Gardenias are famous for being fussy, so here's a list of their demands

- very bright light, but doesn't really like full sun
- like a lot of water, but doesn't like too wet of soil. so figure
- like being fertilized with every watering, but too much food burns it
- needs a lower pH
- needs cool night-time temperatures (think 50's) for bud formation, but plant must not freeze even once o_O
- needs humidity, but can't stand being wet
- faints and dies at the sight of spider mites

If you can meet these nearly paradoxical demands, then woohoo.

I feel your pain. I currently have one. I'm counting 4 buds left. The other 4 fell off before I found out about spider mites.

Hi erict,

You hit it right on the nose, that's pretty much true. Very well put and really FUNNY...LOL

that is not quite right about freezing temps. the plants that i have in the landscape can handle frosts but not temperatures down into the low-20's for extended periods.
they are quite easy in zone 8 but can be lost to cold temps if planted outdoors in zones lower than that.
i can't imagine trying to grow one as a houseplant after reading all the obituaries on this forum. *lol*

Please have a look at my earlier post. There is a happy Gardenia in it. If you really pay attention to them everyday, you can allow them to dry out a little bit. I let the soil dry to the degree that new leaves, buds and branches drop slightly. I never lose any bud this way. I use a diluted fertilizer each time. Once root rot started, the plant becomes weak and suicidal. It is very difficult to recover fully. Prevention is the key.

Thanks Everyone! It's nice to know I'm not alone! Snasxs- I'm guessing root rot too, much as I hate to admit it. I do let the soil dry out between waterings, but I'm wondering if I should have left it in it's former smaller home. I haven't had time lately, but tonight I'll check it's roots. If doing so causes the bud to drop, I'll have to deal with it! I have other Gardenias anyway, so I'll still get my Gardenia fix. I never did get pictures up- sorry about that. I know it would make a diagnosis easier...
Have a Green day!

I have grown almost all the varieties of gardenia that are commercially available and beyond any doubt, 'August Beauty,' is by far the very best for pot culture for us Northerners.

Let me tell you, I have been over thirty years in pursuit of a vaiety of gardenia that did not: root rot at the slightest provocation; get spider mites and camelia scale all the time; drop buds with reckless abandon, etc., but not August Beauty.

My August Beauty finally died because of being put out in the spring far too early by a well meaning but unknowing worker while I was away.

Here is my history with it:

Purchased from Wayside mail order, for about $20.00/gallon pot, about 12 years ago when, to the best of my knowledge, it was just fresh on the market as a new variety. (Up to then ) was always trying new gardenias, but none ever was satisfactory.)

It was astonishing in its vigor and continuous bloom, even when it was occasionally a bit neglected in care.

It never needed to be sprayed for the two arch enemies of gardenias, spider mites and scale, ever. This astonished me!

In just 5 years, it graduated to a 22" pot and in weight, counting the pot, plant and soil was around 100 lbs. It was 4 ft. X 4 ft.of nice compact growth (kept that way by some occasional pruing of wild growth), and when a flush was in full bloom, 90+ fowers would be open at one time!!! Flush after flush all summer into fall was the rule. It was never out of bloom between flushes, ever.

I kept it at the 4' X 4' size, 22" pot simply because I could not manage it any larger, although I believe it would have gone to 6'X6' if I allowed it to. People were astonished at its sight, especially in full bloom. The flowers were not enormous florist's size blooms, but a very nice 3" across and very full of petals.

It took two strong men to move it. It was put outside around Mother's day or a bit earlier every spring after a long winter's rest in my fruit cellar where it never freezes but does go down into the low 30's on the coldest winter days. It was kept in virtual darkness from November to April. It did not drop a leaf and buds that were well advanced when brought in would bloom in the dark, all the way until January, but no new growth was made all winter, which was my intention to keep it dormant. It was essentially dormant from Thanksgiving to April. I would water it lightly, say once a month, never letting it dry out.

It was a very heavy feeder of bloom booster (high phosphorus number), liquid feed with an occasional feeding of acid loving formula. I liquid fed it every week with two gallons of bloom booster (two tablespoons of powder), remember it was in a 22" pot!!!, then once a month it got a liquid feed of two gallons of acid loving formula (two tablespoons of powder), instead of its bloom booster feeding that week. Otherwise it was watered every day, whether it rained or not. It was kept in full sun, and occasionally on the hottest days would wilt a bit even though well watered, but be fully recovered by dark. I suspect it could have taken a bit of shade because of the wilting, but the wilting was only occasionally encountered and seemed to cause no harm what so ever. No feeding over winter during dormancy in my root cellar.

The fragrance of my August Beauty in full bloom was overwhelming. Another thing about it was that it rooted very easily in a glass of water on the window sill! Just cut an 8" end branch no later than July 1. Place in a glass of water in full light (kitchen window sill works fine), and in 4-6 weeks roots will begin to appear. No rooting hormone needed. When roots are no more than 2" long plant in a well draining potting soil in a 4" pot, but keep in bright shade, no longer full sun until new growth is seen, then move to full sun and you have a new August Beauty. Many people took cuttings from my plant and now have nice mature plants.

