Gardenia Tree potted house plant 5 feet

11 years ago

I have a 5 foot gardenia tree that I bring into the house every year, this year slowely the buds droped then the leaves so i still continued to water. ALL the leaves went and I was left with a stick tree, some branches were bendable and others snapped. I went and purchaed new potting soil, peat moss and Miracid plant food. I was able to pull the tree directly out of the pot, needless to say it was very much overwatered! Most of the thick roots were black, I did scratcch some and the very base of the tree and it was green. (there were few and far between any young roots seen) I recently seen a video on a plant site where the instructions given was to allow the roots to dry for a day or two. Should I do this or plant in the new soil mix ( somewhat moist) and hope it recovers? ANY Help will be much appreciated as I had this beautiful tree for 3-4 yeasr and don't want to see it die. Thank You Lisa

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Comments (19)

roseyd
11 years ago
Trim off the dead roots, they won't improve with drying. Take it and get it into a fast draining mix. Water it in a place that will allow full drainage. Don't water log it. Get a water bottle and mist the remaining leaves, and do some praying that the remaining roots will recover. Don't use any fertilizer for the next month. Good luck.
birdsnblooms
11 years ago
Lisa, sorry you're having problems with your Gardenia. 5'ers are rare and oh so beautiful.

Follow Rosey's advice.

As long as stems are flexible, they're alive.
If you peel a little bark from the stems, the inside will be green.
Dead stems should be pruned. They're using energy directed at live sections.

The video you saw might have been about growing a newly planted Gardenia, outdoors, in-ground.
Please re-watch.
If they're discussing indoor, potted Gardenias, they have no idea what they're talking about. lol

Do not water your Gardenia every day or two; water when soil is on the dry side..especially during winter months.

In summer, soil will probably dry out faster, therefore more water will be needed.
But, soil should never stay soaking wet.

Water thoroughly, then allow soil to dry between drinks. Dry soil looks crumbly.
Stick your finger or thin stick deep within soil. If your finger or stick is wet, wait a few days then retest.

Lisa, good luck.

