidic soil or semi-acidic. I'm not sure if they require as much acidity as Gardenias though.
    I've heard pros and cons on the coffee ground question. Grounds are acidic, but some people say they attract rodents, etc, and can cause disease, but I've never tried it so I can't say.
    I'm not going to tell you to use grounds but it's funny..the last 20 or so years, I've been reading books on Old Wives' Tales..To be honest, in many cases I'm all for the old ways. Pre-pre-chemicals..Natural ways..The Amish grow handsome veggie gardens, everything is natural and safe to eat.
    When you get time, post your pictures..Toni

  • cool81
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Toni
    I just got back from miami FL I when to see my cousins for a few days.
    I will be posting the pictures in about a week from now
    I fell behind the postings of the pictures due to being in miami.
    Citrus trees may do good with a once a month feeding with the same plant food as gardenias use.
    give it a try and see if the Citrus does better.
    one question I heard about gafted gardenias.
    are these gardenias stronger then the other ones?
    I want to plant one in the ground but I was told that I need a gafted gardenia due to some bugs in the soil that eat the roots from the gardenias that are on their on
    root stock is this true?
    Take Care
    Richie
    P.S. until I know for sure about coffee grinds are good for gardenias with out side effects I will stick with the plant food I don't want to hurt them now that they started doing better.

  • puglvr1
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Richie, I have 3 grafted Miami supreme gardenias (tree) form...it is better to plant the grafted one because of "nematodes" in our fl soil. They sell them in most stores/nurseries...

    There's a Hurricane "Ike", so keep a watchful eye on the weather channel, it is forcasted to "possibly" hit FL...Stay safe!

    Here is a picture of my tree taken a few months ago...
    {{gwi:789478}}

  • cool81
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi puglvr1
    Thanks for the advice on gafted gardenias
    I will get a few to plant in the ground.
    as far as the other ones I will leave them in their plant containers. Thanks for the warning on Hurricane Ike
    I will keep an eye on it.
    I hope this storm stays away from Flordia
    Stay safe and Take care
    Richie

  • cool81
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Pug
    I think the storm is going to head away from flordia
    thank god.
    Toni the online photo ablum is almost done.
    It only has 20 pictures now but I will add more each week.
    I will be posting it in two days.
    Take Care
    Richie

  • cool81
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Here is my online photos link it has 17 not 20 sorry I though I had 20 in their.
    I will add more of my garden and of me and my girl friend
    a little each week
    Take Care
    Richie

    Here is a link that might be useful: Richie's Photos

  • puglvr1
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Great Pics Richie...thanks for posting!! Gardenias are looking really good. Love the sunflower also.

    Thank God Hurricane Ike is away from FL...dodged another one!! **whoohoo**

  • cool81
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    hi puglvr1
    Thank you I'm still working on more photos to come on the online photo ablum.
    I am glad that this storm is not coming
    here to flordia and I hope it is the last one for a very long time.
    a little bad news today I when to check on the gardenia and the soil was bone dye.
    it lost some leaves.
    puglvr1: how often should i flush the container the gardenia is plant in?
    I read that some people feed gardenias every three weeks to avoid salt build up.
    Take Care
    Richie

  • puglvr1
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I would probably flush it out every 3rd or 4th watering...I always water my gardenias till a little of the water comes out just to make sure the soil is evenly moist. Then let it dry out mostly...

    Yes, I agree no more storms...

  • RealCool137_msn_com
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    hi Pug
    I found a werid bug today on 1 of the gardenias that i think may have cause the bad leaves on it.
    it looks like a aphid but it has like a little thorn on the top of it when I saw that I got it off and kill it but my question is if this plant has bayer advance then why do these insects still come on the plant?
    every 4 days i see yellow leaves and theses bugs on it.
    i seen a spray with neem oil in it.
    is neem oil good?
    Take Care
    Richie

