A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2003 Gardenia Help!!

Hubby recently got me a Gardenia plant. It is full of blooms....but won't open. I have it sitting next to a table top water fountain... use a ph fertilizer of 4-5.Temps are as recommended. If I repot it into a little bigger pot...what are all the things I need to know and do for it. I adore Gardenia's and want it to bloom. Please help!!! Thank you in advance!!!

I love gardenias too. I would get some fertilizer miracaid for azelia/rhododendron and give it a good dose of that and cut back on the watering. it may be taking a while to flower mine took a good month to bloom from its buds. Give it time it will be blooming soon.

I have some Acidifier plant food. Will dose it today. But when I touch the soil after 2nd day of watering....it is so dry! If I do repot it into a little bigger pot, would one of those water wicks be a good bet or just some rocks/clay pot pieces be better? And am not too sure how to repot it. I have a good much and we do our own composting. Sorry for all the questions.....but I really want this to bloom and I have had it a good month. It is growing new leaves and blooms, so to me that is good!! Thank you!

Don't repot! That will cause the buds to drop off for sure.

The buds need time to develop before they open, so patience is important. As long as the buds look healthy, you have little to be concerned about.

Gardenias bloom best when potbound and that is why yours is now in bud and why I suggest you not repot.

Here are a couple of things you can do to keep the soil moist. Take the plant to the sink and let lots of slightly warm water run through the rootball to be sure that it is thoroughly drenched. Place a large saucer under the pot. Water thoroughly as soon as the surface of the soil reaches the point of being just barely damp, but not dry. If this turns out to be every other day, then so be it.

Go easy on the fertilizer at this point. It will not help the buds to open. Miracid is a good choice, but use it at half strength. monthly. Less is better than more

Will,
Thank you ever so much. There have been big buds on it since the day it came home. A few have fallen off and they were green and healthy looking. In order to run lots of warm tap water through the rootball, do you mean to take it out of its pot and then put it back in etc. as you have stated? Sorry if I am horticulturily challenged here!

Oh Happy Day!!! It bloomed and has another on the way!!! I just thought something was very wrong with it when I had it almost 2 months and the buds would not open! Thank you all so much!!!

Congratulations! Your patience has been rewarded.

Just for clarification, I meant that you leave the plant in its pot and run lots of water through it. No need to unpot. Letting the plant sit in a saucer filled with water for 20 minutes will acoomplish the same thing.

Thanks again Will!! Have a wonderful Memorial Weekend!!!!!!!!!!