Gardenia to be moved
Jess is in the Garden
Posts: 1,022
My poor gardenia has been attacked by vine weevil, red spider mite, aphids and snails.
It only produced one flower all year!
But I love it dearly and the scent when flowers actually grow, is heavenly.
I've decided to take it out of its pot, checking all is good with roots, changing the soil etc, then putting it indoors, in a bright spot with no direct sunlight, cool and away from radiators, in the hope it may be happier (I don't think it likes my damp, cold garden in the winter).
Is there any particular compost it would like most, any particular pot (it's currently in a terracotta one), any particular aspect etc, that I don't know about?
We may get a small garden room built next year, mainly in glass and was wondering if it's a plant that likes a cool conservatory-type space or not.
I'm not giving up on it!
Many thanks.
Posts
Bump
Anyone?
Please!
am stuck on how to proceed and would love to get it all right, so my gardenia is finally happy
thanks
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=367
Does this help jess x
Sorry philippa, you posted whilst I was trying to copy and paste
Thank you both so much for for your responses - the RHS site is very good. Looks like a fussy plant to grow, whether indoors or out! I'm sure you're not thick at all Philippa!
Beaus: I'm not sure which type it is, but it was bought as an outdoor plant many moons ago, in a garden centre and I would guess it's probably a big standard G. jasminoides, as the leaves and flowers look right. London has had some very mild winters lately, so yes, it was partly that and partly keeping it along a very sheltered west wall which probably helped it to survive.
Off to get my compost sorted now! And a better pot. And a gravel tray. And a pair of kid gloves. Maybe I ougut. to talk to it nicely too....
Ok, fussy gardenia update then :
I repotted it and kept it indoors, in a not too warm room, away from radiators. It is sitting on a bed of small pebbles, which I mist frequently, as well as misting the little darling itself every other day or so. Soil is ericaceous compost, top dressed with horticultural grit.
Seemed really happy just before days got very short - put out a few cautious new leaves.
But now, after so much care and attention, many leaves are going yellowish and dropping off. No new growth.
No pests to speak of.
I want to start feeding it ( I read that it just needs a generic feed and not much either, over winter, then from Spring a nitrogen rich feed specific to gardenias, weekly), but what is best to use and how ought I apply it? Do I water that in weekly and then separately mist the leaves, or do i water the feed into the pebble tray?
Argh! Too high maintenance for me, but I refuse to give up!
BUMP - there must be an indoor gardenia expert on here somewhere
Anyone?!
I need help! Please! I don't know what else to do with my fusspot plant and will probably chuck it out if it doesn't improve, but that would make me sad