Mine is in partial shade not far from you and looks like yours right now. I gave it some iron about a month ago and it seemed to help. It has one bloom at the moment and I am watching for more yellow leaves but it seems to be getting better. We really have not had any hot weather yet this year. Al

I have had mine in a pot for almost two years and I have finally found the perfect spot for mine. I am actually getting blooms. It gets full morning sun and mostly shade or filtered sun in the afternoon. I consider this a miracle since I have killed about 5 or 6 the past few years. I have been feeding it once a month with the blueing formula that I feed my Hydrangeas. So far so good.

I still can't figure out these gardenias! I had a dwarf gardenia in "the perfect spot" I thought, but it's leaves were yellowing like crazy and getting brown spots. I finally moved it to a pot next to my potted mystery gardenia, and it doesn't even look like the same plant-- beautiful green leaves and finally blooms! Maybe yours just wants to live in a new spot? I just bought 4 everblooming gardenias a few weeks ago and am trying them out. So far they're alive with tempting buds that have yet to bloom. We'll see! Good luck with yours!

Wow--gardenias sound really finicky. If I had known, I wouldn't have bought it...

I'll try putting some iron in--hopefully it will do better. It's just maddening to see the buds that just stay put without popping open...

If all else fail, I'll repot and try moving it to a part of the yard that gets morning and midafternoon sun. The rhodendron that I had next to it burned and just sat there for a few months. After I moved it to the shady part of the yard, it put forth tons of new leaves...

Thanks in advance.

Lil

Took a peek at the gardenia this morning and saw that a single bud has opened.

For the past week, I've been conducting an experiment. I have no idea what our neighbor has growing on the other side of the fence, but she must be watering her plants a lot--when I poked my finger in the soil, in the middle of the gardenia bush it was definitely wet. This is after it was sitting in the hot June sun all day long the previous day.

So, I deliberately withheld water and watered it once every 3 days, despite the extreme heat. (I admit, I broke down and misted it at the hottest part of the day once or twice when I was home.)

The leaves are still yellow and bumpy, but that may be due to iron-deficiency. I'll just make sure to feed it iron-supplemented fertilizer the next time around...

Let's hope other buds will also open...

Lil

Hi All:

I just bought myself a nice little Gardenia tree of the Veitchii variety. I've killed them before but I'm determined to grow at least one in my lifetime. I've found this while searching for care information on the web. Its from a California Nursery so the care should be applicable to us.

GARDENIAS
Soil
Acidic, moist, well drained. Use an azalea/camellia type mix when conditioning soil.
Light
Filtered light inland, full sun on the coast.
Water
Evenly moist, never too wet or too dry. Adopt a consistent watering schedule.
Fertilizer
Use a fertilizer for acid loving plants once a month Spring-Fall. Gardenias love iron, also.
Feed with iron after main flowering season.

Problems
Yellow leaves and leaf drop
Changes in weather or soil moisture levels. Some leaf drop
is normal in early spring before buds begin to appear.
Yellow leaves with green veins
Iron chlorosis. Feed with chelated iron or iron
sulphate.
Flower or bud drop
Usually cold weather or inconsistent watering. Gardenias
like warmth and even moisture.
Tiny black or green insects on buds or leaves
Aphids, spray with Ultra-Fine.

Leaf tips and edges browning
Salt accumulation. Leach the plant with water thoroughly.

Leaves turn brown
Too dry. Gardenias like to be evenly moist.

Varieties of Gardenias:
AUGUST BEAUTY 5Â tall and 3Â wide Large double white flowers
May - November
Heavy bloomer
MYSTERY 6-8Â tall 4-5" Very large flowers
May-July
Tends to have an open
growth habit. Prune to
keep neat.
RADICANS 6-12" tall and 2-3Â wide 1" double, white flowers.
Summer bloom
Small scale ground cover or
container plants
VEITCHII 3-4 ½ tall and wide 1 ½" white flowers May Â
November and through
warm winters
Heavy bloomer
WHITE GEM 1-2Â tall and as wide Dwarf plant with single,
fragrant flowers
Great in containers, raised
beds. Blooms often.
Courtesy of Sperling Nursery 24460 Calabasas Road, Calabasas CA (818) 591-9111

Thanks, vinelover. I'm going to print it out, so I can refer to it...

I'm so tempted to move the gardenia to a spot where there are fewer temperature fluctuations....

Lil

You're welcome Lil. I hope it helps.

I included a few pictures of successful gardenia bushes.

The first picture is taken in Japan. It is cultivated into a lavish tree shape.

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The second picture was taken in Alabama.

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Picture 3 shows a Gardenia forests in the misty wilderness of Southern China. Yes, those orange rose-apples are the fruits of them. They are used for the exotic Gardenia fruit tea.

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It is a scene of generosity from Mother Nature. I heard these can be easily damaged by abnormal hot and dry weather. Gardenias are using their beauty and suffering to warn us of global warming.