Gardenias are a tropical evergreen plant with fragrant flowers and have a reputation for being high maintenance. But never fear, there are some tried and true ways to get your Gardenia to bloom year after year with great results.
Gardenias and Their Waterings
Water is water, right? Well yes, but Gardenias want a drip type irrigation and only about an inch of water per week. Keeping water off of their leaves will help reduce the chance of them getting fungal leaf spots and will enhance their ability to grow.
Drip irrigation systems can be as frumpy as a hole drilled into the top of a water bottle and placed upside down in the soil, to fancy brightly colored specialty ones found at retailers.
Gardenias Need Proper Lighting
When you first see the lighting requirements for a Gardenia you may be confused. This plant loves bright light and thrives in it, however not direct sunlight. For the best results from your Gardenia, you’ll want to put the plant near a sunny window, especially if that sunlight is during the afternoon.
We love the idea of standing or hanging flower pots that are adjacent to a window where there is always a wonderfully bright stream of sunlight that is bursting in.
Temperature And Humidity Needs
These plants don’t want to catch a chill, so keep them above 60’F with a humidity level above 60 as week. Keep them out of drafty areas. To keep the humidity levels correct, you way half to mist them or keep a humidifier in the area. In the summer, make sure they are not near any AC vents where there will be cold air blowing near them.
Gardenias and Fertilizer
Your Gardenia will want to be fertilized every three weeks or so. The fertilizer much be rich in acid (we did say these are some acid loving plants) and mix the fertilizer with water or mix it directly in with the soil. Check the label of your fertilizer for how much to use, but then use a little less than they recommend. Gardenias would prefer to be under limits than over. You can use bone meal and blood meal as a type of fertilizer for these plants as well.
Planting in Proper Soil Conditions
A lower pH to your potting soil is going to be what makes Gardenias bloom with a vengeance. They are an acid loving plant, so what you’ll want to do is use a brand of potting soil that has been altered for lower pH, or you can use a regular soil mix and mix in some peat base to it to make sure you have a great acidic environment. Always check your plant’s soil from time to time to make sure that it is staying in the right pH range to keep your plant healthy and thriving.
So Lets Recap!
Getting a gardenia to look its best and bloom isn’t too hard if you know what it needs. We’ve covered everything from the soil to the fertilizer, and from the temperature and humidity levels to the type of lighting that it will want. Gardenias are a great way to bring joy into a home or office. With these tips you’ll wonder why others have such a problem while you sail through growing them with ease.
To recap, a gardenia needs these essential things to bloom:
- Bright but indirect light
- A low pH with acidic soil
- Drip irrigation and an inch of water a week
- Three week intervals on fertilizing, with an acidic fertilizer
- Temperature over 60’F
- Humidity levels over 60
Making sure you have all the information to keep your plant looking the best and thriving in the right conditions will make growing gardenias the easiest thing you do!