Get yourself an August Beauty and start to enjoy growing gardenias!!!

Rootman

hi rootman,
some good information from you for the posters of this forum.
perhaps gardenias can better survive with an indoor winter dormancy in cold climates instead of being treated as an everblooming houseplant.
could be that actively growing indoors favors advance of disease and pests as a weakened plant is fertilized and encouraged to grow and flower under less than ideal conditions (?). snasxs, this does not apply to you! ;-)
for sure, they get a rest here outside during winter months.
i will say that you are about right in your expectations of size for 'august beauty'. mine is 6' and usually has to be staked when in full flower from the weight of the blossoms. it is the only cultivar i grow that reblooms and does so in the fall with a flush that is always smaller than the first one that comes around memorial day, almost like clockwork.
i don't see the frequency of flowers that your 'august beauty' plant produced, but i wish i did.
welcome (back) to the forums.

Thanks also rootman,

Appreciate all the great information. I might have to try the August beauty variety next in a pot. Although for me (I'm in florida)one of the recommended varieties for planting inground is "Miami Supreme" or one that is grafted because we have nematodes in our soil. These are supposed to be resistant.

I will say I agree that the gardenia in my opinion is one of the few plants were it seems to really need more than average fertilizers. They seem to not be phased by the frequency and seem to require them in a regular basis or they suffer by yellowing leaves, bud drops, and everything else you can think of. Any other plant would be overdosed by this much fertilizer, LOL...

Actually Jeff, some greenhouses will sell varieties of Gardenias as Everbloomers, intermittent bloomers or Sp-Su-F, which then determines the fertilizing regime. I started fertilizing a few weeks ago- I never use the full recommended amount. The problem may be over potting, not over fertilizing, as my other Gardenias are quite content, Thank You

Pug lover, Miami Supreme is a cultivar derived from August Beauty.

Snasxs,

Thanks for the info, I Did Not know that...so I guess I don't need to get another one, then.

I posted yesterday about my Gadenia woes (the Home Depot variety of Gard. v.). Maybe I'll give up on this one and try the August Beauty. Sounds like it has a better shot at withstanding, late September to early June, indoors.

Not certain though, about putting it to sleep for the winter. I have an orange tree going & blooming, and plumerias too--all house plants, until out in the spring/summer for three months. But Gardenias are really hard.
Why did I ever leave Louisiana--my uncle uses them as foundation plants!--his are all healthy at 6'. Of course his indeterminate tomatoes are healthy too. I was shocked that he has to use a ladder to get to the top of them. While mine, here in Utah, if they get 4' tall, are a success.

So, back to the Gardenia mines as well as a search for a quality, but inexpensive August beauty. Can they be grown from seed?

Hi Sunslight!
My problem plant is either from Price Chopper (Groc. Store) or Walmart. Gardenia Veitchii (sp.- sorry). I have two Gardenias I bought cheap at an out of the way greenhouse that are doing well. They aren't labeled, though. I have a Gardenia Coronata from Logee's that's not much to look at but very healthy, and in bud.
My sick plant has a bud that, out of all my Gardenias, is the closest to budding. I still haven't checked the roots, though.... I watered it with some peroxide in water. I also used that solution to water a Lemon tree that had a cat incident (see the Citrus postings if you're curious!!!) We'll see if that does anything. I will keep an eye out for August Beauty. I know they sell them at Wayside Gardens.
Good Luck!

OBIT: OF AUGUST GARDENIA, B: 2005, in Davenport WA, Died July 2008, cause of Death GRANDSON PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED ON IT,,,,,, is servived by a sister that is doing well now that GRANDMA threaten to CUT of the GRAND SONS lip stick...................PEE is not a good fertilizer.........

Rootman,
Because of you, I bought an August Gardenia!! Thanks
But please, tell me i=how is it possible to treat them like you did in the winter. They are tropical plants. You said...

"It was put outside around Mother's day or a bit earlier every spring after a long winter's rest in my fruit cellar where it never freezes but does go down into the low 30's on the coldest winter days. It was kept in virtual darkness from November to April. It did not drop a leaf and buds that were well advanced when brought in would bloom in the dark, all the way until January, but no new growth was made all winter, which was my intention to keep it dormant. It was essentially dormant from Thanksgiving to April. I would water it lightly, say once a month, never letting it dry out. "
How can this be. I have asked several greenhouses and the people I bought my denia from, and they said it will never survive under these conditions. I am confused. They said that the constant cold alone would kill them, let alone lack of light, or the darkness you gave them. Please reasure me before I give this a try. The coldest it gets in my cellar is in the 50's. Can I do same without the very cold temps also?
Thanks,
Mike

I forgot about this posting. The Gardenia in question is doing well. It is back in for the winter, in our sunroom, in SW exposure. It hasn't had any more issues- perhaps the peroxide helped, or just living outside for the summer. The only issue is small leaves. In February I'll start with the grow lights. Thank You all for the advice!

Meyermike,
The plant didn't grow in the winter.
That is the key.
If your plant grows, it isn't cold enough.
It worked for him for over 12 years.
So the people you asked were wrong.
Try it, but the temps of 50 is not what worked.
Good Luck!