Hey Rosey. How are you? I hope well. Toni
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I think it will be very easy to dig up and, especially if you didn't tease the roots out, the rootball should be completely intact. It's kind of a judgment call on how to precede with the rootball. You have two factors working together against you. The first is that, from your description, it sounds as if the tree was potbound. That means that the roots are unlikely to grow out into the surrounding soil (and may even become girdling roots later on) unless they are either spread out or properly prepared. The second factor is that you are planting the tree in the very worst time possible. If you were planting a non-potbound pot-grown tree this time of year, it would probably be perfectly fine. If you were planing a potbound tree, and prepared it correctly, in the middle to late fall, in the winter, or in early spring, it would be fine. The problem arises when the root system needs to be compromised for the future health of the tree but the tree needs all of it's root system intact to survive the stress of transplanting in very hot weather. Is there a chance of being able to take it back where you bought it and get your money back? It sounds like the tree isn't in great shape. Trees should not be potbound when they are sold. If that's not an option, I think you'd probably be best off to try to carefully untangle (tease) the roots out around the rootball surface. Keep as much of the rootball intact as possible to lessen transplant shock, but be sure no roots circle more than about a quarter of the rootball. You may have to cut a few of them to get things straightened out. If you do cut them individually, cut them as they emerge from the rootball before they start to wrap around. The roots will tend to sprout out in the direction of the cut root end. Do what you can to limit the amount of root disturbance while eliminating encircling roots that won't grow out into surrounding soil and may girdle the trunk or the root system as they grow. Once you've got the tree replanted, be sure to mulch the entire planting area correctly (see info in link above) and keep an extremely careful check on soil moisture (see link). Properly maintaining soil moisture is going to be critical the the survival of this tree.
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Thanks for the suggestions, I did very little damage to the roots. Rinsed away all the potting soil, and gently untangled any roots I saw that needed straightening out. when I was finished, the majority of fine feeder roots were undamaged and still firmly attached to the thicker main roots which I had untangled. Even after cutting some of the thicker roots at the point of the 45 degree bend in them, there remained, still, plenty of fine feeder roots growing out of that thick root above the cut I made. No, the tree (when originally removed and repotted) was not rootbound. Just prior to this original post, I had at that time shaken off all the new potting soil, which many new roots had grown into, since I first repotted the 3 gallon potted tree into a larger 10 or 15 gallon decorator pot. Then after considering the early responses to this post, I dug the tree up again and rinsed the original 3 gallon amount of potting soil away, also. At that time as mentioned in my above response, some of those roots could be seen circling the trunk just below the first major sized roots growing out of the trunk, but I simply unwound most of them and broke only a few. So earlier, when I said that I bare rooted my tree, I did not mean that I had remove all the fine feeder roots like seen when suppliers ship bare root trees in the spring. True this activity did likely hit the tree and is going to set the tree back, But I could not do such root disturbance before the tree went dormant. As it is, the tree only dropped its leaves last week, due to our extended warmer than normal fall temps that lasted until the 8th of this month when cold rain began and temps flirted around the freezing mark just enough to create major ice damage on the area trees and powerlines. I am sure, now this tree is even more confused, since today our high temps rose to 61 degrees, and another cold front is not forecast to blow through and drop us back to winter temps, until this weekend. Today, no telling how the tree is responding to its roots, yesterday, being totally exposed, rinsed, untangled, spread out and recovered with dirt. Yesterday, I did position the root flare at soil level and filled around the roots with virgin soil. Then I mixed some soil with oak leaves and covered the planting area as a type of mulch. I still plan on covering the planting area even deeper with a shredded cedar mulch just prior to the next cold front; scheduled to arrive in a few days. I probably should install around the tree some "T" stakes and tie them, just loose enough so the tree can still move with the wind; just not enough for its roots to be pulled out of the ground so its fine feeder roots won't end up ripped away. Right now the tree is standing straight and tall, and I am tempted to think that since it has no leaves to catch the wind, it might not need to be staked, but in reality I do not want to be proven wrong once the windy cold front blows through and just in case it causes enough damage for me otherwise to have to be out in the cold, wet winds, staking the tree anyway. I had enough of such emergency staking to do, during last weeks cold weather event, for lots of my just about to become well established trees, which all summer and fall had seemed to not need staking.
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Yes, and using mixes specifically for 'potted' plants can be quite tricky to say the least. A balancing act too that is one does not master, your growing experience can be quite limited or very rewarding. For me it's all about sacrifice's, sacrifices made in order to attain the best possible growing experience possible without sacrificing the integrity of the mix and the vitality of my trees and their root systems. One has to be able to foresee any potential issues before deciding what to use. What might do a great job in the 'summer' might be the death of your trees in the 'winter' months. For instance: One could use a mix that hold much more water for the summer while in the end could kill your trees holding too much water come the winter and shorter days. One could use a mix that holds PWT that can be used to your advantage and disadvantage if it rains too much, stays cold for long periods of time, or gets worst as the mix break down. One could use a mix that dried out very rapidly, almost too fast for the summer and in the winter and then in summer loose their trees to not enough moisture. One could also use a mix in which you have to check the moisture levels quite often in each and every pot, for some hundreds, or use a mix that you can water every time you water for all at once without fear of root rot without having to check to see if they need water. The 511 to me is a good balance. You can add just enough smaller particles to keep the soil mix moist longer in summer while reasonably dry out in the winter in a good amount of time. You can use it on all your plants and water all your plants at the same time whether they are still moist or not. The 511 also allows you to store your trees at very cold temps, even though the pots are still moist without fear of rot. The 511 also dries out evenly and holds its structure much longer than peat or fine particle based mixes.. So If I were to match up the 'pros' with the 'cons'. I'd say the 'pros' far outweigh using a 511 mix or the like in my favor. It might be a great idea for each of us to decide what you are willing to sacrifice in the winter or the summer and find a happy medium that will work for ALL seasons to save yourself a lot of headache and certain trees their demise. What is forgiving in the summer time or in a nice warm brightly lit greenhouse structure might not bode so well for trees in less than ideal conditions come shorter colder wintery days indoors. MIke
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roseyd
11 years ago
Hi Toni,

I feel like it's been AGES since we've last chatted. I'm coming out of dormancy with the change of season. It may be to early to play in the yard just yet - but, I really want to get some bulbs in the ground.

ONe of my neighbors had given me a square pot /kit of Angel whites, and I'd like to put those outdoors instead of starting them inside. The bulbs are already starting to grow and I didn't even prepare the coco media for them.

Maybe one more week? and I can get them outside? I'd like to put them out there early - but, I know that there's still a chance of frost. Such a challenge trying to rush the change of season with plantings.

