Shrubs - Gardenia (page 1)
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  (January) We planted a gardenia bush in our front garden, and its now about 5 ft. tall and very healthy. We planted 3 smaller ones and hope they will do the same. When is the best time to prune the larger one a little? I don't want to risk cutting back when it might be trying to set flower buds.

The gardenia bushes are in a kidney shaped bed - what would you recommend for summer annuals in front of the gardenia bushes? We need some color with the white - would begonias be my best bet? The bed gets morning sun and afternoon shade.

  Gardenias are one of those odd plants that bloom in the summer but set flower buds in the fall. You have a short window of opportunity in which to prune without interfering with flowering. As soon as they finish blooming, prune--but only if needed. There are several bedding plants which would do well here, but I think the dragon wing begonia--with the red flowers would be great. The plants bush out and get quite full at the end of a growing season, and they are non-stop bloomers--the perfect accompaniment to the white gardenias.

  (February) I received a gardenia plant for Christmas. Can I set it in the ground now (south side of the house) or should I wait for warmer weather?

  Any plant you receive that is blooming out of season, such as gardenia, azalea, mum, etc. you should treat as a houseplant until warm weather arrives. Even though some of these plants can be winter hardy in parts of Arkansas, these forced blooming plants have been grown in a greenhouse and would not be acclimated to our winter conditions now. Give them a sunny location indoors and let them dry out a bit between watering. Plant it outdoors in mid to late April, and it should do well. A northern or eastern exposure would be preferable to a southern one, unless you have some afternoon shade.

  (March) I grew up in Garland County (Hot Springs) with beautiful gardenia bushes in my yard. I now live in Benton County (Bentonville) and would like to transplant a gardenia bush from my childhood home before it is sold. Is Benton County too far north for successfully transplanting a gardenia bush? I would much rather leave the gardenia bush in Garland County rather than destroy it if this is not an appropriate area.

  It would be tough, as Gardenias are not reliably hardy in zone 6. Many gardenias got nipped this year even in central Arkansas (zone 7), and Benton county is one zone colder. A better solution would be to take some cuttings from the plant and start several new plants to grow in containers. You could simply move them into a garage or under your house for the winter each year, and still have a piece of the legacy. This way, both you and the new homeowner can enjoy the wonderful gardenia blossoms each summer.

  (March) I received several azaleas and gardenias and a pot of tulips this week when my father died. When should I plant these and how? How should I care for them until planting? They will be planted in South Arkansas (El Dorado).

  I have noticed a number of gardenias that are literally solid black from sooty mold. this is usually an excellent indication that you had a heavy hit from whiteflies last year. In fact, look at the back of some of the lower leaves and you will see the oval masses of overwintering eggs. You have several options. The systemic product sold as Merit or Bayer Advanced Tree and Shrub insecticide is supposed to work on whiteflies, but would need to be put out ASAP, since it is used as a soil drench and needs advance planning. You can also apply one application of one of the horticultural oils -- being sure to follow label directions. The key for that is total coverage, and it usually states only one application per year for gardenias. Fertilize this year once or twice to get new growth going. If they get so covered with black sooty mold -- the byproduct which occurs when honeydew is deposited from sucking insects like whiteflies and aphids, sunlight can't get through to the foliage and they don't have as much energy to set flowers or foliage for that matter.

  (April) My gardenia is located on the south side of my house and I have been having trouble keeping it healthy. I have been plagued with white flies and a lack of blooms for the last several years. Now the leaves are covered with a black soot like material, some wilted leaves and dead leaves. I guess I need some help get it back on its feet again.

  'Veitchii' is simply a variety of gardenia and should be just as hardy as other gardenia varieties. Some were nipped this winter in central Arkansas, while others made it through unscathed. Monitor the plant in the winter when temperatures are predicted below 20 degrees, and if it is particularly dry. Do not try over wintering it outdoors in a container--it would need to be planted in the ground.

  (May) I have been given a gardenia veitchi for Mother's Day. Should I set it out in my yard? If so, will I need to bring it back inside this winter?

