How To Plant And Care For Gardenia

Gardenia is a uniquely fragrant, evergreen plant; which grows to a height of 2 to 8 feet, with similar dimensions in its width. These dimensions give it an overall round shape.

If this strikes you as your best choice, you'll need to find out all there is to know about taking good care of it. Here is a helpful guide, courtesy of the National Gardening Association:

Selecting The Best Site

Of course, you'll want to position this plant near a deck or window so that you can enjoy its sweet fragrance. However, there's more to it than that. Gardenias are typically sun-loving plants; hence your plant will do well in a site that has exposure to full sunlight or light shade. The soil should also be moist, rich and well-drained.

Your plant does well in acidic soils, which have a low pH ranging from 5.0 to 6.0. You should avoid planting it near concrete walks or foundations, since such areas may have a pH level that is too high.

How To Plant It

Obviously, the first thing you should do is test the soil pH before planting or even buying the plant. This will determine whether you garden is a suitable location for planting. If the pH is too high, you can reduce it by adding recommended amounts of sulfur.

Once you've determined that your garden is suitable for planting, go ahead and make preparations for planting. Proper spacing is important, since a mature plant would be just as wide as it is high. This means digging holes that are 3 to 6 feet part. Proper timing in planting is also crucial, which should coincide with spring or fall.

Each hole you dig must only be deep enough to cover the root ball - not more or less. The width of such a hole should also be 2 or 3 times its depth. In case the soil is in very poor condition, you can amend it with compost.

Once this is done, don't just plop the plant into the hole and fill it up with soil. Doing this might leave some potentially harmful air pockets within the soil. You must follow the correct procedure. Firstly, set the plant in the hole, after removing it from the container. Then fill only half the hole with soil and water it well. This will help settle the soil and also eliminate air pockets. Once all the water has drained, you can then fill up the hole and water thoroughly.

To maintain soil moisture, reduce weed growth and maintain constant soil temperatures, you need to add a layer of organic mulch around your plant. A good enough layer would be between 2 to 4 inches thick. Moreover, the fertilizer you apply will also play a role in maintaining the acidic pH levels in the soil. Therefore, you need to apply an acidifying fertilizer every month.

Normally, Gardenias will flourish with an inch of rain. This means that you should water it with a similar amount. It will also require pruning, which is best done in early spring.


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Keith enjoys growing many types of plants. You can use his ideas, based on experience, to make your garden flourish. Nursery Online will provide you with the most suitable plant species. Find out more and get one at http://www.nurseryonline.com.au/nandina-nana-dwarf-sacred-bamboo-200mm/ .