what to do with gardenia plant in winter

Gardenias overwintered indoors need cool night temperatures of around 60 F. (16 C.). The shrub will survive warmer night temperatures but it may not flower well when you take it back outdoors. Keep the soil lightly moist and use a slow-release azalea fertilizer according to the package instructions.

Do gardenia plants come back every year?

Gardenias are perennial evergreen shrubs and small trees. These plants enjoy direct sunlight and average temperatures of 68 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Depending on the climate and growing conditions, some gardenia plants act like an annual.

What is the lowest temperature a gardenia can handle?

Gardenias are zone 8 plants, meaning they should survive temperatures as low as 15 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. You should plant gardenias in protected areas that provide plenty of morning sunlight to warm them on cooler days.

Can you keep a gardenia plant indoors?

Gardenias grown indoors should receive at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight through a sunny window. Make sure your Gardenia soil is moist and well-drained. Gardenias need at least 1 inch of rain (or equivalent watering) each week. Keep the soil consistently damp but not soggy.

When should I cut back my gardenia?

It is best to prune your gardenia shrub right after the blooms have faded in the summer. Gardenias will set their flower buds for the next year in the fall, so pruning in the summer will allow you to cut back some of the older wood without risking cutting away newly set buds.

Can gardenias stay outside in winter?

On the fringes of the recommended climate zones, you can protect gardenias in winter by covering them with a blanket or cardboard box during brief cold snaps. A cardboard box large enough to cover the shrub without bending the branches is a must when temperatures drop.

Is a gardenia a perennial or annual?

Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides), a woody perennial shrub, grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 11. If you're growing gardenias in a cooler climate, plant them in containers and bring them indoors for the winter.

Can gardenias survive a freeze?

Gardenias are fairly hardy plants suitable for USDA zones 8 to 10. They can handle light freezes, but the foliage will get damaged with sustained cold in exposed locations. ... Frost damage on gardenia is a common complaint, but here are a few tips on how to diagnose and treat the problem.

Do Gardenias like full sun?

Light: Gardenias can handle full sun, but need protection from baking midday or afternoon sun in higher growing zones. North and east-facing exposures are ideal because they will receive bright morning light and some midday light, but won't be in full sun all day or during the absolute heat of the day.

Are gardenias frost proof?

Gardenia jasminoides 'Frostproof'

A more upright habit and more tolerant of direct sun exposure than other gardenias, with flower buds that resist late spring frosts without damage.

Do Gardenias like coffee grounds?

In addition to amending the soil with compost or aged manure, these acid-loving plants will appreciate coffee grounds, tea bags, wood ashes, or Epsom salts mixed into the soil as well. Since they are rich in nitrogen, magnesium, and potassium, coffee grounds are oftentimes a more favorable homemade gardenia fertilizer.

Can Gardenias grow in pots?

Gardenias are adaptable to many soil types but prefer a moist but well-drained acid soil that is rich in organic matter. ... Gardenias are excellent candidates from container culture. Those who live north of where they are winter hardy can enjoy them in containers that can be brought indoors during the winter.

Do Gardenias make good house plants?

They are most commonly found in conservatories and greenhouses. Nevertheless, even a few months with a blooming gardenia in the house makes them a worthwhile addition to your collection. In the appropriate climate, gardenias can be planted in the garden in the spring or fall.

Can you cut back gardenias hard?

Answer: There is no set way to prune a gardenia. Study the plant carefully to decide how it needs to be shaped. Look at where pruning cuts need to be made to get the gardenia out of the walkway. Prune back to upward-growing branches to encourage the shrub to grow up instead of out.

Do Gardenias need to be deadheaded?

As for deadheading, gardenias drop their old flowers so deadheading is not necessary, but if for appearance's sake you want to remove the spent flowers, you can cut the flowering stem back to a set of leaves anywhere on the stem. Wherever you cut, you'll have one or two new stems emerging.

What causes gardenia leaves to turn yellow and fall off?

Both too little sunlight and too much sunlight can damage your gardenia plant. ... The gardenia plant can get too much direct sunlight if you are in a warmer climate. Too much sunlight can cause the buds to begin falling off, the leaves to turn yellow, and the plant to become scorched.

Will a gardenia tree come back?

Healthy gardenia plants are better able to withstand winter weather, and will oftentimes come back stronger in spring.

Are gardenias poisonous to dogs?

What is Gardenia Poisoning? Gardenias are a large group of flowers with hundreds of different colors, shapes, and sizes all over the world. Some are grown indoors as houseplants and some grow outside either wild or in gardens. They are all poisonous to dogs although some are more toxic than others.

How long does a gardenia plant live?

Although most mature gardenias remain about 4 to 6 feet tall, older specimens can easily reach past 10 feet. To create this large shrub, gardenias live up to 50 years old with proper care.

How often should gardenias be watered?

Gardenias need at least an inch of water a week, whether from rainfall or a hose. Apply mulch to a depth of two to four inches to help keep moisture in the soil and control water-hogging weeds. Don't let the plants become completely dry before you water, and water regularly.

What does a dead gardenia look like?

Start by pruning just a few inches off a branch and look at the center of the branch after each cut. If you see green tissue within the branch, it is still alive and has the potential to grow new twigs and leaves; if the material is brown, that part of the branch is dead and you can cut further down on the branch.