Gardenia Winter Care - Tips For Wintering Over Gardenia Plants

Gardenias overwintered indoors need cool night temperatures of around 60 F. (16 C.). The shrub will survive warmer night temperatures but it may not flower well when you take it back outdoors. Keep the soil lightly moist and use a slow-release azalea fertilizer according to the package instructions.

1. When should I cut back my gardenia?
2. Will gardenias come back after winter?
3. How do you keep gardenias alive indoors?
4. Do Gardenias like full sun?
5. What is the lowest temperature a gardenia can handle?
6. How do you shape a gardenia bush?
7. Is Epsom salts good for gardenias?
8. What do you fertilize gardenias with?
9. Is a gardenia a perennial or an annual?
10. How fast do Frost Proof Gardenias grow?
11. What is the most cold hardy gardenia?
12. Are coffee grounds good for gardenias?
13. Is vinegar good for gardenias?
14. Should I mist my gardenia?
15. How often should gardenias be watered?
16. Why are the leaves on my gardenia plant turning yellow?
17. Can Gardenias grow in pots?
18. How cold is too cold for Gardenia?
19. What is the highest temperature a gardenia can handle?
20. Does frost kill gardenias?

When should I cut back my gardenia?

It is best to prune your gardenia shrub right after the blooms have faded in the summer. Gardenias will set their flower buds for the next year in the fall, so pruning in the summer will allow you to cut back some of the older wood without risking cutting away newly set buds.

Will gardenias come back after winter?

They can handle light freezes, but the foliage will get damaged with sustained cold in exposed locations. The extent of cold injury of gardenias is never certain until spring when new shoots and leaves appear. Sometimes the plant recovers and very little tissue is lost.

How do you keep gardenias alive indoors?

Growing Gardenias Indoors

1. Light. Gardenias need at least four hours of sunlight daily (most blooming plants have basically this requirement, although there are exceptions). ...
2. Water. Gardenias don't like to dry out, so keep their soil moist but not soggy. ...
3. Humidity. Gardenias do enjoy humidity. ...
4. Temperatures. ...
5. Fertilizer. ...
6. Repotting. ...
7. Bud Drop.

Do Gardenias like full sun?

Light: Gardenias can handle full sun, but need protection from baking midday or afternoon sun in higher growing zones. North and east-facing exposures are ideal because they will receive bright morning light and some midday light, but won't be in full sun all day or during the absolute heat of the day.

What is the lowest temperature a gardenia can handle?

Gardenias are zone 8 plants, meaning they should survive temperatures as low as 15 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. You should plant gardenias in protected areas that provide plenty of morning sunlight to warm them on cooler days.

How do you shape a gardenia bush?

Answer: There is no set way to prune a gardenia. Study the plant carefully to decide how it needs to be shaped. Look at where pruning cuts need to be made to get the gardenia out of the walkway. Prune back to upward-growing branches to encourage the shrub to grow up instead of out.

Is Epsom salts good for gardenias?

Gardenias, along with roses, palms and podocarpus, need lots of magnesium. When the nutrient is in short supply, the older leaves turn yellow. Give the plant a boost (and maybe return some green to yellow leaves) by applying magnesium sulfate or Epsom salts.

What do you fertilize gardenias with?

Gardenias use a lot of nutrients to produce so many glorious blossoms. Feed your shrubs by applying an acidic, slow-release fertilizer such as an azalea or camellia fertilizer. For the organic gardener, blood meal, fish emulsion or bone meal work well.

Is a gardenia a perennial or an annual?

Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides), a woody perennial shrub, grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 11. If you're growing gardenias in a cooler climate, plant them in containers and bring them indoors for the winter.

How fast do Frost Proof Gardenias grow?

Growth Rate: up to 1 ft.

What is the most cold hardy gardenia?

Frostproof Hardy Gardenia. Frostproof Gardenia is one of the most cold hardy Gardenia varieties, with recommended hardiness ranges from Zone 7 thru 11.......with occasional success even seen in some zone 6b locations if planted in protected areas.

Are coffee grounds good for gardenias?

In addition to amending the soil with compost or aged manure, these acid-loving plants will appreciate coffee grounds, tea bags, wood ashes, or Epsom salts mixed into the soil as well. Since they are rich in nitrogen, magnesium, and potassium, coffee grounds are oftentimes a more favorable homemade gardenia fertilizer.

Is vinegar good for gardenias?

It is fine to use diluted vinegar on your gardenias. The Vinegar Institute recommends using diluted vinegar on gardenias (also azaleas and rhododendrons) in hard water areas at a rate of 1 cup of vinegar to a gallon of tap water (see here). The vinegar will help to release iron in the soil.

Should I mist my gardenia?

Gardenias like soil that is rich in nutrients. ... Gardenias demand high humidity to thrive. Provide extra moisture with daily misting, set the plant on a tray of moist pebbles and/or use a humidifier. Extra humidity is important in keeping down spider mites that thrive under dry conditions.

How often should gardenias be watered?

Gardenias need at least an inch of water a week, whether from rainfall or a hose. Apply mulch to a depth of two to four inches to help keep moisture in the soil and control water-hogging weeds. Don't let the plants become completely dry before you water, and water regularly.

Why are the leaves on my gardenia plant turning yellow?

Over-Watering or Under-Watering

The leaves on your gardenia plant might be turning yellow due to over-watering or under-watering. Watering issues are one of the most common reasons for the leaves to turn yellow, since these plants require a specific amount of water.

Can Gardenias grow in pots?

Gardenias are adaptable to many soil types but prefer a moist but well-drained acid soil that is rich in organic matter. ... Gardenias are excellent candidates from container culture. Those who live north of where they are winter hardy can enjoy them in containers that can be brought indoors during the winter.

How cold is too cold for Gardenia?

Gardenias are grown for their large, sweetly fragrant flowers and glossy evergreen foliage. They are meant for warm climates and sustain substantial damage when exposed to temperatures below 15 F. (-9 C.).

What is the highest temperature a gardenia can handle?

Gardenias are sensitive to temperature, preferring a consistent 65 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 60 degrees Fahrenheit at night. Above 70 degrees during the day and 65 degrees at night, they may drop buds that have already formed.

Does frost kill gardenias?

Gardenias are resilient plants that can survive frost, but deep freezes and temperatures below 15 degrees F can cause damage and kill parts of the plant. ... Frost can damage parts of a plant but will not kill it entirely, especially if roots are protected.