Things You'll Need:
- Gardenia Cuttings
- Waterproof Containers
- Water
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Step 1
Gardenias have very deep green glossy foliage and are an evergreen plant which means they keep their leaves year round. They can get about 6 feet tall but you can keep these trimmed to the height you want. Periodically throughout the year, they have very fragrant white double blooms. The fragrance is similar to a magnolia blossom. The gardenias are beautiful as a container plant or can be used as a foundation plant as well as creating a hedge row. They can be pretty pricey when these are purchased at a nursery or garden center. This is how I root mine.
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Step 2
The length of the cutting does not matter nor does the diameter of the stems. The only difference is the smaller in diameter and the shorter the stems means the less time it takes to root them. I like long cuttings about 18 inches long. Take as many cuttings as you want.
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Step 3
Fill a vase or a waterproof container about half full of water. Take the Gardenia cuttings and remove all of the leaves off the part of the stem that will be in the water. You do not want any leaves under water. Place the stems in the container. You will need to change the water every 2-3 days to keep it fresh. Cuttings that were taken from new growth on the bush will root faster than the older stems. The new growth stems will be more pliable whereas the older stems are more rigid. The areas where the leaves were removed is where the roots will sprout and you may have some roots emerge from the bottom of the stem where it was cut from the bush. You may also have some roots form along the stem. Prior to actually seeing the roots, you will see small white raised places up and down the stems. When you see this, it will not be long before the roots will start to appear. It usually takes 2-6 weeks for these cuttings to root. If you do this outside, place your container in the shade. If you bring these inside to root, place the container in indirect sunlight. During the rooting process, some of the leaves will turn yellow and some may turn brown. This is common. You can pick these off.
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Step 4
Once the cuttings have plenty of roots, you are now ready to plant them. If you want to make a container plant, make sure the container has ample drainage holes. Fill the container about one fourth full of potting soil and water. Place enough cuttings in the pot to make it full. Finish filling the pot with potting soil until the soil reaches the top of the pot and do not have any leaves below the soil. Water well. Place in an area with indirect sunlight until your plant has time to get established. If you want to plant the cuttings directly in the ground, dig a hole large enough to accommodate the rooted stems. If your stems are 6 inches long, you need to dig a hole about 7 inches deep. Place the cuttings in the hole and fill with potting soil and again do not have any leaves under the soil. Water about once a week. Wait until they are established before you fertilize them. You can use Miracle Grow or 10-10-10 garden fertilize. If you use the garden fertilize, do not get the granules on the leaves and water well.
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Step 5
After Gardenias are established, they grow really fast. You will be able to take several cuttings off of these throughout the year.
