Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides J. Ellis) is a quintessential southern ornamental shrub and trees of the family Rubiaceae with around 60 species which produces a creamy white or yellow tubular flowers with evergreen glossy leaves and large, berry-like fruits containing a sticky, orange pulp. It’s a native of tropical and subtropical Africa and Asia.
The Cape Jasmine Gardenia (G. augusta), a native of China is the favorite of some flower enthusiasts because of its so inviting fragrant flowers.
This flower plant is very exact in its growing period, so that you should be careful as to the plant’s essential growth requirements in order to insure that you have your flowers continues supply.
Essential requirements to grow Gardenia
Soil. Gardenia prefers an acidic soil with a pH value between 5 and 6. Below or above this soil pH would affect the growth process of the plant. The soil must be always moist but don’t let them make soggy since the flower formation will be affected heavily.
Provide your garden with a rich soil high in acidic content by amending with an acidifying fertilizer mixture and adding with peat moss, using an acidic mulch like pine needles or pink bark nuggets into the base of the plant population.
Sunlight Requirement. You should plant your Gardenia in an open field with enough sunlight especially in the morning or under a filtered light the whole day. But don’t over expose also the plant since it will cause the flower buds to drop before they open to bloom.
Temperature. You should observe the temperature especially during the night with at least over 65 or below 60 degrees F. The ideal temperature for a successful Gardenia flower bloom would be 65 to 70 degrees during the day and 60 to 62 degrees during the night. To maintain its humidity, you need to have a daily misting of the entire plant population.
Avoiding Weeds In Your Vegetable Garden
Plant Nutrition. You can add magnesium and liquid iron chelate once a month to supply the plants with some micronutrients and to provide an attractive glossy beautiful leaves during its entire growth.
Pests and disease control. Monitor your plants from the attack of sooty molds on the leaves which is an indication that there are whiteflies in the area. To control whiteflies, use a yellow sticky traps to catch them or simply spray with a homemade insecticides, a mixture of 2 tablespoon vegetable oil, 2 tablespoon baking soda, and 2 tablespoon powder laundry soap. Mix thoroughly and spray directly to the insects.
One of the disease of Gardenia is the root rot which is cause by too much water accumulation in the soil. To avoid the occurrence of root rot, just minimize your water supply. Maintain the soil moisture at a minimum level.
Pruning. To have a continuous flower bloom for the next season, prune those branches that looks dormant and are not actively growing. But don’t cut the leaves because these leaves aid in the manufacture of foods for the plant growth process.
To ensure a bushy appearance of your Gardenia plants, pinch out the tips while the plant is still at its dormant stage. Pinching enhances to produce more flowers in the succeeding year.
Marissa S. Bruzzi 