How to get Gardenia Jasminoides Vetchii to flower indoors?

I just bought a Gardenia Vetchii at the nursery this morning. It was loaded with buds and I couldn't resist. However, I have heard that these are very difficult to care for and get the buds to actually open.

The days are still pretty short up here in Portland, OR, so I bought a grow light too (150 W Incandescent). I will put a tray of pebbles with water under the plant to try to increase the humidity, as I've heard they like that. However, I don't know how close to put the light to the plant, or what else to do with this guy.

Does anyone have any ideas what these guys like and how to get them to flower and be happy?

Mine has been flowering for the past month and all I have done is watered and set it in the sunshine. I love the smell of gardenias! I fed it once about 2 months ago.

Not sure if this is the same as yours or not. Mine just has the word Gardenia written on the tag.

Mine had two blooms on in December. Now it has about 20 to 30 buds on it. I just feed it every other week with Miracle-Gro 30-10-10. I use about half of what it calls for. I also mist every morning and when I walk by it in the afternoon I will mist again (not all the time but some times) then before I go to bed I hit it again with some mist. I keep a spray bottle with water standing beside it all the time. It sits on my night stand in front of a east window. I got it l Mothers day in 2003 and didn't think it would ever do anything. Finally I did re-pot it. I had asked on DG for some help, because when I first got it, it did have some buds on it but they turned black and fell off. I was told to re-pot it and to use blood meal in the soil. But I already had re-potted it before I read the forum.
I am not slapping myself on the back but I am slapping my Gardenia on its leaves. I am proud of my plant. I just pray that I don't wake up in the morning and find all the buds lying on the floor.

This message was edited Feb 8, 2005 12:00 PM

2Pugs in Kansas--So jealous of your gardenia...good for you! I have 8 gardenias in pots indoors. I live in zone 6a, Northern Nevada. I have buds for the first time on all my plants, some more than others. Here is an excerpt from pages 91 to 95 of Ruth Stout's "No Work Garden Book" published in 1971.
"More than 30 years ago a friend gave me a small gardenia plant, and told me to let it have only a little sun, to water it generously every day, and also to keep it sitting in a pan of water. And for nourishment, just to put back into th pot any leaves that dropped off, along with the old blossoms when they were removed. And he advised repotting the plant, of course, when it became big enough to require it....My gardenia thrived, got bigger and bigger....my gardenia grew to over 5 feet tall...for the first time I had too much yellow in the leaves...I scouted around and found a few rusty nails and stuck them into the soil, an dthe yellow has never returned to the leaves...Speaking of the leaves of a gardenia turning brown and dying, I have found that when my plant is brought back into the house in the fall, a certain number of the leaves do this, which seems to be a normal process."

I've learned the gardenias I buy that are with buds and blooming, often lose many of those buds. It seems they are sensitive to changes in humidity. Northern Nevada is very dry. I think I'm finally hit upon the right combination by watering my plants daily, or nearly so--let them drain through. I have the pots on top of pebbles in a dish so they aren't standing in water--then I have the dish inside a larger pan of water. That may sound confusing, but basically I've surrounded the container with water to increase the humidity, without having plant standing in water.

Fingers crossed...I'll take some pictures if mine make it to full bloom. One of the eight plants that lost the most leaves, also has the most blossoms...Go figure!

I took them into my office at work where they get eastern light. Wish me luck!

tsoutsouvas4 : I'm drying to see pictures of your gardenias. I didn't realize they needed to be watered that offen. Learn something new all the time. I will start watering mine more offen. I usually do it every Mon. morning. I would like to see a picture on how you have yours surrounded by water. I could do something like that. Just like to see your setup.

Thanks for the quote from Ruth Stout's "No Work Garden Book" published in 1971. I did learn a lot. My son and DIL sent me by Gardenia for Mothers Day in 2003. It is the first one I ever had. I really do love it.

woohoo, 2pugdogs....you're one of the few people I've heard of having success with gardenia indoors, not only do you have it thriving, but in bud!!! I'm impressed!! Did you place yours outdoors over the summer? What's the average temperature where yours is kept, and what light exposure does it get? (Sorry for all the questions, but I gotta know, lol!)

I've only had luck with them outdoors during the spring, the spider mites love them indoors. I've read to keep them in a cool location while in bud/bloom, and the only cool locations I have available simply don't have enough light.

I was looking at these at WM last weekend....they did smell heavenly but I was *scared* (lol!) that if I were to buy one I'd fail miserably....now I wish I would have bought one!

