Gardenia

Gardenia jasminoides                                                                       
gar-DEN-ee-ah     jas-mi-NOID-ease

Evergreen – Shade / Part Shade        Ht. 4’-6’ Spread 3’-5’Ht. 4’-6’ Spread 3’-5’                 Spacing 3’

HABIT: Glossy foliage, large white flowers in early summer. Native to China

CULTURE :Needs highly organic soil with good drainage. Even moisture is important. Chelated iron and soil acidifiers are often needed.

USES:  Screen, specimen, accent, flower fragrance, container plant.

PROBLEMS:  Aphids, scale, white flies, chlorosis.

NOTES:  A good dwarf variety exists but has the same problems as the full size plant.

Gardenias are not always easy to grow, but best results come from a comprehensive program of planting them in rich beds, fertilizing with organic fertilizers, and adding a tablespoon of vinegar per gallon of irrigation water. Bed prep for gardenias is: 4” compost, 1” wheat bran/cornmeal/molasses mix, ½” lava sand, ¼” Texas greensand, and natural organic fertilizers at 20 pounds per square feet. Also spray the foliage every two weeks with Garrett Juice, which contains vinegar, or a fish and seaweed product. If vinegar isn’t in the product you choose, add it at 1 ounce per gallon of spray. The other ingredients are also important. 'August Beauty' is a good cultivar to try.

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