How to grow gardenia?

Gardenia is evergreen all year round, has fragrant flowers and has high ornamental value. Many people like this plant, but gardenia is a flower that lazy people cannot grow. It must be carefully cared for before it will bloom and fill the pot. So how to grow gardenia? Let’s take a look below.

1. Soil selection

When caring for gardenias, the choice of soil is very important. They must be planted in loose, breathable, slightly acidic soil with sufficient nutrients to avoid compaction. The plant will also absorb better. The flowerpot does not need to be too large, so as to avoid being in a moist environment for a long time after watering, which can easily cause water accumulation and root rot.

2. Suitable environment

Gardenia likes a warm and humid environment. It is recommended to plant it in a ventilated and breathable environment. If the ventilation is poor for a long time, the plant will grow too tall and its condition will become worse and worse, which will not look good at all. Get more sunlight and sufficient light to allow for better photosynthesis, synthesize more nutrients, and produce more flowers in the later stage.

3. Reasonable watering

Gardenia is particularly afraid of drought. If it lacks water, the leaves will turn yellow. Therefore, it is necessary to water it when the soil surface is dry. With sufficient water, the plant will absorb it better. Of course, it should not be watered frequently for a long time. If you water too much, it is easy to cause waterlogging and root rot. When the air is dry, you can spray water around the plants to increase the air humidity and grow more new shoots.

4. Add fertilizer

Gardenia must have sufficient nutrients during the growing period. If it lacks nutrients for a long time, it will easily grow too tall and affect flowering. Regularly supplementing it with some compound fertilizer containing a balanced amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium will help the plant absorb it better. Especially before flowering, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are of course indispensable. Gardenia is an acid-loving flower , so it is necessary to regularly supplement it with ferrous sulfate, usually once a month, which can effectively prevent the plant from having yellow leaves due to iron deficiency.

5. Suitable temperature

The best growth temperature for gardenia is 16℃~18℃. Too high or too low temperature will be detrimental to its growth. If the temperature is too high, it needs to be cooled down, and if the temperature is too low, it needs to be kept warm.

6. Pest and disease control

Chlorosis, leaf spot and scale insects are common diseases and pests of gardenia, especially during the flowering period of gardenia in summer. Due to the high temperature and humidity, it is easy to breed diseases and pests, so timely prevention and control are necessary.

7. Proper pruning

Proper pruning of gardenias is beneficial to promote their growth. You can prune them after the flowering period, cutting off diseased and weak branches, overgrown branches, and other unhealthy branches and leaves.

8. Change the pot in time

Gardenia grows relatively fast. To avoid soil compaction, small flowerpot space, and insufficient soil nutrients, it is necessary to repot and change the soil in time. Generally speaking, it is necessary to repot it every 2 to 3 years.

That’s it