We bought a 5 gallon gardenia and planted it. It did well for a few months then went south. We later read about where we planted it and figured the hot sun of our summers cooked it. But it survived, even through a few freezes during our last winter. AND... it even bloomed a few flowers this spring, but all the leaves are yellow and it doesn't have it's dark green lush leaves it had when we planted it. I included a picture of it from today. Is it getting enough water? Is it getting too much water? I used miracle grow on it with a hose feeder twice in the last two months but there was no noticeable change. Is it too much sun? Too much heat? Thank you for your time and hopefully advice!
Do you have any photos of the flowers? The photo above doesn't look like a gardenia, but more like an azalea. The advice I'd give for one is very different from what I'd give for the other, so let's be sure, all right? Keke
We do not have a picture of when we planted it, but I looked it up via Google and this looks exactly like what it looked like when we planted it, after it bloomed.
I see a gardenia. But growing gardenia in AZ is challenging. Temperatures are hotter than they like, they like humidity, moisture and acid soil. You will have to pamper it to have success in this climate, but it can be done and the reward is the divinely fragrant flowers. Here is a bit of advice, look for more local Arizona info on this one to have success. Tips to help gardenias bloom in the desert I happen to be in Tucson at the moment.
Not sure you have permission to use this photo. Here at least is a credit link, from Monrovia, credited to Doreen Wynja. Everblooming Gardenia - Monrovia - Everblooming Gardenia
Probably the main factor is humidity. You need some kind of cover with fine spray for Arizona. I bought a Gardenia plant when in San Francisco on a trip, I lived in Nevada at the time, and found that humidity (at 10%) was a problem. PS. I lived in Ajo for two years and had the same problem. Keep trying!
Yeah, we found out later that the location we planted it was probably not the best place for it. I will tell you though, in its prime, the blooms filled the whole area in front of the house with the divine fragance Eric spoke about. We will figure something out. We already decided that a Hibiscus would be better suited for this location. In its current unhealthy state, transplanting it is probably not a good idea, but if I can, I'll find a nice location with more shade and perhaps use some drip nodes to give it a daily mist at night. Perhaps I can grow this indoors in the summer. I have grow lights of various varieties that I can automate via an embedded MQTT network. I'm not giving up yet. Thank you everyone for the advice, time and effort! I appreciate it!!
I might have suggested amending the surrounding soil with peat to increase the acidity and help with retaining water, but peat isn't really a renewable resource. Coir would be better for renewability but doesn't address the acidity issue.
Hi, May I offer a bit from my experience with Gardenias ? The nowadays hybrids are quite hardy, if the flower survived there, it may thrive also. But. It wants really, that is - really acid soil. I am sure the surrounding soil is not. Immediate relief and further development can be achieved with rich fertiliser, plus additional iron. Plus, you have to isolate it from the surrounding, they sell special bags, from small to huge ones for this purpose. They will let the water out, but the soil you add won't get mixed. Arrange the drainage with a lot of pebbles, put above them lots of dry fir needles. Put fir needles on all sides of the container, and in the soil too. Check the roots for parasites, and put some rusted items, they will release more iron in the soil over time. It is pretty much everything that could be done (in my opinion:) ) Good luck !
