Kandhi, I'm a gardenia murdering expert. However, I've managed to keep an "August beauty" alive for nearly 2 yrs now which is a record for me. I keep it in an unheated room that gets a fair amount of morning sun.

I also have a Chuck Hayes that I planted in the fall of last yr. It isn't looking well but it's still living. I should have given it more time to acclimate by planting it out earlier in the season. Or at least I should have given it some protection during it's 1st winter.

I have a friend that lives near me that planted Chuck Hayes 2 yrs ago in our zn 6b climate and his is doing fine. He did plant it in a protected area tho.

C Hayes is reputed to survive zn 7 winters so if I was you, I'd go for it.

Aka Peggy - Thanks for the info, I will try to plant this in ground in April or May and will take a chance to see. I do not know what other problems gardenia's face when they are planted in ground. I need to check on that also.

Hi, I'm new to this formum so bear with me. I love gardenia's and wanted to know where in Tennessee to purchase the Chuck Hayes Gardenia. Or, is there a website I can go to and purchase this wonderful sounding plant.

Hi,

Maybe someone on the Tennessee gardening forum could tell you of a source.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tennessee Gardening

Tell me about it! I have one in the house that has chlorosis and spider mites (I think that's what they are - litte tiny webs?) I finally put it outside in the rain. I guess I'll keep it over the summer but it won't survive the winter.

I'll never learn. This happens every time I buy a gardenia plant.

My chuck hayes is doing fine indoors. For chlorosis feed chelated ironite (1tb sp/gal) or epsom salt (1tb sp/8inch pot). Epsome salt you can get it in WalMart and it is cheap. This helps the leaves to stay green. I am also having spider mites problem indoors, I am using organic neem oil (oil+soap) spray seems to help it, but they tend to comeback due to humidity problems indoors. I am just waiting for night time temp to move into 50's so that I can move this pot outdoors. The plant is full of buds that seem to be growing too. I will decide whether to plant this in ground or not in summer.
meevans3 - you can buy this plant fron nurcar.com. I bought this from them and they ship good plants.

Hi -- I found a New Jersey garden center selling Chuck online, but wonder if there's someplace closer, say in Virginia or SC, where I'll be on travel next week. Anybody have any suggestions of sources?

Now I'm going to read the archived 'suicide/so you want to grow gardenias, huh?' thread. I probably need to familiarize myself with what's ahead. :->

Thanks, Margot

Margot,

I bet you'd have no problem finding one in a nursery down that way. I got all my gardenia's in North Carolina.

You know I do believe my Chuck Hayes survived the winter. It looked kinda rough there for awhile and I was sure it was dead but today I noticed it was perking up and it's putting out some new growth.

Yes!! it survived zone 6b!! (planted against a brick foundation on the south side of the house)

My Chuck Hayes is blooming like crazy now in Arlington. It's about ten feet from the house and gets no protection (except for wilt-pruf).

I have been growing both Kleim's Hardy & August Beauty for several years. The Kleim's is a pretty mature plant & finally flowered nicely for me this summer.

I got a small plant of August Beauty about 2 summers back. It has had serious die-back each winter. I even put up a burlap wind-block last winter. It made just enough new growth last summer to stuggle through the winter. It is coming out of the ground & staying in a pot for a while.

As to Chuck Hayes, I am guessing that it is intermediate in its winter hardiness between Kleim's Hardy & August Beauty. Here are my 2 suggestions. Ideally, plant it as early in the growing season as possible - late April or May. And do provide some winter protection the first winter. You might try surrounding it with hay bales & putting an old window pane on top, or possibly even using some of the Dupont Microfoam fabric that local camellia growers have been using for winter protection.

Best of luck & please let us know how it performs over the next year. I am eager to try this one in my garden soon, too!

Dan

I have heard that 'Kleim's Hardy" is not as hardy as touted and there are cultivars out there that are superior in their winter hardiness but not as widely known or available. I think there's one called 'griffin's select' and another called 'shooting star' in addition to the 'Chuck Hayes'. That's cool hearing firsthand from someone growing it for more than a couple years in MD. I'm going to try growing the plant soon, i'm in Baltimore City.

-Jimmy

Kandhi,
Your post reminded me of this thread......grab a cup of coffee before you start reading.....Suz

Here is a link that might be useful: GARDENIA THREAD

My Chuck Hayes spent the winter indoors, but I hope to actually plant it out this summer. One thing that my supplier reiterated is "plant it where it will not be hit by ANY morning sun in the winter". He says that if it gets winter morning sun, it's very likely to defoliate if not die outright, but if you can avoid that, it should do well in areas like mine (western Fairfax cty). According to him, this factor outweighs any protection one might otherwise get from putting it against an east-facing wall.

this is 2nd time my chuck hayes is blooming
http://us.f3.yahoofs.com/users/41ae15eaz4c2fbcac/2365/__sr_/bafe.jpg?phwdF2CBO6wQxB9R

here is the pic. The fragrance is same a other hardy gardenia kliems hardy but not that strong but the flower is beautiful
{{gwi:1047129}}

My Chuck Hayes looks incredibly healthy. This spring I was sure it wouldn't make it. I wish I had a picture...it's grown quite a bit and is finally flowering for the 1st time. It doesn't get morning sun in the winter but does get sun most of the day.

August beauty is also thriving and has been flowering non-stop for nearly 2 months now. YES!!!

I live in South Jersey and have had two gardenia plants for four years,(don't know varieties). I keep them inside through the winter,not especially a sunny spot,but temp in the 60s.
In May or June I put them out on my south- facing deck. I have not fertilized them, but they are green and bear flowers almost continuously in the summer,even sometimes through the winter.

One has grown very bushy and I long to plant it outside,facing south,sheltered from harsh winds.We do get heavy frosts and sometimes snow.Not sure of the zone.Anyone done this?

My gardenias are Veitchii,I've discovered. so they are both back inside despite their size. Planting outside in New Jersey is not an option for this variety. It flowers beautifully twice or more ever year so I'm not complaining.

I'll just keep pruning them back as before.
I would still be interested in knowing how the Chuck Hayes variety does outside in this zone if anyone gives it a try.

I bought Gardenias at local Home Depot before. I was told me that they are for outdoor in DC area. I am in Montgomery County. It grew pretty well during the growing season, but it did not survive the winter.

I recently ordered Frost Proof Gardenia, August Beauty Gardenia and Kramers Supreme Camellia from Brighter Blooms Nursery online. However, the 2 Gardenias that they shipped are wrong plants. They are definitely Dwarf Gardenia, which has a much narrower leaves and shorter plant.

At this moment, I am not sure if the Kramers Supreme Camellia that I ordered is the right one. I will have to wait until spring to see the flower to be sure.

I have heard that the plant propagated from a plant that had survived winter locally will survive better in the winter. I am wondering if anyone from this forum is willing to share a few branches from a plant that have survived winter in DC area with me for stem cutting use. Chuck Hayes, Frost Proof, August Beauty are the ones that I am interested.

Thanks,

James