It's not very often that a tropical "flowering" shrub becomes a popular house plant in a non-tropical climate. Many tropical shrubs and a few small growing trees have become common foliage plants for those of us living in a cold climate. These plants cannot survive outside but have changed their growing requirements and have adapted to our indoor climates. Flowering tropical are very different, because they need very specific temperature and light changes during the year to produce flower buds--not possible in temperature-controlled environments like our homes. There are a few exceptions--and the gardenia is one of them.

 

The gardenia originated in southern China and Japan and, like all plants we grow in our homes, was brought to this country by gardeners who saw them growing there and wanted one for their home here. This plant is considered an old-fashioned plant, because it has been around so long and it is so widely available at most greenhouses and garden centers. It's also very easy to grow, if you follow these easy steps.

 

Gardenias require bright light most of the year and direct sunlight during the winter months. You can put the plant outside during the summer when the temperatures stay above freezing, about the time it's safe to plant your tomatoes in the garden. At that time, choose a location with morning or late in the day sunshine but shade during the heat of the day (1 am to 4 pm). If you have azaleas growing in your yard, place the plants near them if this light requirement applies. If gardenias get full hot sunshine directly on them during the summertime, the foliage will get sunburned and fall from the plant.

 

Leave your plants outside until the weather changes in the fall and the threat of frost arrives. This cooling down period is what makes the plant develop flower buds, as the Christmas cactus does. If you can keep the plant outside until mid-October, the plant will make more flower buds than if brought inside early or kept indoors all year. If the weather calls for frost, bring the gardenia plant inside at night and back outside in the morning if the temperatures warm up. This cooling off period in the fall, with shorter days and moisture, like rain and morning dew on the foliage, will make many flower buds on the plant.

 

When you bring the gardenia plant inside for the winter, place the plant in front of a window or in front of a sliding glass door where drafts are not a problem. Drafty growing areas will cause bud drop on the plant! Room temperatures of 60 to 65 degrees are best for the plant to grow in.

 

Fertilize from the time you put the plant out for the summer to the time you bring it back inside in the fall. Use an acid-based fertilizer like Espoma holly-tone spring and fall. The rest of the year no fertilizer is needed, as the plant is not growing, it is preparing to flower for you and needs to stay dormant.

 

Water is important to the plant. It must be watered regularly spring to fall and less often during the winter. Never let the plant dry out or your flowers will turn yellow when they come into bloom--and you will lose much of the fragrance also. Now you know why some of your flowers have turned yellow rather than soft- powdery white in color.

 

Air moisture or humidity is most important to this plant if you want to enjoy the flowers on the plant during the winter and early spring. Gardenias will not grow very well in a home heated with forced hot air systems, wood, or coal stoves. These types of heat remove all the humidity in the air, and plants with flower buds will drop them just before they open. If you are trying to grow this plant, may I suggest that you keep the plant on top of a large saucer filled with small stones about the size of the width of the spread of the foliage? Add water to the saucer to the bottom of the pot every morning and watch it evaporate under the plant, creating moisture around the foliage to help it grow better. Also buy a misting bottle and mist the foliage and buds every time you walk by it. Wet the foliage, not the soil!

 

Re-potting the plant is necessary every spring when it has finished flowering or before you put it outside for the summer. Upgrading the size of the container by 2 inches every year will help the plant grow bigger and produce more flower buds. You must use a soil rich in organic matter, and it should contain about 50% compost or peat moss. If you're mixing your own soil, be sure to use a good potting soil as a base like Black Gold. Also NEVER add lime to the soil or the foliage will turn yellow and general growth will slow down greatly.

 

If the plant is getting too big for your house, the best time to prune is in the early spring when the flowering is finished but before the new growth begins.

 

One last thing for you, if you purchase a new plant and the pot that the plant comes in has straight sides, you have the original pot the plant was grown in from the grower. Pull the plant out of the pot and examine the root ball; if it looks like a mass of roots you MUST repot the plant at once. The plant is pot-bound, the soil the grower used will dry up very fast in your home, and the plant will struggle. If you are to do only one thing from what I tell you, do this! You can grow this plant in your home and enjoy the flowers and the fragrance if you follow these easy steps. Enjoy!

 

 

If you can answer yes to the following questions you are ready:

• Have you started your lawn mower and sharpened the blade yet? Now is the time to have it serviced before the waiting time becomes long.
• How about the rototiller or weed whacker--do you have fresh gas ready?
• Have you oiled your fertilizer spreader and cleaned it yet?
• Have you cleaned and sharpened your hedge shears, pruners, loppers and the pole saw yet?
• Is there air in the tire of your wheelbarrow?
• Do you know where your garden gloves are?
• Is your hose still frozen--but you know where the sprinkler and nozzle is?
• Now, one last question: are you daring enough to put the snow blower in the back of the garage or tool shed and move the mower into the front? Are you ready, almost ready, getting there, anxious, thinking about it, or do you still need it? I DO and I am still almost ready, so get going and think positive!!!

• Have you looked at the wooden handles of your long handle tools and the wheelbarrow yet? If the handles look a bit dried out, how about rubbing a bit of linseed oil on them to help them become more flexible and less likely to break. Spray all the metal parts of your tools with WD40 to keep them strong and rust-free. Spray all moving parts of your garden cart, wheelbarrows, spreaders, and cutting tools to keep them lubricated.
• Check out the ends of the hoses--have you crushed them so they won't attach properly, how about washers in them--do they leak? Fix them now--before you need them.
• How does the chain saw look--will it start, so you can use it to do a bit of pruning in the next couple of weeks? It's easier to cut branches now--without the leaves on them--and clear out winter damage.
• How about the leaf blower--will it work to blow off all the sand from your driveway and clean the garden beds?

• Does the garden patio furniture need to be repaired or painted for the season, or even replaced? Now is a great time to do this work, before you get busy with the lawn.
• How about cleaning out the garage and getting things organized before the season begins. Many times, I cannot find the tool I need because it's buried under something else in the tool shed--and after I buy a new one I find it. Has this happened to you?
• Do you have any leftover fertilizer, garden chemicals, soil conditioners, or grass seed in your tool shed; are they still good; can you read the labels? If you need these items, are they on sale now? If not, keep an eye out for the sales early in the season.
• Check your pressure sprayer to see if it stills holds pressure; if not, most times it's just a gasket or washer, just pump it up and try it out now before you need it.
• Did you use the electric extension cords for the Christmas lights and will you need them for the electric shears--where did you put them?
• Check out the mosquito zapper or gas-fired insect killer, is it ready to go--do you have propane for your Mosquito Magnet, and will it start?

• Have you planned out the layout of the vegetable and flower garden yet?
• Are the tomato cages still good; do the trellises or arbor need to be fixed?
• It's time to put out the bird bath, have you cleaned it yet?
• How about the Gazing Ball--is it clean and can you find the bottom to put it on?
• Check out the fountain: is it clean, and does the pump still work?
• If you have awnings for the window, what type of shape are they in--is the fabric still in good shape? If they are moldy, get some Wet and Forget and spray them when you put them up to kill the mold and clean them.

Print this list and put it up on the garage wall so you can check things off as you do them. There is a lot to do to prepare for the arrival of spring, so begin now and do a little bit each week so it does not get ahead of you. All these things must be done before you even get out in the yard and start to work, so let's get started now. While you're out, how about picking up a few first aid items just in case: Ben-Gay, Extra-Strength Tylenol, and, yes, some beer to help you relax and enjoy all your work and accomplishments. Do you still like the arrival of spring? If you need some help, call me on Sunday morning; I will be there to answer all your questions. Enjoy!