Nan: Thanks a bunch for the compliment. No I didn't put it outside last summer just kept it in the house, it sits on my night stand by our bed in front of a east window, we keep our thermostat on 65 during the day and then turn it to 63 at night. Like I said I do mist it several times during the day. I did notice spider mites on it one time, I guess that is what it had I saw webs around some of the leaves. Then I sprayed it with water and alcohol and dish soap once, and haven't seen any more. Of course since I used the above spray then I started misting more often. I read somewhere that spider mites doesn't like a lot of moisture. When I first got it I didn't think it would survive but it fooled me.

Thanks for answering my ?'s....you give me hope! (lol!!)
I appreciate that!

Now I just might have to go back there this weekend and see if they have any more! (like I need another plant!)

(sigh) The forums are *so* full of 'enablers'!

Nan, I say go for it. Just give it a chance. If you should encounter spider mites, just use 50/50 of alcohol and water and a few drops of Ivory Dish soap and mist with that and then keep it misted with plain water, and that should take care of it. Good Luck. Send pictures if you should happen to get one.

Linda

So how's your Gardenia doing, chellevankleeck?

Well, I took 'the plunge' and bought one over the weekend!

I've been placing it on the sunporch on nice days (my porch is about a zone 7 during the winter even though I'm in zone 4) and I'm trying to keep it cool/humid. So far so good...one bud has opened since I've purchased and no bud blast so far!! (knock on wood!)
woo hoo!! lol...

I 'take a whiff' every chance I get!

Thanks for the encouragement, Linda, I'm pretty happy with my purchase so far!

BTW...off topic....do you truly have 2 pug dogs? They've always appealed to me!

Yes I do have 2 pugs a 3 year old female named Holly and a 3 year old male named Eddy. They both have been fixed so no puppies.

My Gardenia is doing good none of the buds have opened yet, the last two that opened in Dec. took awhile before they did. When they do I will post a picture.

So glad to hear you went ahead and got you a Gardenia, give it time and it will reward you nicely. Mine took about a year before it ever bloomed for me, it had buds on it when I got it for Mothers Day 2003, but they fell off. It really didn't start looking real good until after I re-potted it and started misting. I have lately set it on a upside down saucer in a larger saucer with peddles and water. Send a picture our way of your Gardenia, I love looking at other DG'ers plants.

Linda

This message was edited Feb 17, 2005 3:19 PM

lol!! Dang....so no chance trading a puppy for a plant or two, eh?

(Just kiddin'....I know they're more valuable than that!)

If we do ever get another dog, I really want to get a Pug...but my DH has other ideas.

Well, my Gardenia isn't much to look at but it does have a nice collection of buds, so I'll try to get a shot of it.

(I'm not real good with the camera...don't know if it's me or the camera!)

Linda, you are absolutely my Gardenia hero! I'm still so impressed that you were able to rebloom (well, re-bud, so far) one indoors! Wait 'til I tell a few other people about that...they're so dead-set against anyone growing them indoors!

Hope chellevankleeck checks in with their Gardenia progress!

2Pugs in Kansas-Attaching picture of one of my gardenias that has the most buds, and the least leaves!

Will post next my humidity solution for Nevada. Clay pot on top of river rocks, inside cat box with standing water to increase humidity.

Humidity for gardenia in Northern Nevada--where your skin falls off daily because it's so dry here!!

So that's the secret....lol! I'll have to try it again one day.
:) Donna

I grew this plant in the ground in Mobile Alabama years ago, and have grown it here in south florida with alot more water and alot more heat! In the ground here , to duplicate these conditions, you would need about 60 to 70 % humidity, lots of water, and a slightly acid pH... (in florida my soil is alkaline so I throw coffee gounds and dump pickle juice on them when I remember to do so! with this sandy soil, nothing seems to "build up", it all just drains away!
Indoors I think that these plants might bloom if they are kept moist, (but not wet) like on that garden of pebbles, that is refilled as they are watered from the top. Good drainage is essential! My average daily temps here are about 75 degrees with 10 hours of full sun. Maybe if you try to duplicate that it might help...just a thought...
nights are cooler, but give it a month or two and that 75 degrees will be our low!
I know that these plants bloom all over north and south carolina without any special care at all!!!
Good luck!!!!!
:)

Nan,

My gardenia is doing well. I have gotten 5 flowers off it! I didn't think any would open, but I put it by a south facing window, left it next to the cat's water bowl, and the buds started opening.

It doesn't have any flowers right now, but hopefully it will flower again, and I'll post a photo of it.

-Michelle

I remember when I was young (REALLY young) my Swedish Grandmother stuffed the soil with garlic cloves and the Gardenia bloomed like there was no tomorrow!!!

I notice that when I drench mine with coffee/tea grounds/leaves, pickle juice...anything acid...they bloom much MUCH better. Soil should be really well draining (mine grow in rocks and are 5' tall and full of blooms) and lots of water!!! Around here they are bug magnets...lots of scale...