"Rescued" Gardenia Help

Hi! I got me one of them there coveted Gardenias...been wanting one forever but didn't want to pay the price the local Wal-Mart wanted (because I thought I may have trouble growing it). There was a clearanced one I snapped up at half price (woo-hoo!). The poor thing was dry as a bone and so pitifully wilted. It perked up almost instantly when I took it home and watered it! I cleaned off all the dried up leaves and spiffed it up, looked nice! But then all the buds dropped. All but one, and I don't hold very high hopes for it, either. They leaves are dropping like mad, though it shows some new growth. I have it well-lit, well-watered...didn't yet re-pot it yet though. What more can I do for this guy? I read about putting a clear plantic bag over it a few days. Is this recommended? Perhaps it is just pouting from being moved from Wal-Mart and will get over its leaf dropping problem soon? I have a ficus tree that pouts like that when it's moved, too. Ive had it for well over a month through....Any advice is welcomed, thanks! :)

J

It sounds to me like you've done everything right, so far! Gardenia's can be fussy and bud drop is to be expected when they go through so much shock----the bad conditions, changing environments and extreme dryness. Don't worry about losing them, they grow back! If the roots are coming out from the bottom of the pot then it definitely needs repotting. Repot in something rich like Miracle Gro potting mix. They like it in plastic as opposed to clay. Sounds like you got to it just in the nick of time, though. When I rescue sad plants from these places I always give them a few weeks to recuperate before potting up. You should also inspect it carefully for a possible mite problem, just to be safe.

You might want to try misting it a few times a day for additional humidity. They like consistently *moist* soil, not soggy, not dripping wet. Don't allow it to dry out thoroughly before watering again. I wouldn't plastic bag it, though. IMO they like good air circulation and you wouldn't want it to start rotting. Could be it just needed to "start fresh" in its new home after almost dying. There's a reason they mark 'em down, and that's usually when they know the plant will be dead soon. If you're seeing new growth then you're doing something right! Hang in there. I've found the rescue plants to be ever so *grateful* once they do rebound, and usually take off like crazy once acclimated to their new homes. It can take time.

Thanks for the info! Last night I repotted her in a nice plastic pot a wee bit bigger in Scott's continuous feeding soil (sorry no MG on hand, LOL). I also moved her up to our bathroom, which receives a nice eastern exposure as well as ample humidty. That soil was aweful, that she was in! I also gave her leaves a good cleaning (the ones she has left, LOL) and installed a mister on the shlf next to her. It'll be easy to remember to mist whenever I'm in there getting ready (to go somewhere, to work, to bed...). That one bud is still hanging on; I hope it doesn't drop but I'm not holding my breath. I also had some coffee grounds so I sprinkled a little in the dirt and mixed it up well when I was filling the new pot. I figured, can't hurt (hope not anyhow). I thought I heard a faint little "thaaaaank yoooooou" when I got done, but I could've been hearing things. :) Thanks again for the info...here's hopin'!

J

Nah, you weren't hearing things! I'm one of those whacko's who truly believes that plants know when someone loves them and that makes them try harder. The bathroom sounds like the perfect place. Scott's is also a great potting mix. I just don't like the cheap ones because I feel that you get what you pay for when it comes to potting soil, as in all things I reckon...I know your new baby will thrive for you, and I know you'll enjoy it as much as I enjoy mine. Nothing smells as good as a blooming gardenia! (Well....maybe plumeria, jasmine sambac, brugmanisa, datura, heliotrope, michelia champaca, etc...etc...etc...) ;-D

The rule around here is when it has finished the blooming cycle, prune heavily. Mulch with coffee grounds (my grandmother stuck cloves of garlic in the soil) and give her a shower every couple of days, if you can. If she doesn't like that....no hope.

Carol

Okay, now I know I'm not the only one who hears the plants talking to her!

Garlic in the soil, huh? Does that keep the plant vampires away? ;>)

Wow, such great advice! The middle is starting to green up. So since it bloomed (or rather blasted) I could prune it? It could stand it because some of the branches lost its foliage except up at the top. So I could cut those leggy ones back, even back to where there are no leaves? Seems to be loving the batheroom and daily misting, though there was a wee bit o grey fuzz on the soiltop, probably getting too moist. I stirred it up and haven't misted the soil and it seems better now. I don't think it was anything to worry about, in fact left over from the original soil it was in I think. I think I'll try some garlic next time I get to the grocery store to get some. :) I think garlic is acidic, actually, so that is probably why it works? Plus it keeps away those pesky plant vampires, which can really wreak havoc on a plant!!! LOL

Jenn

Well...if it were me I would prune it...the plant is working on producing chlorophyll now...but don't prune more than 1/3 off.... Garlic does wonders for everything, doesn't it?

I planted a Gardenia one time in a stone planter I built and just filled it up with peat moss. It was on the North side of my house and it did wonderfully. We sold the house about 5 years ago. I drive by every now and then to check on the plants and the Gardenias are still rockin'.

