Why does the gardenia have buds but does not bloom?

Gardenia is one of the eight famous fragrant flowers in China. Its flowers are as white as jade and have a strong fragrance. It is an excellent decorative material for making corsages and flower arrangements, and is deeply loved by flower lovers. However, many people often encounter the problem that the gardenias in their homes have buds but do not bloom. So what exactly is going on? Let’s learn more about it below.

1. Insufficient nutrients

As for why gardenias only grow buds but do not bloom, a big part of the reason is because of the scarcity of nutrients, which cannot provide the nutrients needed for the buds to bloom.

Solution: Gardenia has a relatively high demand for fertilizer , especially during flowering. It is recommended to apply some low-content compound fertilizer at this time to promote flowering.

2. Insufficient light

The growth and flowering of gardenia cannot be separated from light. If gardenia grows flower buds but is in a weak light environment for a long time, its flower buds will not only not bloom, but may even turn yellow and fall off.

Solution: Gardenia is a sun-loving plant. Therefore, when maintaining it, you need to choose a location with sufficient light, such as an outdoor balcony or garden. Make sure it gets at least 6 hours of sunlight each day.

3. Lack of water

Gardenia is different from other flowers. It likes water very much, so it is also called water gardenia. After the flowering period, if there is not enough water, it will reduce the consumption of water and nutrients by shedding flower buds to maintain normal growth.

Solution: Gardenia likes water, but is also afraid of waterlogging. So when watering gardenia, the more is not necessarily better. Generally, water it when the surface of the potting soil is dry, and water it thoroughly. It is also best to spray water on the leaves of gardenias and the surrounding air to increase the air humidity.

4. Unsuitable soil

Gardenias need breathable, fertile soil, preferably slightly acidic. If the soil is not suitable, such as being placed in alkaline soil, it will easily cause the flower buds to not open.

Solution: Gardenia prefers loose and breathable soil with a pH value between 5.5-6.5. The potting soil for home potted plants can generally be prepared with 50% garden soil, leaf mold, 30% coal slag, 10% river sand, and 10% organic fertilizer (chicken manure, sheep manure).

5. Impact of pests and diseases

Gardenia is easily attacked by some pests and diseases, such as aphids and powdery mildew. These pests and diseases will affect the normal growth of gardenia and cause the flower buds to not open.

Solution: Aphids can be removed by gently wiping them with a cotton ball dipped in alcohol. Leaves with many eggs can also be destroyed or sprayed with pesticides, such as dichlorvos or malathion emulsifiable concentrate. For powdery mildew, you should cut off the diseased leaves and branches in time and clean them up. You can also buy some fungicides to remove them directly, such as the common mancozeb, triadimefon, and pyraclostrobin.

In general, there are many reasons why gardenias have buds but do not bloom. Basically, the above treatment measures can effectively solve the problem of gardenias not blooming and promote their healthy growth.