  • cool81
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Toni
    I have not heard from you in a long time
    I am going to post more pictures this week
    Toni: do you know of any good plant books?
    I want to buy one with gardenia informaion
    see all my gardenias are doing good expect one
    Today I notice another branch that is bare
    its braking my heart to see it in this shape
    I treat it like the other ones and the other
    ones do better then this one.
    It gets water on monday then again on friday unless
    I see that the plant needs more then I water it again
    since it only gets part sun like 3 hours or less and it
    is in a plasic pot I dont water it as much
    does this sound like a under watering problem?
    anyways can you Please share some informaion on
    how you care for your gardenia?
    I want to save this plant and need
    all the help I can get
    Thank you everyone for your help
    so far 6 out of 7 gardenia are doing great
    Take Care
    Richie

  • birdsnblooms
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Howdy,
    I cannot believe this thread has sooo many posts..LOL

    Things have been messy here in IL. Literally. For one,, we had rain, heavy rain, starting last Thursday night until Sun afternoon. Non-stop.
    Everyone, including us, had to deal with flooded basements..Some ppl have 4' and more. At least 50 families had to evacuate.
    Our basement dried out, but there's junk everywhere..so much is lost.
    Many streets are still closed. I'm sure it's nowhere as bad as Cuba or Tx, I KNOW it's not, but it's still considered a disaster.
    There are thousands sill w/o electric, in IL, not here. God help us all.

    To top it off, I've been hauling plants indoors before temps get too cold..last wk, the nights dropped in the 40's and 50's..which is okay for Gardenias and citrus, but not for succulents that have been rained on, and soil is soaking wet..Normally sux and a few other plants are the last to come in, but not this year..GArdenias are still outdoors though.

    One tree, Dracaena marginata, has mites!! I have no idea how this happened considering they like humidity and fresh air. The soil it's potted in is well-draining..the only thing I can think of is, it was sitting next to a Rose of Sharon, and many annuals/perrenials attract mites. So, it needs a spray of my home-made mix before mites devour the entire plant..it's bad enough, when I first brought it out, something big had eaten the top leaves. Like a rabbit might do, but unless there's an 8' rabbit running around, I have no idea what munched away..LOL

    Then there's a Spider problem..Not mites, but these ugly, huge, spiders..Every year I'll find a few but this year it's terrible. I'd say 98% of the plants brought in, has at least one spider and/or Earwigs..YUCK. Btw, I've a fear of spiders..even little tiny arachnids. They are gross creatures; I don't care how many insects they eat. I'll deal with plant bugs..don't need their help..

    Richie, are you looking for a book specifically for Gardenias? I really don't know of any. There are many good books on tropical plants, but those I've seen give little info on Gardenia care. You'll get more information online and through forums like GW. Ask away.

    How is everyone's gardenias doing? Is anyone still feeding or is it too late in the year?
    I can't wait to look at everyone's pictures. How many here bring plants indoors during winter months?
    I wish I had two tree Gardenias..I'd set one in the gh.

    Time to get a few more plants..brb..hugs, Toni

  • cool81
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Toni
    I'm sorry to hear about the bad news on flooded basements
    and about your lost in the basement.
    I hope everything gets better soon for everyone and that everyone gets their electric back soon.
    I will say a prayer so that god helps everyone
    and things get better soon
    I'm just looking for a book that has info on gardenias as well as other plants like roses, palm trees and basil.
    Toni: how do you take care of your gardenias?
    I see that your gardenias look good.
    I want to know what care do you give them to see if
    It helps me with this gardenia thats giving me a headace
    May be you can spray the garden safe 3 and 1 fungicide it controls spiders and mites.
    LOL about the rabbit. may be it's a cat that might be eatting the leaves of your plant.
    all my gardenias expect one is doing great.
    I have 7 gardenias one is in between and the other 6 are doing great.
    I do have a rose that looks sick.
    can you give me some advice on how to take care of rose plants please?
    I think you still could feed your gardenia until november.
    I water the gardenias with de-still water since I have hard tap water and I hear that is bad for them and makes
    their leaves go yellow.
    Take Care
    Richie

  • paulette_gardener
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I've had two gardenia plants for about three years. Haven't been able to get them to bloom. Occasionally they get big & leggy, and I prune them way down. They seem to like that. I've learned not to disturb them. They are in a sunny window and I water about every 2-3 days. But they never bloom. I'm trying to keep them healthy till I have a greenhouse (hopefully this summer). If I want them to bloom this year, should I give them Miracid or something? When? I LOVE the smell of gardenias, which is why I've kept them this long. My husband thinks it's amazing that I brought them back from the brink of death one summer when it was too hot outside and I had them out. Now I keep them inside always.

