posted
I have two gardenia trees (about 4') that I have wintered in my west facing studio with a grow light and natural light giving them 8 hours of light every day, cooler nights in the 60's and kept moist, not wet, with acid-rich watering. In the last couple of weeks, too early to put back outside, their leaves have browned and fallen off although their is substantial immature budding on most branches and tips. Oh, and frequent misting.
Is this condition normal for this time of year in the midwest?
Welcome to the Forum! I'm sorry I don't have the answer to your question, but I'm sure there are people here who will be able to answer it. Glad to have you aboard.
Have a beautiful day!
patches
* * * * "Lord, I love you and I need you, come into my heart, and bless me, my family, my home, and my friends, in Jesus' name. Amen!" Plants: 6492 | From: Illinois | Registered: Feb 2006
| Seeded: 199.217.139.125
You may find your answer in the gardenia thread down in container gardening. If that doesn't answer your question you could post it again in plants and shrubs - you'll have lots of folks willing to help. Good luck and happy gardening.
posted
Thank you, both. Now, being a neophyte, can you tell me how to locate 'container gardening' on the site? My cyber skills are often as limited as my gardening/nurturing skills.
posted
I "inherited" a couple large Gardenia plants and have success keeping them alive and well. What I was told is to mist them, keep them pretty consistently moist and give about one cup of epsom salts to a gallon of water about once a month. Mine have turned brown as you say and when I think "Uh~oh" they start to get new growth and look good all over again! I am in PA and have one in my downstairs family room were it is a little cool and one upstairs in my living room where it is warm and that one does better but both look good and have just recently bloomed. I haven't seen brown for awhile, maybe fall. WHen mine get brown I take them outside if possible and shake all of that off.
Hope that helps you, I come from a greenhouse family where my husbands Grandma has raised these and several other plants for most of her life. She told me how to care for them so hopefully that answers some of your questions!
Good luck!
Plants: 1 | From: PA | Registered: Apr 2006
| Seeded: 141.158.127.177
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but I'm sure there are people here who will be able to answer it. Glad to have you aboard. ![[muggs]](graemlins/mugggggs.gif)
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