How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Gardenia Shrubs
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I live in Atlanta, GA and panted 4 southern living fool proof gardenias last fall. They looked beautiful. It is now the beginning of May and it looks like they are dead with only one leave budding on one of the plants. Do I give it more time or are the plants dead. At this point they do not look good.
Perhaps wait several more weeks to see if things improve. Gardenias are evergreen, though, and should have kept their leaves over the winter season, so it is likely that the cause is not just the stress of being planted and getting established, although that likely plays a part. Look for signs of disease or insects, and be sure that the plants are in their ideal spot, as far as lighting, non-soggy but moist soil, etc.
Another possibility is if your area had experienced a cold snap, such as around December 24 in 2022. If the plants did not have enough cold protection, it may have caused dieback to branches, flower buds, and possibly roots due to cold damage. Even though Atlanta experienced nighttime temperatures in the 10s and 20s around December 24, and Foolproof gardenia is hardy to Zone 7a (0 to 5F), some plants (especially when they are just being established in their new home) might have been vulnerable. In certain cases, plants can recover from cold damage, although several branches, and likely all flower buds for the next year’s blooming season, may be lost. Again, we’d suggest giving them a little more time, such as midsummer or so, to see if any leaves come out for the plants to make food over the growing season. If a plant’s roots have not been damaged, in certain cases, the plants can come back. The fact that one of the plants is starting to leaf out suggests that at least that one has a chance for recovery.
Hope this helps!
Planted 2 gardenia plants last year. They did well planted in our yard. Now in the early spring they don't seem to be coming back. Live in zone 7. What could be the problem?
Hi Brenda, Sorry to hear that your gardenia plants don’t seem to be coming back this spring. As a plant that is native to tropical and subtropical regions, it does not do well with cold temperatures in winter months. Most gardenias are hardy in zones 8 to 11, but some varieties, like Klein’s Hardy gardenia and Summer Snow, are hardy in zone 7. If you planted a more tender variety, it could be that the winter temperatures were too low for them to survive. In zone 7, it is best to plant in the spring to ensure they have plenty of time to settle in before winter. In the future, you could also plant gardenias in pots so they can be outside during the summer months and then brought indoors for winter.
just bought a gardenia for my 88 y/o mom who lives in central florida. i planted in a large container. just a few days in, the leaves are turning yellow. please help me
save this plant.
Perhaps you have watered it too much. Let it dry out between watering.
Same issue. I absolutely love gardenias! Bought two, one for each side of my front door. Leaves are now turning yellow. I am soo sad!
I have a row of old variety Gardenia bushes that have gotten quite tall and lanky, and when it rains, their limbs droop very badly. I want to cut them back. My bushes go back to a bush my mother had planted in her yard when I was a young girl, and I am now 70 years old. She never trimmed or cut back her bush. You told how to trim or cut back Gardenia's, but you did not say when to trim or cut them back. I know you don't do it in the spring before they bloom because you would lose the blossoms, but do you cut them back shortly after they bloom, or do you wait until fall to do it?
Hi, Sandra, You have the right idea: Gardenias bloom on new wood. Major pruning should be done after spring blooming. Minor trimming can be done at any time. If you want the plants to be less spindly, try this three-step procedure: Prune lightly in early fall, removing about 25 percent of the foliage. Prune again in early March, giving the shrub shape but leaving all lower growth alone. Prune the third time after bloom, heading back many large limbs so that they will develop dense foliage through the summer. We hope this helps.
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