Howdy. Will your new Gardenia be kept in a container or planted in-ground?

Have a picture?

What part is leggy? Foliage? Is it grafted?

If the pot is wrapped in foil, discard ASAP. Wrapping does nothing but damage/kill a plant.

If possible, keep your 'denia in a bright, cool location. Flowers will last a little longer in cooler temps.

Remove faded blooms.

Only if your Gardenia is completely root bound should it be potted 1-2 size larger than current container. New pot shouldn't be too large. Roots need room to grow, but flowering plants do better when roots are slightly tight-fitting.

If you plan on summering it outdoors, start off in shade until it acclimates to brighter/full sun. Especially if it was kept indoors where you purchased.

Fertilize with acidic fertilizer. I use timed-release, Azalea/Rhododendron fertilizer.

When grown in pots, fertilizer should be given 1/4-1/2 strength, but given more feedings than if planted in-ground.

Without a pic it's hard to tell where your 'denia is spindly. If tips are barer, your 'denia can be pruned a little. New growth should grow in fuller.

Good luck, Toni

Hi Toni,
In a container. stems seems leggy. I don't think it's grafted.
When removing blooms, do I just pick the flower out of it's "socket" or remove the whole socket?

Naturally the spent flowers will fall out of the "socket" first. But there is no hard if you remove the whole flower together. It is just extra work.

This is a wounderful gardenia. You need to take care of it and I see the leaves are turning yellow.

I have fed some bloom food, but the plant is not making more flowers. Could it be because I transplanted it? The nursery pot was really root bound. and what do I do about yellow leaves?