Care of a Gardenia Bush
In order to get a gardenia to bloom, there are four things to remember about proper gardenia care. These are:
Humidity Sunlight Temperature Fertilizer
Humidity – Care of a gardenia bush means providing lots of humidity. If your gardenia is in a container, setting the container on a dish filled with pebbles and water will help to increase the surrounding humidity. Whether your gardenia bush is planted in the ground or in a container, daily misting with a spray bottle will increase the humidity around the plant. Sunlight – Taking care of a gardenia bush also involves making sure that the plant gets proper sunlight. An outdoor gardenia should be planted in a sunny location that is shaded somewhat during the hottest part of the day. For indoor gardenia bushes, place the gardenia in a bright light location but not in direct light. Temperature – Gardenias bloom best when the daytime temperatures are warm but not hot and the nighttime temperatures are cool. Ideally, for the day, you want the temperatures to be between 65 and 75 degrees F. (18-24 C.) during the day and between 55 and 60 degrees F. (13-16 C.) at night. For proper gardenia care, make sure that your plant is in an area where the temperatures will match this pattern. Fertilizer – A gardenia bush is a heavy feeder. Proper care and feeding gardenia means that you should be fertilizing your gardenia every two weeks with a regular water soluble fertilizer solution. Once every three to four months, fertilize your gardenia with an acid based fertilizer. Gardenia care can be time consuming, but the gardenia blooms are certainly worth the effort. Taking care of a gardenia properly will reward you with the lovely and heavenly scented flowers that make gardenias so special. Proper care and feeding gardenia bushes is all it takes.
