Advice On How To Successfully Grow My Gardenia Indoors

Uncle Mort

Hi everyone.

I have been given a Gardenia Kleims Hardy as a large plug plant this summer. I have potted it on using ericaceous compost and have watered it with distilled water and fed with an ericaceous feed and kept it outside near my front door.

I am not convinced that a small Gardenia will survive a West Midlands winter, so I am planning to relocate it to my living room bay window. The aspect is south facing and my residence is centrally heated.

I have tried growing a Gardenia indoors once before and failed miserably. So I know its going to be a challenge to keep  it alive through the autumn and winter. Come the spring I am hoping to place it outdoors again.

So, has anyone managed to succesfully grow a Gardenia indoors and if so what advice can you give me so that I have a happy plant this time around.

Thanks

Mort

amancalledgeorge

I wonder if it's worth leaving it outside and just cover the pot with a cloche? Gardenias are  one of those plants I'd never buy as a plug size due to high risk of mortality. Mine is about to flower and have been in anticipation for weeks...good luck with it.

Uncle Mort

Ah,  thats a good idea. I will look at where to buy a cloche, I assume something like a bell cloche. I like the idea of having the Gardenia in the living room, but I think the central heating was what killed the last one I tried growing indoors. Will a cloche provide enough protection even when we hit sub zero temperatures.

amancalledgeorge

My gardenia survived -8 last winter without any protection but it's in a 32cm pot. I think wrapping it in a bit of fleece should work and I think you're right about central heating putting it in danger...they like moisture in the air.