12” Clay Pot Keeps Blowing Over (Gardenia Tree)
scapergirl (7a DE)
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (48)
scapergirl (7a DE)
4 years agoRelated Discussions
made my clay pot man today
Comments (22)tasymo - Thanks that's exactly what I wanted...to look like he just plopped down..lol. He is sitting on an old metal chair. I didn't want the chair to show so I surrounded it with some old pieces of wood we chopped up from a tree that fell in our yard during a storm. Mine is wired together & wired to the chair. The moss helps hide the wires & you never even notice them unless you are REALLY looking. It was quite a job, those pots get heavy when they are wired together....but I love my "potman". Thanks. luna ilena feliz- Thanks...I tried! I wondered what to do with him during winter since he is way to heavy to move...so during the Christmas holiday season last year I put a Santa hat on him...I thought it was pretty cute! Maybe i'll make him a Santa suit this year...lol...See MoreGardenia in Red Clay Q's
Comments (14)If you read my earlier post, I suggested that you not top prune. I meant for the entire year or so! Your plant will be in a stress mode for months after this procedure and will need each and every one of those little green factories to make new roots. I hope that makes sense. BUT, you should certainly take a few cuttings! Absolutely do that! If you would like some good links about that, be sure to let me know. Scandia, you will never get all the roots. Like I said, try to dig as wide a root ball as you can, and not worry too much about those that are growing very deeply. They will be too battered and damaged to be of any good to the plant anyway, and should probably be cut or trimmed with a SHARP instrument. Root pruning is good. Have wet sheets or blankets ready in the wheelbarrow so that you can cover the roots immediately. You may even want to wait until you've dig your plant up to decide the depth of the new hole. We already know that we want it to be very wide, but you don't really want to dig it any deeper than it needs to be. Anyway, those wet sheets will give you some wiggle room in time. Fertilization will not help the roots, believe it or not. As a matter of fact, it can be harmful to the plant at this time. Your Miracle grow will be taken up by the new roots and used to make new leaves. That's what those fertilizers are supposed to do. You don't want your plant to do that now....just to concentrate on making new roots. The very best thing you can do for the roots is to get a nice layer of organic mulch down (3 inches) as soon as you are finished planting. And of course, monitor the watering very carefully. So, though I've suggest that many of the practices you may have been ready to do are not such a good idea according to what we know about plant physiology these days, I hope you'll see that the actual transplanting procedure is simplified. No pruning, no excavation of deep deep roots, no fertilization. This is not the absolute ideal time of year to transplant, but I think you'll have success if you get to it right away....See MoreGardenia Tree potted house plant 5 feet
Comments (19)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....See MoreOT:Gardenia for pot with cremation ashes
Comments (29)Definitely buds. I use pine fines and additional perlite added to my gardenia potting soil. They really like a chunky mix. Here in Florida, Lowes and now, some walmarts, carry a potting mix called Jungle Growth, which is perfect for tropicals. I use it as a base for all my tropicals and other some other plants, depending what I add to it. It has a chunkier/looser mix than Miracle Grow which is mostly peat. I don't know if they carry Jungle Growth on the west coast or not. Walmarts carry pine fines in the garden section for a reasonable price. I have also used the smaller Orchid Bark added into potting mixes with good results. It sometimes has bits of charcoal in it but I have never had any problems with it. Gardenias do like to be mulched so you could add some pine fines or chunkier wood chips to the top of your pot. They like the roots a little cooler. If you are going to have the pot on a concrete patio you can get one of those little pieces of cork and cuts out some little 'feet' for your pot being careful not to block the drainage holes. This keeps the roots from getting too hot. I used that method in Lake Havasu City, AZ where it got insanely hot and our yard was mostly gravel and cement. I also had a misting system set up for my plants and shade cloth. I had gingers and bananas flowering in the desert :) As mentioned, Miracle Grow for Alzaleas etc is a good fertilizer. My gardenias like a little fish fertilizer once in a while too. They also love to be topped with Vermicompost in the spring. Apparently, "back-in-the-day" people in the south dumped the chamber pots/night soil on their Gardenias and they flourished lol. They do seem to respond well to organic fertilizers. I use composted chicken and rabbit manures on them and the other plants here. Good advice on not using a saucer under your pots. Sure death for gardenias. In a dry hot climate, they might appreciate a little filtered afternoon shade. The humidity is less in dry climates so plants that like humidity get more intense light and can burn easier. Here, I can put many things in full sun that I could not in AZ or parts of So Cal when I lived there. There are some good videos on You Tube on Gardenia care if you do a search on that site. ~Sjn...See Morelittlebug zone 5 Missouri
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoscapergirl (7a DE) thanked littlebug zone 5 Missouriscapergirl (7a DE)
4 years agolittlebug zone 5 Missouri
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoscapergirl (7a DE)
4 years agoscapergirl (7a DE)
4 years agotropicofcancer (6b SW-PA)
4 years agoscapergirl (7a DE)
4 years agoscapergirl (7a DE)
4 years agorhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoscapergirl (7a DE) thanked rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7scapergirl (7a DE)
4 years agoscapergirl (7a DE)
4 years agoscapergirl (7a DE)
4 years agoscapergirl (7a DE)
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoscapergirl (7a DE)
4 years agoscapergirl (7a DE)
4 years agoscapergirl (7a DE)
4 years agoscapergirl (7a DE)
4 years agoarmoured
4 years agotropicofcancer (6b SW-PA)
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoscapergirl (7a DE)
4 years agoscapergirl (7a DE)
4 years agoscapergirl (7a DE)
4 years agoscapergirl (7a DE)
4 years agoscapergirl (7a DE)
4 years agoscapergirl (7a DE)
4 years agoscapergirl (7a DE)
4 years agoscapergirl (7a DE)
4 years agoNil13 usda:10a sunset:21 LA,CA (Mount Wash.)
4 years agoscapergirl (7a DE)
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoscapergirl (7a DE)
4 years agotropicofcancer (6b SW-PA)
4 years agoscapergirl (7a DE)
4 years ago
Related Stories
GARDENING GUIDESHow to Keep Your Trees Healthy
Ensure your trees’ vigor for years to come with these tips for protecting roots, watering effectively and more
Full Story12 Gifts for Green Thumbs
Use your imagination — or borrow some here — to turn a potted plant into an even more special gift
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDES12 Japanese Maples for a Sunny Garden
The right maple in the right place shines in hot summer sun
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESGarden Myths to Debunk as You Dig This Fall and Rest Over Winter
Termites hate wood mulch, don’t amend soil for trees, avoid gravel in planters — and more nuggets of garden wisdom
Full StoryEDIBLE GARDENS12 Essential Herbs for Your Edible Garden
Make home cooking and drinks even better with herbs plucked from your own backyard or windowsill pot
Full StoryTREES10 Top Trees to Grow in Containers
These container-friendly trees make great specimens for pots on the patio or marking an entrance
Full StoryKIDS’ SPACESDream Spaces: 12 Disney-Worthy Kids’ Rooms
These fantasy bedrooms can transport children into a magical world of make-believe
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDES12 Stylish Ways to Plant Your Summer Container Gardens
Get ideas for what to grow in your summer planters, from blooming perennials to fruits and fabulous foliage
Full StoryBATHROOM WORKBOOK12 Ways to Get a Luxe Bathroom Look for Less
Your budget bathroom can have a high-end feel with the right tile, stone, vanity and accessories
Full StoryCHRISTMASNot Up for a Big, Decorated Tree? Try One of These Ideas
If you’re not home much at the holidays or are a minimalist at heart, these 4 simple tree ideas may work for you
Full Story
Sherry8aNorthAL