  • tropical_philippines
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Paulette,

    Is your problem not having any buds or is it having buds that drop and do not open? If your gardenia has never had any buds, it almost always means one thing: It isn't getting sufficient sunlight necessary for bud formation.

    Forget about the literature stating it needs cold temps to initiate bud formation. I live in a tropical climate where lowest night temperatures are usually around 75F and rarely below 68F but all my gardenias (planted in full sun outdoors) are always full of buds.

    tropical

  • meyermike_1micha
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Well just to back up what tropical is saying.

    When I never realized that my grow lights were not coming on as they were suppose to, it fact not at all for over a week, because of a faulty timer, half my blooms turned dark at the base of the bud, yelowed and browned up, got soft and wilty, and then just fell off.
    When I corrected the light problem,the rest stayed on and are still growing. Just very sssllllooowwwlllyyy!
    But they are still there...:-) They seem to blossom beautifuly, in fact all of them, as soon as the sun stays out longer as spring approaches, and especially when they go outdoors.

  • vasmith1_yahoo_com
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    My Gardenia plant has not developed any buds I noticed what looks like a white fungus so I sprayed it with a copper fluid. Still no buds.

  • ohsillyme
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I spotted a gardenia at the nursery this past weekend, I considered buying it to take into work. Then I remembered this thread, which I had read 2 years ago,,,,and thought Nyah! Who has time for plant worship anyway!?

  • mitch529
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    You've all given me a great giggle with your posts but also a lot of good information. I have a potted gardenia, don't know what kind, in the small 6" pot I bought it in, but want to transplant it to a larger pot. With all this info, I can do that now.
    It was a struggle at first, the leaves got brown...fixed that..then the leaves got yellow - too much water, fixed that, then low and behold I got 3 flowers! Tiny, but there. It's a small plant. What I have found is that if I let it dry out and then water it generously, it continues to look beautiful. No flowers right now, but it's doing well.

    One tip I got somewhere said they require humidity and if I sprayed them every day that would work. So I keep a spray bottle next to the plant and every day sometime I spritz it. It loves it! So that's my tip as thanks to all of you!
    Good luck with your babies! They're fussy all right, but boy it's worth it to get those flowers!

  • slickrick2003
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    for the past two months my Gardenias were doing kind of good, but for some reason these three past weeks the leave tips are turning black all over the place and can`t figure out what`s wrong, I water them every 3 days and keep them in a very well filter lighted era, can any one give me some advice on whats wrong and why the tips are turning black. P.S thanks

  • GrnThum
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Too much water can cause this. If you have it indoors you should water it every 5 days unless you are in a hot climate or it is in a sunny location.

    Excess water will cause root rot and this can be prevented by cutting down on watering. Use a tooth pick or dowel to check for moisture in the soil. Insert the toothpick into the soil and if it comes out dark or wet, dont water the plant yet.

    Other causes of the black tips can be too much fertilizer which leads to a buildup of salts in the soil, and a decline in the health of your plant.

    If you do fertilize it regularly, skip for several weeks and flush the soil by watering heavily at each watering to remove the salt buildup.

  • Jennifer & Forrest Ellis
    6 years ago

    Hi everyone!
    I came across this post in hopes to get the answer to our issue. We don't have a problem with our gardenia blooming. In fact, it does so twice a year. Our issue is, the plant itself just won't grow! It was planted in 2012 and it is the same height and same width now that it was back then. Sometimes it will get some new leaf growth but that's about the extent of it. We've tried pruning and it doesn't seem to help.
    What tricks or tips are we missing? Any help would be greatly appreciated as we have tried several things and nothing works.
    Thank you for your time!
    -"The Gumps"