Lisa, what's happening with the tree? any success?
birdsnblooms
11 years ago
Hi Rosey,

Yes, it's been a LONG time and a LONGER winter, unlike last year.

I certainly know what you mean about coming out of dormancy. Some people are like plants and visa-versa. lol.

Sorry, I never heard of Angel-Whites.
What type of bulb is it?

Honestly, I know little about outdoor gardening. Names, care, etc.
I Googled planting bulbs for you, but most articles discuss planting late autumn, 'for spring bulbs.'
Are Angel Whites fall bloomers?

It's supposed to be warm all wkend, (high 50's to 60's) but drop by Monday, however, who really trusts weather-people? lol.

Rosey, hope you're well, and coming out of dormancy. :)

Speaking of Gardenias, lol, it's FINALLY warm enough to set outside.
I first set my guy out Thursday, but had to haul back in at night. Then I placed it on the front porch yesterday, Friday. It's been out since.

Lisa, if it isn't too cold there, is it possible to place your Gardenia outdoors? Toni
anrev1719
Original Author
11 years ago
Hello and thanks for all the help, so far NO change i'm hoping the roots are developing. I spritz the tree at the base because there are not any leaves left. The remaining branches and trunk are green, it gets decent amounts of light and at night i put a grow bulb spotlight on it. (at base) I figure as long as I see green I have a chance. Will keep you all posted. ;0) Too cold here to put outside zone 7
roseyd
11 years ago
Toni, I messed up the name - paper whites? ... I finally got them into a pot/ and coco husk and it was about time that I did - the bulbs had started without it. So that they are now about 2 inches poking out of the top of all the bulbs.

They should be flowering in no time.

Lisa, keep going with it - you probably don't need to have 24/7 lights though. I usually run my grow lights about 16 hours a day. I shut them off when I sleep.

How warm is the room that your gardenia is kept in?

Is your heat still on at your house?
birdsnblooms
11 years ago
Morning Everyone,

Lisa, Gardenias are difficult.
My tree looks terrible. Low humidity and lack of fresh air are major problems.
Usually, I mist 2-3 times per day, but winter makes me sad, 'lax.' I've neglected plants this year.
To top it off, our humidifer isn't working properly. Sigh.

Although your tree lost leaves, perhaps spraying stems will help.
Do you have a hygrometer? What's the humidity?

Living in z5, April temps can be warm, cool, freezing.
It's 35F this morning. Too cold for 'denia to go out.
Tomorrow, 'they're predicting,' 65F. If true, 'denia will go out, even if only a few hours.
Gardenias prefer cool temps anyway, especially when budding/flowering.

Last wkend was warm, BEAUTIFUL!
Gardenia was placed outside. Believe me, there was vast improvement. By Sunday evening, it had to come back indoors.

So, if you're home on warm days, have a nearby area outdoors to place your tree, (nearby, since your tree is so large,) setting outside will do wonders.

I assumed z7 would be much warmer than z5. But, this winter, weather has been strange. Everywhere in US.

Good luck, Lisa.

Rose. Ironically, I wondered if you meant Paper Whites, but since I'm unfamiliar w/most garden plant names, I wasn't sure. Too many plants and bulbs to remember. lol.

Have a pic of your pw's?

Once warm enough, will your pw's be planted in the garden then dig up in fall? Or are they disposable?

I've seen pw's sold at Jewel's and Dominick's..They're usually in boxes. In order to actually see bulb, I open the box. lol. I do this w/Amaryllis, 'if on sale, and flower color is unusual' which is almost impossible finding rare colors here.

Rose, how are your other plants doing? Did they survive winter?
2012/13 was hard on indoor plants.

Have you started fertilizing yet? Toni
roseyd
11 years ago
no picture on me, at moment - but I can take a picture later. the paperwhites came in a box with a square porceline no-drainage pot, a coco-husk brick, and 12 bulbs. - the bulbs, by the time I opened the box (2 weeks ago) - were already growing. I held off putting the pot together, thinking It'd warm up and I'd get them in the ground - but, this current cold spell decided me to just pot them.

I had to do some more plant shifting, but I have the bulbs under the plant lights and we'll see what comes of them.

Most of my plants did ok - I lost one Jasmine, and the MOO looks pretty sad. I'll have to re-pot her this year and get her into some better soil. the hydrangea vine and honeysuckle and Mandavilla, all held on through the winter - but, they're in desperate need of real dirt and sun (and I'm anxious to get them all outside) and be damned with the difficult water routine.

