Recently planted gardenias or recently purchased ones for the inside home tend to lose buds because the environmental conditions in the nursery vary greatly from those outside/inside your home. As you will see, they are incredibly picky regarding bud formation. They will bloom in the spring and, depending on your weather, they will bloom again during the Fall. I once had them bloom during the spring, summer and Fall. But I usually only expect spring bloomage. If I get "extras", I consider myself lucky. Proper temperatures are necessary to force gardenia into bloom. No flower buds set at night temperatures above 65 degrees. Night temperature above 65 degrees causes drop of buds already formed. Ideal forcing temperatures are 65 to 70 degrees during the day and 60 to 62 degrees at night. The flowering response requires 14 hour nights. The flower buds can drop due to low humidity or a sudden environmental change. Flower buds fail to form if day temperatures are higher than 70 or night temperatures are less than 60 degrees. High soil pH can also causes lack of flower bud formation (as well as chlorosis. Leaf drop, possibly delayed, can be caused by cold drafts, improper watering, excessive fertilization, or several consecutive dark cloudy days. Fertilize monthly between Spring and Fall (stop around early September?). And yes, you can fertilize when it has flower buds if it is during the time frame above. Luis

Richie, I started a post called, 'Richie, where are you?' Can we continue on the new thread..this one is a tad long, and takes forever to download. I'll never remember the questions you asked, so I might as well answer here..lol First, how are YOU doing? I hope your're well. And your mom? G/f? About my new Gardenias, I'm very upset. I guess the weather did more harm than I thought..I doubt any gardenias will make it..the temps were just too cold. I dont know if I should notify the owner or not, since he waited a long time before shipping. All the leaves are frosted, every last one. I dont know what to do. They turned black and crisp. I didn't mention it because I was in denial, hoping I was wrong, but they've pretty much had it. BTW, the nursery ships wonderful plants, it's not his fault. It's my fault for not asking him to hold them longer. Sounds like you got a bunch of new plants too..it must be the season, or maybe we can blame it on a full moon..lol For us in Il it's the season..tonight rain AND snow! I dont want to see snow until next year..lol Foxtail, Ming, Spreng and Plumosia Ferns are well, but need new, big pots..they are huge. In fact, you know those huge square pots to plant outdoor plants? The pots I'm talking about are orange, square. I might end up potting ferns inside each planter..the problem is I need 4 and they've gone up in cost. If they're 7.00, I can afford it, but if they're over 10.00 I'll have to devise another plan. Dividing! Variegated Ginger needs a huge pot too..gotta find a place that 'gives away' free pots..lol.. You're lucky you finished gardening..family helps..my family have no interest in gardening, so I don't ask. A lot of digging and planting..sigh..I feel like spraying weed killer, but won't..can't because of the dogs for one. Our little dog would be rolling in it..lol.. We had to give him an emergency bath a few mins ago..dh took them to the woods, and that little brat found a mud area..of course he came home with 4" of mud on his little body. He ran up to me, telling me he needed a bath which he got. The sink was filthy..he had enough dirt to fill up a plant pot..lol.. Richie, dont forget..I started the thread here on GW looking for you. Please answer on that thread..my puter takes too long to dl long threads..thanks, and I know I can speak for others, we're glad you're back..hugs, Toni

At my old business(a kennel) I used scent in various ways. I kept it super clean as a smelly kennel will turn customers away in a heartbeat. I did use those plug in scent things from Bath & Bodyworks. I loved the Eucalyptus Mint for the kennel training room. My clients always commented on how fresh the place smelled. Then I also planted scent producing plants around, mostly because I liked them, but it ended up being a great thing for the business. I had 2 Daphne Odora in the parking area and clients went nuts when they were in bloom. Then by the training field I had Osmanthus Fragrans. They bloom twice a year and clients apparently still remember the scent. One of my former clients(who became a friend) called me just last week. She moved into a new house and was on her deck and smelled a blooming Osmanthus. She told me “I flashed back to training on the field at Wolfbrook!” If someone could replicate either of those scents I’d buy it.

So beautiful! I am a little jealous yours needs such vigorous pruning after first flush. I suspect James Galway wants cold winter to trigger vigorous spring growth. Mine is 4 years old and just under 3 feet tall after a light deadheading after the last Spring flush. It just sits in stasis mode the rest of the year. I probably should replace with a pink that does better in Zone 9b, BUT I love his blooms so much I will keep him a bit longer, especially since he looks so perfect green and mannerly the rest of the year. One thing I haven’t tried is alfalfa tea. I wonder if I gave some mild organic fertilizer and tea treatment once our summer heat ends and fall weather starts, if I might get a fall flush? Our fall weather doesn’t start until mid October.