  'Veitchii' is simply a variety of gardenia and should be just as hardy as other gardenia varieties. Some were nipped this winter in central Arkansas, while others made it through unscathed. Monitor the plant in the winter when temperatures are predicted below 20 degrees, and if it is particularly dry. Do not try over wintering it outdoors in a container--it would need to be planted in the ground.

  (May) We are having a problem with our gardenias. The leaves are yellowing and starting to fall off. They are in a partial shade area, plants in the same area are azaleas and hostas both of which are doing well, we have not noticed any dulling of the remaining leaves. What should we do?

  Some Gardenias are already being plagued with whiteflies this season. If you lightly brush the plant, see if any white insects fly about. Infestations of whiteflies can cause the plant to yellow and begin declining. Overwatering can also cause some leaf drop--and we have had some heavy rains. Check for insects, and monitor the water levels. Spray if needed. It is also possible it is still just old leaf shed, but that is usually done by now.

  (June) Last August I pruned my gardenia bushes way back. This spring they looked almost dead with very black leaves on them. They have somewhat revived, but about one fourth of the bush looks dead. When is the best time to prune? Should I have done so when I did since that is when they had finished blooming, or should I have waited until spring?

  Gardenias are in full bloom across much of the southern half of the state now. Some plants took quite a hit this winter, and did get nipped back. Several actually died, while the majority that were injured have recovered and have started growing. Some of the damage was superficial--just the leaves were nipped, and the flower buds were undamaged, and beginning to bloom. I don't think there was much you could have done to prevented damage, other than covering them during the huge shifts of temperatures -- the 70's to the 20's. For now, prune off the dead wood, and if blooming, wait until they are finished before pruning more. The time to prune gardenias is immediately following bloom. August is a bit late, since they set their flower buds in the fall, so you want to allow recovery time. Last year, many gardenias continued blooming off and on into the fall, so it was hard to prune. Only prune if needed; if there is plenty of room for the plant to grow, leave it alone.

  (June) I have recently planted three gardenia's on the front of my house. They receive the morning sun and afternoon shade. My question to you is what makes the pretty green leaves turn yellow and fall off? Please help me with this problem. I am trying to make a hedge with the gardenia's.

  Gardenias will occasionally shed old leaves and they are typically yellow when they fall. This tends to happen more commonly in late fall, but it can happen at almost any season--but it should just be a few. Often, newly planted shrubs will go through a period of transition after being planted, and may also shed some old leaves, but again it should just be a few. Two other causes of yellowing leaves could be poor drainage--they don't like wet feet, or white flies. White flies are a common insect pest, and already are firmly entrenched on many gardenias this year (2004). These insects suck the sap out of the foliage and leave behind a sticky residue which can in turn lead to black sooty mold. Heavy infestations can make the plants look sick, with yellow leaves. It is easy to determine if that is the culprit, since if you brush against the plants it looks like dandruff bouncing off with the flying white insects.

  (June) We have a gardenia bush that is in full bloom, and it smells wonderful. However, it is falling over. The whole plant is leaning to one side, and I am afraid it will be uprooted soon. What should I do for this bush?

  From the picture, I think it is planted too close to the foundation, so all of the growth is one sided, which makes the plant too heavy on the side, causing it to fall over. The only thing that will prevent this, would be to move the plant out from the house, two to three feet. That would allow more uniform growth around the bush, and should prevent the leaning. This is not the time of year to move it. I would wait until fall or late winter. For now, you may just need to stake it lightly to keep it from totally uprooting.

  (June) Would it be ok to just prune the gardenia shrub really well this fall and keep it where it is? In other words, if I prune it close, will it bloom next year?

  If your gardenia needs pruning, don't wait until fall. Gardenias set flower buds in the fall, so late pruning can interfere with next years blooms. Another downside to fall pruning is winter weather damage. If you prune too late, the plant is left exposed to the elements, or the new growth that comes on so late, doesn't have a chance to harden off before winter. If pruning is needed, do so immediately following flowering this summer. Follow up your pruning with an application of fertilizer.