I started fertilizing about 3 weeks ago, after the logees trip. Mike was kind enough to suggest a few fertilizers, and Wes a few more - so between the two I should have a very happy garden this year. :)

I have a gardenia which is so SO SOOOOO close to blooming - and yet, still hasn't ... the buds are pinkish...

I'm ready... but yet, still nada.

A one month wait. I'm hoping to have pictures this month for the flowers in bloom.

my paperwhites should be white... :) I didn't have to open the box to know that. ;)
birdsnblooms
11 years ago
Hey Rosey,

12 bulbs! Wow...Here, you get 4-6 bulbs depending on cost, lol, and the pot is always shallow, plastic.
I'm surprised the container is porcelain!

99% of the time, bulbs, no matter which types, are growing whether they're in a plastic bag or box.
Most of the time growth is crooked, because it's rubbing against the cardboard.

Tropicals hunger for humidity.
Remember I bought a MOO last year? It was lacking minerals.
I ended up cutting it down to the base.

What is your Hydranage Vine, Honeysuckle and Mandavilla potted in now? You said it needs real soil.
The three are difficult growing anyway, so you're doing something right.

You went to Logee's?? Wow..Did you like their gh?
What size pots are plants in?
Most plants they ship are in 2", and if lucky, and spend more $, 4" pots.
I wish they'd lower shipping costs.

What type of fertilizer did you get? Are they for indoor or outdoor plants?

At least your Gardenia is setting buds..a good sign.
My 'denia and Hibiscus need a dose of fertilizer..both plants get timed-release, SuperThrive and a little vinegar.

Pictures are nice...this winter, I was too lazy to snap flowering plant pics. I'm sick of winter.

Sure doesn't feel like spring. blah..lol.
roseyd
11 years ago
I'm being driven crazy by static'y styrofoam popcorn.... I just unpacked 5 boxes of award bases that I need to distribute and there's popcorn everywhere.... and it won't not stick to me ... so I can throw it away, yet not... throw though I may, it just clings.

I wish someone would show up with a vaccuum and vaccuum me.

everything is in dirt. the time I'd ordered those vines - most likely the dirt I used was a miracle grow citrus/cactus blend. The pots are all small 6 incher's though. They'd arrived as 3" pots, and I upgraded them - but 4 months and the growing season starting - you know that they're unhappy.

the paperwhites were a christmas present from the 2nd floor neighbors. They somehow knew I liked plants? ...
:) It was super kind of them. Good people.

Most of my neighbors are blessings. Only two bad seeds in the bunch.

Toni, it's spring - cold or not - time to get out of the doldrums and enjoy that the days are longer. Summer's coming.

Put on your party shoes and plan a celebration! :)
birdsnblooms
11 years ago
Rosey, IF I had scrolled down, I'd have seen the Logee's thread. Duh, lol.

Isn't it amazing how much styrofoam is stacked in a box?
You can order an item the size of a dime. It's shipped in a huge box, w/thousands of styrofoam peanuts.
I can't stand the way styrofoam feels or sounds when rubbed together...Oh God!!
It's like rubbing fingernails across a blackboard..

Have you seen the new peanuts? They're made from corn, I think??/
They don't cling, and dissolve in water. They can be tossed outside, poured with water and melt..no chemicals in this stuff. I wish corn peanuts were the only type used.

Rosey, I'll be right over with a professional vacuum cleaner, and vacuum you down..lol.

I don't understand. You potted plants in 3" to 6" containers? Wow, what a change.
I do the opposite. I under-pot.

Some nurseries pot in larger containers so they can charge more money.
Don't know how many times I unpotted a new, 'established' plant, only to find roots the size of a medium size cutting.
That pisses me off!

Rosey, I use MG but amend with other mediums. Depends on plant.

Giving you a plant for Christmas was a nice gesture..Your neighbors sound very nice and friendly.
Ppl here stay to themselves.

Rosey, it might officially be spring, but I doubt the weather knows how to read a calendar..lol.
Nights at 20!! sure doesn't feel like spring.

Longer hours are a blessing..that's true.
It's supposed to be 65 tomorrow, but drop down, '30's-40's' by Friday and all of next week.. :(

It's sunny, too.

