Unfortunately, growing gardenia flower cannot be called simple, as it requires special technology. Gardenia fragrance is a gardenia5common topic for florists to speak of. This flower is rather capricious and demanding for care. Air temperature for gardenia plant should be not lower than 15-18 degrees but not higher than 24-25 degrees above zero. You should be the most careful in winter. Gardenia roots must not be overchilled. To guarantee this, gardenia flower must not be put on a cold windowsill, you better put the pot on the foam plastic or take some other warming support. Don’t take gardenia augusta to the balcony in summer. Gardenia doesn’t like sharp temperature changes.
Air humidity must be high but you should sprinkle the gardenia bush very carefully especially in the period of buds initiation and blossoming. Drops at sprinkling should be very tiny and not fall onto the buds and flowers, i.e. you should sprinkle only the air around the plant, but not the plant itself. It is easier to put the house plant Gardenia Jasminoides on the pebble in the tray with water or in the damp moss (sand), but in the way that the pot doesn’t touch the water. Thus, water evaporation will create the necessary humidity around the plant but the roots won’t be wet all the time.
Gardenia Jasminoides requires abundant watering with soft warm water but don’t forget to remove the excess moisture from the tray. You should be especially careful about watering while the plant is blossoming. Don’t let the soil be over-dried or over-wet. The soil must be always damp but never wet. If you violate this rule gardenia can lose the buds. You can also notice your gardenia leaves turning yellow – it can be of the same reason.
Gardenia care involves bright light needed for the plant to grow well. But you should remember that direct sunrays at noon influence jasmine-type gardenia too bad, it is better to shadow the plant at this period.
A short answer to the question: How should gardenia care be performed? The answer is simple: the best care of gardenia jasminoides is moderateness in everything. Even the shift of the pot can influence gardenia flower (especially when it is blossoming), the plant can lose buds as well as in the case with wrong watering.
You should not forget about nourishing when growing gardenia plants. In spring and in summer the plant should be nourished every 7-10 days with special gardenia fertilizer in lessened concentration that include phosphorus and potassium but no calcium. The plant does not need nourishing in autumn and in winter. Gardenia fertilizer is available in common florist shops.
One more fact of gardenia care is that in order to have a beautiful plant gardenia pruning should be done properly. If you want to have a thick gardenia bush you should nip the tops of young plant’s sprouts, but in case of the old gardenia plant weak sprouts must be removed after blossoming and other sprouts must be cut at the necessary length. Usually the one-third of the sprout is cut. In house conditions you can grow a stem tree of gardenia. For this side branches are cut and the top is left. When the plant reaches the necessary height you should nip the top point of growth and cut the other sprouts making a crown.
As this plant comes from Japan as well, Gardenia Augusta (or August Beauty Gardenia) is a popular plant to use in the art of bonsai. This art requires knowledge about all the processes of gardenia growth. Gardenia bonsai is frequent guest on various exhibitions, and beautiful decorations of many houses. As for this gardenia pruning done properly is a key to success.
Transplantation of adult gardenia flower is made in spring once in 2-3 years when the roots feel tight in the old pot. The young plant is moved into a bigger pot every year.
Growing gardenia plant needs neutral or weak-acid soil (acidity not more than 5). Of the ready soils sold in the shops the earth for azalea and roses is the most suitable.
As for frost proof gardenia plant mentioned above, it requires at least an inch of rain or similar water per week. However, as it grows up and establishes, frost proof gardenia requires much less water, it becomes drought tolerant. As for light conditions, the best variant for it would be sun in the morning and shade in the afternoon. Enough air circulation is also very important for frost proof gardenia. Well, other gardenia varieties need the same air conditions as well.