Gardenia Update:

She's doing nicely! Filling out, lots of new growth. Now we've encountered a small bug problem, though. I found a couple mealies (just one or two thankfully). Also, there are these little black specks on the undersides of the leaves. I sprayed the heck out of it last week but the black specks seem to have come back, unless I just didn't get them all (fewer in number now). I guess they are baby bugs of some sort? They don't seem to move, but I'll wipe off the underside of a couple leaves and the next day they're back, so...... It doesn't seem to be hurting the plant (so far) and the new leaves don't look deformed, like they're getting "munched on". I did have some gnats flying around before I sprayed it, so I considered it might be gnay babies, but don't they hatch in the soil? And I haven't seen them since I sprayed (soil and all). So anyhow....Gardenia's definately improving, though now there's this black speck mystery. Argh, Wal-Mart plants!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jenn

Black specks seem to be mites to me. What kind of spray are you using? Spray weekly until they disappear. I've also hosed down the undersides of the leaves daily to wash away as many of them as possible. Mites prefer drier conditions. I have a gardenia "Rose Down" that was plagued with aphids *and* mites until I treated it with Bayer Rose & Flower systemic. This stuff ain't cheap and it only comes in big bottles, but it saved my gardenia. I know it can be frustratingly annoying with gardenia's sometimes. I'm glad your plant is doing better, a little bug problem won't be anything to worry about with a little vigilance on your part.

Here's a tip: I've recently rescued my own gardenias from certain mealybug/whitefly death this way. It's cheap and doesn't hurt to try it, so if it doesn't work, you haven't lost anything. (Except for maybe the plant.)

I pick up quart-size spray bottles at dollar stores. Squeeze a little dish soap (lemon preferably, but I'm not convinced it matters) in the bottom, about 1/4" to 1/2" deep. Fill the rest with water. Go douse your plants, be sure to spray the undersides of every leaf. Do this about once a week for about three weeks and whenever else you see whiteflies, spider mites, mealy bugs -- anything that calls for insecticidal soap.

Now, can this be Dawn or Joy or something similar?

Sure, I use generic, grocery-store brand lemon dish soap. I've discovered this works with scale as well. If you need to do a large area, a la Jerry Baker, fill a hose-end sprayer with 1/4 liquid dish soap and run the hose to saturate the area. He recommends giving your garden a soapy bath about every two weeks. I'm going to try it. I read about it last night in "The Impatient Gardener."

Liila, this will not resolve your caterpillar issue, which I read about in the other thread. I'm sorry that thread went south on you; I've had that happen to me here, too. Some people just can't stand it if you don't think exactly like they do. I wouldn't let it bother you. (You could box up all those cats and send 'em to me for my flutterby garden... I don't mind 'em one bit!)

Cheers!
Diane

Thanks! I'm going to try the dishsoap! I've treated once with the Bayer systemic, but in the liquid form it needs to be applied every 6 weeks ($$$$$$$$$!) and I'd much rather find a safer alternative. I recently realized the main ingredient (imidicloprid? spelling probably incorrect!) is the same ingredient in the Frontline I treat the dogs with for fleas and ticks. I also don't want or need my bug treatment to do my fertilizing for me. They're due for treatment *now* as a matter of fact, and I'll do the dishsoap thing.

As for the hostility in the butterflies thread, I think we're at the point of talking it out and reaching an amicable agreement. While I don't think that rudeness and sarcasm are ever called for when the ignorant are seeking help, I can also understand passion for one's beliefs. I'm on the net at present, googling for natural caterpillar control.

Thanks for the info, and the kind words!

Wow, thanks fo the info! Actually, since I treated again they seem less now. It's due for another treatment this weekend though. Here's what I use with *great* results:

Volck Oil (or Volk? something like that)

You mix a tiny bit with water in a spray bottle. It erradicates mealies *fast*! Of course, though, the trick is to totally saturate the plant, esp the undersides of leaves and stem buds. I even spray the soil and sometimes the pot! Need to do it outside as it is a messy job (esp if the plant is larger) and it will make the cement a wee bit slick. I also use it as a leaf duster/shiner. It won't clog pores and gives a shine unlike water. I dampen a paper towel and wipe the leaves. Then I fold it over to a dry spot and "polish" gently until dry and slightly shiney. It really make a plant smile! And they reason why it works so well with mealies (and scale) is because it's oil and it actually clings to their nasty little bodies and smothers them! Water does nothing because they have like this waxy coating that water just slides off of. And I suspect that the dish soap pobably helps to dislodge this coating, also. But the oil actually sticks fast and "drowns" the little buggers. They after all dry sometimes I take a dry cloth or fingers and clean off the cadavers. Esp with scale...they still remain on the leaves and you have to "flake them off" with your fingers, but when you do they're dead and just like little pieces of skin. So after the treatment, I let it dry, then wait for a week or three, watching it carefully. Then I try and remember to do it again, just to be completely sure I got all the "eggs". I think mealies run in a 14-day cycle, or something like that.

I purchased my bottle of Volck oil (made my Ortho I think) at Wal-Mart 2 years ago for $4 something. And I still have about 2/3 bottle left. It lasts a long, long time because you use so little. It's a pain to figure out the dilution rate but once you got it figured out, it works wonders! Seemed to have helped those black spots, too!

Hope I have someone somewhere some useful info! Can you tell I've done some research? LOL Me and mealies have a long and complicated history, unfortunately! But alas me thinks me's gained the upper hand!

Jenn