It's 44 now..think it's too cold to set out my 'denia?
All I have to do is drag to the front porch..no stairs..once temps drop, haul back inside.
roseyd
11 years ago
Well, sell the house, and move our direction. I know an apartment that's open next to me. 3 bedrooms, 1 bath and empty. - I'd be happy to welcome you to our neighborhood. :)

And, from that point on - you can visit Logees every other weekend, and shop to your heart's content. I even know a few shopping buddies who'd be willing to join you on those trips.

How much effort would it take to convince hubby to pack and move you? :) Packed by the weekend? :) Great!
birdsnblooms
11 years ago
Rosey, moving is something I wanted to do for years, but dh is too, darn lazy. lol.

I'd need more than a 3-bedroom appt..With 350-400 plants, where would they fit? lol. Plus, birds, dog and iguana....

Wish I'd win the lottery. I'd be gone yesterday..lol.

If I won, I'd draw blue prints and have a house built.
NO stairs, and a built-in solarium. lol. Large rooms. CLOSETS. Great view. I love cornfields..lol.
Imagine looking out a bedroom window, seeing large corn stalks??? Heaven!

My fantasy life...lol.

We have one, huge nursery, with several green houses. Ted's. Ted 'usually' has a good selection.
Prices aren't bad, but it depends.

His MOOS are beautiful! One year he had variegated MOO's, but they were large and costly.

I lost a variegated Pink Princess Philodendron this winter..It was in the LR, but I moved it upstairs, west window..I think the sun was too strong. Philo was used to low light.
We usually stop at Ted's in Feb. We went last Feb, but PP Philos were out of stock.
PP is one of the prettiest Philos..green, white and pink leaves.

I lost a few other plants, too...either the room was too cold, too dry or lack of light..I dislike IL. lol.

Stupid, new Walmart humidifer isn't working. The house is super dry.
roseyd
11 years ago
I put a pot of water on the furnace. I have to refill the pot about 2ce a week. But, it helps. Since I started doing that, this year - it stopped me from having bloody noses from to much dry air.

And, it saved me from having to do half as much spritzing.

I can't imagine wanting to see ? cornfields ? ... not water? not mountains? ... cornfields? ...

why not ask for cows too? :)

A dream view for me - is a large lake, with a mountain behind it. I'm boring - I know... :) No cornfields, no cows... a couple of trees would be nice... preferably the fruiting variety.

yes, boring me. :)

don't know what's so exciting about cornstalks...
birdsnblooms
11 years ago
Rosey, lol.
Cornfield are comforting, serene.
We used to drive to Springfield twice a year.
About 100 miles sw, around Sept, the fields were filled w/large corn stalks.
Maybe I'm boring, lol, but they're fascinating.

Water is nice, but scary, too. lol.
Long ago, I'd go to Lake MI at night..Kids drinking, ya know?
Although the water was lovely, I'd get a creepy feeling up and down my spine..to the point my stomach would upset.

Mountains are beautiful,, but I have a fear of heights..lol.
Don't know how ppl drive so fast while on mountain roads..scares the heck out of me. lol.
But I agree, mountains are gorgeous.

Our furnace is exactly like the monster in Freddy Krueger. lol. Seriously. I can add water, but the basin is corroded with rust and filled with spider webs. YUCK.

Maybe I'll try it anyway.
anrev1719
Original Author
11 years ago
Hello and thanks for all the help, so far NO change i'm hoping the roots are developing. I spritz the tree at the base because there are not any leaves left. The remaining branches and trunk are green, it gets decent amounts of light and at night i put a grow bulb spotlight on it. (at base) I figure as long as I see green I have a chance. Will keep you all posted. ;0) Too cold here to put outside zone 7
birdsnblooms
11 years ago
Morning,

Lisa, I guess no change is better than change for the worse. :)

As long as stems are green, your 'denia is alive. Now that days are lenghtening, you should start seeing new growth. Baby leaves.

About your spotlight. Is there a way you can adjust the light to aim on the entire tree? Base and stems?

It's important stems get light, too.

Yep, you mentioned stems being bare, but leafless stems should be misted, too.

The only time my plants aren't misted is during budding/flowering. Stems need moisture, too.

Well, wishing your tree the best. Toni
anrev1719
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks will take the 24 7 lights off, the entire tree is in a sunny location on the southern side of my home sitting between 2 corner windows and the average temp is between 65-72 degrees. If she lives I will gladly post before and after pictures but now I am TOTALLY ashamed to show it ;0(
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2 years ago
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Gardenia Tree potted house plant 5 feet

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Gardenia Tree potted house plant 5 feet

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