  (July) I have a gardenia plant on the north side of my house. I planted it there about four years ago so that it would be near the front of the house and I could enjoy the fragrance of the flowers. However, the gardenia plant has not prospered and I wonder why. The leaves are scarce and the flowers almost absent. It sits in a shallow bed of hardwood mulch and is in the shade most of the day. I want to move it to a better location for the plant. Can you suggest the best location for the gardenia bush and kind of soil and watering it likes the best and also the proper time to move it?

  Gardenias have been spectacular this summer, except for a few that were nipped by the cold. Gardenias must have some sunlight in order to bloom, however this is not the ideal time to move them. Gardenia plants bloom in the summer from flower buds set in the fall. It is often advisable to get them through the winter before making the move to protect them from winter damage, but it doesn't sound like your plant is too happy where it is. While it is possible to move the plant now, it is not ideal. Watering would be vital to success, and the plant would probably wilt daily for several weeks until the roots begin to re-establish themselves. I would probably wait until a break in the weather closer to fall. Choose a location with good morning sun, but afternoon shade. Good drainage is important, and they also like ample organic matter and an acidic pH. Water when dry, and fertilize once a year after bloom.

  (July) I have a gardenia bush and it is blooming, but the blooms come out white, but start turning brown quickly and look awful. My sister says hers is doing the same thing. Is that due to the extreme heat or is there something else going on there?

  Gardenias are not known for long-lasting blooms, but they have set a great number of them this year (if not damaged by cold). The flowers will go quicker if there are wind and rain showers, or if they have a problem with thrips, tiny insects inside the blooms. My early blossoms actually lasted a bit longer than the later ones, but we were blessed by heavy late afternoon showers during their blooms, which caused them to brown quickly.

  (July) The gardenia I have is old and very root bound. How do I separate it, or can I? It only had a few blooms this year and it was loaded when I brought it out last year. The leaves have been immature and not as full as before.

  I take it the gardenia is in a container. If the plant is extremely root-bound, it will not thrive. You have two options. One is to repot it to a larger container, which should allow the plant some growing room. The other option would be to limit new growth but alleviate the root-bound conditions. In both cases, take the plant out of the container it is in, shear roots from the side and bottom to alleviate the rootbound condition, shake off the old soil, and put it in the same size or larger container with fresh soil. Either method should allow the plant to get leaves back to full size, and hopefully more blooms next year. Normally, there is only one main plant per container, so division is usually not an option. Be sure to water and fertilize regularly, since container plants need frequent water, which in turn leaches out the nutrients.

  (August) I currently have a small gardenia bush that is growing in a container - I would like to permanently plant in a small flower bed facing west and want to know if I can overwinter it in Greers Ferry and have it survive? I would love to plant a Carolina Jessamine in the same flower bed but am not sure it would survive our winter.

  Gardenias have become much more winter hardy in the last decade, so I think you should be fine. I would prefer you give it an eastern location with full morning sun instead of afternoon sun, simply for extra winter protection. Otherwise, I think you should be fine. They will usually not suffer damage unless temperatures dip below 15 degrees. Since it is small, you should be able to cover it, should low temperatures occur. The Carolina jessamine should do fine and will thrive in the full sun.

  (August) I have 3 beautiful, thriving gardenia plants on the east side of the house. I was told I could trim them back after they quit blooming. I trimmed one last week. Have I done the right thing? Last year they bloomed again in late summer.

  Most gardenias have completed their main bloom cycle -- in fact some were finished more than a month ago. The main flush of flowers on gardenias is set the fall before. However, you will occasionally get some scattered flowers on the new growth, very late in the season. If pruning is needed, it should be done as soon after the main season of flowering has ended. You are beginning to get a little late in the year, unless yours are late bloomers. If that is the case, prune, but do so somewhat judiciously. We don't typically see rapid new growth this late in the year, and you do need to allow time for the plants to recover before setting flower buds this fall. Lightly fertilize after pruning and water as needed.

