How to Grow Gardenias Indoors
Prized for their creamy white flowers and sweet fragrance, gardenias can intimidate even experienced gardeners because they require constant care. Horticulture specialist B. Rosie Lerner of Purdue University says the goal is simple: Provide a proper balance of water, air and nutrients similar to their native China and you will be rewarded with healthy plants. While many houseplants tolerate neglect, gardenias require attention to their total environment to produce an abundance of blooms. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Acidic potting soil
- Peat moss
- Pine needles, bark, oak leaves or coffee grounds
- Acid-loving fertilizer for flowering plants
- Humidifier
- Pot tray with pebbles
- Pruning shears
- Insecticidal soap or rubbing alcohol
Instructions
-
-
1
Start with the soil. It should be acidic with a pH of 4.5 to 5.5 and mixed with peat to retain moisture without being soggy.
Add acid with pine needles, bark lumps and oak leaves or recycle your dry coffee grounds by feeding your gardenia once a week.
Fertilize monthly from April through November with an acid-loving, flower-friendly mix. Use water-soluble acidic fertilizers every two to three weeks during flowering season.
-
2
Locate your gardenia in a sunny window, well away from drafts. Protect it from sudden changes in temperature, which cause the buds and leaves to drop off. Grow gardenias in daytime temperatures between 68 to 74 Fahrenheit with a low of 60 degrees at night.
Keeping a the light intensity high in winter is difficult because of short, cloudy days. Supplement the light with high-intensity sodium plant grow lights.
-
-
3
Keep your gardenia's soil moist, but not wet. Soggy roots cause bud drop, yellow leaves and death. Dry soil will stunt their growth. Water when the top inch of soil is dry. Take the plant to the sink and let the water drain through completely.
Misting the leaves gives only temporary relief and can cause fungus to grow. Instead, run a humidifier for a healthy gardenia. Put your gardenia in a pebble-lined tray and keep water in it to provide ongoing humidity, especially in the winter.
-
4
Encourage bud growth by pruning the old growth. Gardenias are an evergreen shrub, and flowers form on new growth.
Prune in early spring, before flowering begins.
Deadhead old blooms to encourage new flower production.
-
5
Inspect your gardenias for pests, especially if your plants are not healthy. Gardenias are susceptible to aphids, scales, mealy bugs, whiteflies, spider mites and thrips.
Catch any infestation early, when they are easy to eliminate with insecticidal soap or plain water. Dip a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and clean off the leaves to stop an infestation.Avoid fungal infections by keeping moisture off the leaves.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Float just-opened gardenia buds in rose bowls and put in cool places to scent the air throughout the house.
Use clay pots with gardenias. These allow water to evaporate slowly from the soil. Plastic pots retain water and can make the soil too wet, which can kill gardenias.
