How to Prune Indoor Gardenias
Gardenias are lovely evergreen plants that appeal to many avid gardeners. They have attractive white-to-creamy yellow blossoms with a heady recognizable scent and may be planted either indoors or out. There are more than 200 species of gardenias to choose from but many indoor types are of the dwarf variety. Gardenias need plenty of bright sunlight and humidity to keep them healthy. Although sometimes finicky to raise indoors, pruning gardenias is a simple task with the right tools. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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One of the most important steps for pruning your gardenia will be the proper timing of your efforts. Cutting too soon or too late will endanger the blooms. Gardenias should be pruned after they finish flowering, just as soon as the flower petals fall off. Do not wait too long or you may end up endangering next year's flowers.
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Inspect the gardenia to be sure it needs pruning. If the overall shape is pleasing to the eye, there is no need to prune. If you are wanting to keep it trim and rounded, prune when the plant becomes unshapely after the petals have dropped.
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If your gardenia has some girth, it is best to use a bypass pruner. These pruners contain a special bypass blade and work much like ordinary scissors only with sharper, more durable blades to ensure cleaner trims. Gardenias should never be rough-cut or crushed by devices such as an anvil pruner. If you gardenia is small, you may use a very sharp pair of kitchen sheers to prune with.
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Snip the branches that are ungainly or outside of the preferred shape for your tastes. There is no need to snip at an angle, simply cut them cleanly and leave the remaining branches a minimum of 5 to 6 inches in order to promote new growth.
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You may trim off dead branches at any time of the year. Check to see if the branch is dead by running a fingernail along the branch to remove the outer later. If it is green beneath, you may be able to rescue the branch, so leave it alone. Brown, brittle underneath layers are goners and can be snipped off immediately.
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Tips & Warnings
Indoor gardenias often require supplemental lighting, especially in the wintertime. Gardenias thrive with high humidity levels and the addition of a humidity tray or humidifier will help keep your plants healthy.
Gardenia blooms do not enjoy being sprayed, so avoid using water or other sprays on the flowers. Avoid handling the blooms, which can cause browning.
