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Gardenia not growing

sazzle-sazzle- Posts: 15
in Problem solving
This is a picture of a Gardenia that I planted 3 years ago. It has remained this size and I’ve only had one flower. Any ideas what I can be doing wrong??

Posts

  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge South LondonPosts: 1,687
    That's really small...does it have enough sun and food? Looks like it's suffering from chlorosis too, the leaves should be deep green. 
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • sazzle-sazzle- Posts: 15
    It’s in the sun and fed regularly. I’ll try treating it for Chlorosis. Any suggestions?
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 15,115
    edited June 2019
    Did you plant it in acid (ericaceous) compost? It should be watered with rain water. It has chlorosis which means it can't absorb iron from alkali soil, bit like us being anaemic. Gardenias don't like afternoon sun, but they do like light. Morning sun should be OK.
    Dordogne and Norfolk
  • sazzle-sazzle- Posts: 15
    What do I do about Chlorosis? Any ideas?
  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge South LondonPosts: 1,687
    A dose of Epsom salts will help alongside with some sequested iron feed. Maybe also worth top dressing with some ericaceous compost to give it a boost and see if it will coax it to grow much more. My plant has gone a bit yellow currently so will follow my advice too 😉

    Happy to be corrected on this course of action. After all we all learn as we go along. 
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • ObelixxObelixx Vendée, Western FrancePosts: 22,789
    Epsom salts - ratio is 15ml to 5 litres of distilled or rain water.  Use in a watering can with its rose fitted and pour over the leaves.  Contains magnesium so is good for all plants but especially the ericaceous ones whose leaves are too pale because of calcium in the soil or tap water.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • sazzle-sazzle- Posts: 15
    Thanks everyone for your help 👍🏻😊
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 9,634
    I'd also look at the size of your pot - unless the rootball is far larger than the top growth appears, I'd re pot into something smaller and follow the advice given above.
    Can't quite be sure from your photo but if that is gravel on top, I wouldn't bother - if you need to mulch, use something softer.  If you have included gravel or grit with your potting medium, I'd also get rid of that as much as you can.
  • sazzle-sazzle- Posts: 15
    Ok thanks 😊
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