Yellowing Gardenia leaves
Ghibie19
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
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Grant Yang (Sydney Australia)
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoGhibie19 thanked Grant Yang (Sydney Australia)Related Discussions
Gardenia leaves turn yellow with blooms
Comments (5)Completely normal around this time, just the old leaves dying off so new ones can come in. Gardenias ideally need a slightly acidic pH, so I use the Miracle Grow for azaleas/camellias/rhododendrons (used to be called Miracid). If you're not seeing yellowing in the young leaves, you don't need to run out and get new fertilizer - just use what you have....See MoreYellow & brown leaves on my August Beauty Gardenias
Comments (12)Hi Toni, I have all my gardenias previously planted in pots in plain loamy garden soil (rich black soil) with lots of earthworms and humus (decaying matter). They were very happy and green until I transferred them to the ground. Our local topsoil is actually contaminated with construction debris particularly concrete fragments, making our topsoil extremely basic. After transplanting to the ground, majority of my gardenias rapidly became chlorotic. However, I just let them be because there is nothing I can do about the soil. The contamination and leaching of lime to the topsoil is extensive. Despite the 'bad soil', my gardenias are still growing happily and they still bloom for me despite the chlorosis. They have grown from 1 ft tall plants in the pots to more than 3ft tall in the ground. I think the fuss about gardenias liking acidic soils and dying in basic soils or in 'less-than-perfect' garden soils are highly exaggerated. These plants (gardenias) are actually highly adaptable to various soil types like other plants. They even survive sandy soils fit for a cactus but they just won't be 'picture perfect' (similar to my gardenias). What gardenias (and michelia albas) do hate however is too much moisture in the soil particularly around their roots. I had ALL my gardenias rapidly dropping leaves and leaves turning yellow when my helper watered them daily despite the daily rains in our area. I was lucky to have immediately spotted the rapid leaf yellowing and dropping problem as I rarely attend to or inspect my gardenias anymore. (I have more problematic plants to take care of like my 'chilli thrip' infested roses, unhappy hydrangeas and suicidal apple seedlings.) Anyway, after telling my household helper not to water my gardenias anymore because it is rainy season in our climate, the leaf yellowing and dropping stopped. That's how sensitive these plants are to overwatering. Anyway to illustrate my point, here's a photo of my chlorotic gardenias (variegated and non-variegated) planted in the ground with less-than- perfect 'basic' soil: In contrast, I have 'Euphorbia milii' plants which are supposed to be 'succulent' plants similar in 'soil' and water requirements to cacti. Here they are thriving and flowering profusely in pots filled with rich, black, loamy garden soil which is 'less-than-perfect' and actually counterindicated for a succulent plant like Euphorbia milii. (Succulents prefer sandy soils as they are adapted to dry, arid, climates.) tropical...See Moregardenia leaves turning yellow . buds stay unopened ?
Comments (4)Gardenia is notoriously famous for being extremely temperamental about being grown in a container......and forget about trying to grow one inside! I encourage you to read this very old, very long, and very funny thread resurrected from earlier Gardenweb days. "So you want to grow a gardenia" Gardenias should only be sold in garden centers to people who live in a climate where it can be planted outside....See MoreMore Gardenia help...yellow leaves
Comments (10)Thank you Val rie and Mike! I agree it is doing well considering all it’s been through! LOL It seems to love the 511 mix (thanks to all who pushed me to switch even though I was scared to) and it’s so nice to know it’s got a great draining mix. I moved it to the south side of the house now that the days are getting less light and its previous eastern location stops reciving direct sun by noon. It’s got a lot of baby leaves where it cut it back on certain branches. I don’t know if the yellowing at the veins a nutrient deficiency or what but it seems to only happen on new tender growth. I have a set of young leaves just go yellow on me. Is it the colder air at night? Lately it’s been in the low to mid fifties at night and reaching high 60’s low 70’s during the day. Should I bring it in for the winter? I hate to have it loose all of the glorious sun its been getting for my not very sunny house. Oh and I have been spraying it monthly with safer brand to keep mites, aphids, scales etc away. Thanks again for your comments!!!!...See MoreGhibie19
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3 years agoGrant Yang (Sydney Australia)
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