Gardenia has a long flowering period, which can last from May to August. One flower can bloom for 3-5 days. The flowering period will vary depending on the region and climate. The following is a detailed introduction to the care methods and precautions for gardenias.

1. How to care for gardenias

1. Flower soil

Be sure to prepare slightly acidic soil for cultivating gardenias. Alkaline soil will hinder the growth of gardenias. The plant absorbs iron and cannot form chlorophyll normally, causing the leaves and branches to dry out and scorch. You can use equal amounts of sandy loam and peat soil mixed evenly as flower soil.

2. Light and temperature

Gardenia likes shade and needs to be properly shaded when the sun is shining in summer and early autumn. The optimum temperature for growth is 18-22 degrees Celsius, and it can survive the winter safely at 5-10 degrees Celsius. When the temperature is below minus 10 degrees Celsius, the plants will suffer from frost damage.

3. Water and fertilizer management

Gardenia likes moisture, but cannot accumulate water. In addition to keeping the flower soil moist, you also need to spray water on the plants frequently to increase the humidity. After budding, control the water properly, otherwise the buds will fall off easily. Starting in April, you can apply thin fertilizer every 10-15 days. Add an appropriate amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer in the early flowering period, and stop fertilizing after winter.

4. Propagation methods

The commonly used propagation methods are cutting and layering. Cutting is carried out during the rainy season. Select young branches of about 15 cm and cut them into the flower soil for about 10 days. Can survive. Layering is carried out in April. Two-year-old branches of 20-25 cm are selected and buried in the flower soil. They will survive in about 30 days.

2. Precautions

1. After gardenia buds appear, the buds are generally dense and need to be thinned out appropriately to prevent buds from falling.

2. If gardenias do not bloom, it may be that the soil is unsuitable or there is insufficient fertilizer, and improvements need to be made according to the specific situation.

3. Diseases such as leaf spot, yellowing, and scale insects are prone to occur in summer. You can purchase chemicals to disinfect them and isolate them from healthy plants.

4. When the main trunk of the plant reaches about 20 cm, topping can be performed to force the plant to sprout side branches and shape the plant shape.