Re: back to gardening....

What scared me was that on the instructions included with the plant, it said "requires even temperatures of no more than 62 degrees to set blossoms". Of course, they are set for this year, but there is no way I can maintain those conditions in succeeding years. Hope springs eternal... 
Cathy, west central IL, z5b
On May 9, 2008, at 2:33 PM, james singer wrote:
Main thing to keep in mind is that holiday plants have been pampered and likely stressed to get them to bloom at a specified time, so they are truly hot-house plants that require some time to get adjusted to the real world. This is the time of year when gardenias normally bloom in Florida, however, so the adjustment may not be quite as difficult as I said. I've never grown one indoors, but my sister has said she would like to grow one in a pot for the deck in summer and keep it in the greenhouse in winter. Main pests are aphids and scale. Definitely an acid lover; feed it azalea food, Miracid would work, too. Best mulch is shredded pine bark or coffee grounds or a combination of the two. A gardenia is one of a very few "gift" plants that is worth trying to save and grow on. Good luck. 


On May 9, 2008, at 11:58 AM, Cathy Carpenter wrote:


My problem: DH (bless his little plant ignorant heart) bought me a
potted gardenia for Mother's Day. Trouble is, it is not hardy here, so 
I must grow it in a pot. My previous experience with this plant was
not auspicious, so I would welcome any advice as to getting it to
survive and rebloom as a houseplant. (Or is euthanasia a solution?)

Cathy, west central IL, z5b



Island Jim
Willamette Valley
44.99 N 123.04 W
Elevation 148'
Hardiness Zone 8/9
Heat Zone 5
Sunset Zone 6
Minimum 0 F [-15 C]
Maximum 86 F [30 C]

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