  (August) We have two Camellia bushes that have grown so large that all other bushes can hardly be seen. We are also facing the same problem with our Gardenia bushes taking over in another front yard garden. How far back cane we prune these plants without harming their growth? When should we prune?

  It is too late to prune camellias now. They bloom in the fall or spring from flowers set this fall. The time to prune them would be in the spring after winter weather has passed, and after blooming if they are spring bloomers. (If they bloom in the fall, still wait until spring to prune). For your gardenia, you still have time to do light pruning now. They bloom in the summer, but turn around and set flowers in the fall. Don't do severe pruning now, wait and do that immediately following flowering next summer. Both plants can be pruned back by one third or more, but do it at the proper time to allow for recovery and ample flowers.

  (September) About 10 years ago or so, we planted seven dwarf gardenia bushes in two small to medium beds around our patio here in Fordyce. At that time they looked great but now have overgrown the areas and all or part need to be removed. They are very healthy but are hard to manage (trim) due to their low growth over the ground. Any suggestions on transplanting them or drastically cutting back?

  The time to prune them has passed, and I also would not transplant in the fall, but rather wait until spring. Obviously you have had no winter damage on them, but the dwarf gardenias tend to be less winter hardy than the standard forms. I would leave them intact for the winter, and move them in late February to mid-March. If you end up pruning them back or damaging them when moving, you will be losing some flowers for that season. Gardenias set flower buds in the fall for the next summer’s flowers, so prune as needed immediately following bloom.

  (October) I have several plants that I would like to keep over the winter. Mosquito plant, Mexican heather and begonias. Are any of these winter hardy in central Arkansas? If so, what can I do to get them through? If not, how can I over winter them inside? Also, do I need to cover my gardenia bush for the winter and if so what is the best material to use for cover?

  Except for the gardenia, none of the plants you mentioned are reliably winter hardy in central Arkansas. Mexican heather and some begonias have managed to survive a few of our winters, but you shouldn’t count on it. To guarantee these plants back in your garden next season, you will need to either move them indoors or take cuttings for new starts. I would advocate the latter, if these plants are in the ground. The mosquito plant -- a scented geranium is not going to make it, even with extra mulch, so move it indoors or store it in your garage. For the Mexican heather and begonias, after taking some cuttings, add extra mulch when the weather turns cool and see what you have next spring. Gardenias only need protection if the weather gets below 15 to 20 degrees. If needed, cover with something porous -- a sheet, blanket, or cardboard box.

  (October) I need your help. I have five dwarf gardenias on the west side of the house that I
need to prune, but I know I'm supposed to do it before October, right? I have planned to do it already three times this summer, but they keep blooming! They have bloomed three times this year. Not the whole bush, but some flowers on each one. Should I just wait until next year to cut them back? If I do it now, will I mess up the spring blooming?

  Do not prune any gardenias this late. Most gardenias have their main flush of flowers in late June through July. A few bonus buds are set later, and a few varieties actually bloom later. Gardenias are one of those odd plants that bloom in the summer from buds they set the previous fall. Pruning now would take away your main flush of summer flowers. Leave them alone for now, and prune as soon as the main flush of flowers is finished next summer. You may not get the bonus later blooms, but the plant should recover in time to set their main flowers. Keep in mind that dwarf gardenias are often less winter hardy than standard gardenias.

  (November) Could you please send me information on when is the best time to trim my kate jasmine? It is the old fashioned kind of gardenia. The bush is very big and need to be trimmed out of my driveway.

  Cape jasmine, or gardenia, should not be pruned any more this season for two reasons. One, flower buds are set for next summers display, so pruning now, would interfere with your floral display. Secondly, pruning a gardenia now would expose it, allowing for possible winter injury. The time to prune gardenias is immediately following flowering in the summer. The great summer we had produced several smaller rounds of blossoms on the gardenias this summer, but that isn't that common, and you would have to forego those to do any pruning.

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