What type of soil for gardenia

If the ground around your home has a pH of 7. All Gardenia varieties thrive in rich, loamy well-drained soil.

Add peat moss or compost to the existing planting area for proper drainage. Use a pH meter or a soil testing kit that includes litmus paper or a chemical solution. These tools are available at garden, hardware, and home improvement stores or online. Insert the pH meter probe into the soil to get a soil pH reading. In general, take and add a soil sample and distilled water to the testing bottle provided and shake. Add the reagent, or use the litmus strip to test the soil.

Test several soil samples in the area where you plan to plant your gardenia shrub. Soil pH can vary from section to section. Select a site with full sun to light shade. Although a Gardenia plant prefers full sun, some shade is appreciated during the warmer months of the year or its leaves may scorch and its buds may fall off if they get too much sunlight. In hot climates, Gardenias grow best with morning sun and afternoon shade. In cooler areas, they can tolerate full sun, especially if their roots are covered with organic mulch.

Gardenias growing in containers need bright light or filtered shade with no direct sun. Gardenias grown indoors should receive at least hours of direct sunlight through a sunny window. Make sure your Gardenia soil is moist and well-drained. Gardenias need at least 1 inch of rain or equivalent watering each week. Keep the soil consistently damp but not soggy. Don't let the soil dry out and don't over-water your Gardenias or the flower buds will not open and may even drop off.

Apply a in. In order to drain away excess fertilizer salts in the soil, water with distilled water once a month. Avoid planting gardenias near a concrete wall or foundation where the pH may be too high for an optimum growth. Gardenias like soil that is rich in nutrients. Add plenty of organic matter to the soil such as peat moss or manure to enhance the growth of your plant.

Flower buds will fail to form if the ideal temperature for Gardenias is not respected! Gardenias demand high humidity to thrive.

Extra humidity is important in keeping down spider mites that thrive under dry conditions. Do not fertilize from November to February. Cut off the faded Gardenia flowers, just below the leaf node, to encourage continuous blooming. Check regularly for white flies and mealybugs, using a horticultural oil or insecticidal soap to control these pests.

Propagate Gardenias in early spring with in. Avoid heavily cultivating the soil around your gardenias. They resent root disturbance once they have become established. Most sources recommend fertilizing gardenias on a regular schedule with an acidic fertilizer beginning in spring and continuing through summer, ceasing in early autumn. Commercial plant foods labeled for acid-loving plants are suitable for this, as are organic options, like blood meal and fish emulsion.

The consistent presence of light green or yellow leaves during the warm season may indicate an iron-deficiency or high pH. Treat this by supplementing with a chelated iron product and ammonium sulfate when fertilizing.

Lynn Cochran is a professional writer and contributing author to the educational website, Gardening Carolina. He also volunteers as a North Carolina Master Gardener.

He is educated in environmental science, botany, health care and English literature. To increase humidity, place the potted gardenia on a shallow tray with gravel and water. Water will evaporate and increase the relative humidity around the plant. Alternatively, place a humidifier close to the plant or mist the leaves often with water. To help absorb water cut the woody stems at a 45 degree angle. Remove the bottom leaves so that no leaves will be below the water in the vase.

Add a tablespoon of sugar and a teaspoon of bleach to the water in a medium vase. Place gardenia blossoms in a bowl or a cup of water as floating blooms. It has semi-double, 2 to 3-inch flowers during summer and re-blooms in the fall.

The single flowers bloom in early summer and have a second bloom in the fall. It blooms from mid-spring to fall with double 3-inch flowers.

It grows 5 to 6 feet tall and about 3 to 4 feet wide, but may get larger. It has double flowers with a long bloom period. Vegetable Gardener's Handbook. What do you want to read next?

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