Gardenias throwing a temper tantrum

17 years ago

Has anyone else had problems planting gardenias that they bought? I bought 3 'Frostproof' gardenias last fall at HD. I planted 1 last fall in my garden, and the other 2 got left in the big black nursery pots over winter b/c I never got around to them. Right after I planted that 1 in the ground, its leaves immediately starting turning yellow and dropping off. It stayed like this for months but I let it be since I could tell that it wasn't completely dead, but it finally starting putting out new leaves this past month. Well, those 2 I left in the nursery pots flourished and were completely loaded with buds when I decided last weekend to plant them in 2 large glazed ceramic planters that I had empty. Guess what? They too are throwing a "temper tantrum" and their leaves are rapidly turning yellow, and only 1 bud kinda open, which makes me just sick to think about losing all of those flowers.

So can any of you more experienced gardenia "parents" help me stop my gardenias' temper tantrum? Are they just stressed from being transplanted? Is the glazed pot holding too much water?

Thanks!

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Comments (4)

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
17 years ago
It could be the containers; it could be the type of potting medium; it could simply be the transplanting process. It could even be the size of the containers, in comparison to what they were already planted in.
haley45
Original Author
17 years ago
So am I pretty much stuck with them going through the same process as the first? Or is there anything that I can do to ease their stress and pacify them? I have some Miracid-type fertilizer that I could use, but isn't it bad to fertilize stressed plants?

I guess I should have just left them in their dang nursery pots. They were thriving in them with almost no care. I thought they would be happy in pots, planted in a good draining medium since it didn't seem happy in the ground, (plus I just thought that they would look (and smell) nice on either side of my front door in real pots)! :(
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tsmith2579
17 years ago
Buy some Superthrive and use it per instructions. I believe in Superthrive because I've seen it bring "dead" plants back to life. Also, use fertilizer but at 1/2 strength. It gives it a boost without being too strong.
haley45
Original Author
17 years ago
Ok, I'll get some Superthrive and use it and some 1/2 strength fertilizer. Thanks everyone!