Morning!
I have a gardenia that is developing yellow leaves with green veining and I thought it was cirrohis or whatever you call that. I fertilized it with FE but it doesn't seem to be helping.
I have one bud on it so I would like to see it open.
Any help would be very much appreciated.
Joanne
lol @ cirhossis....usually of the liver, which HP's lack!
I know, you meant Chlorosis, right? ;)
How long ago did you feed it the Iron/Ironite?
I've never really succeeded with Gardenias, but I do know they like acidic soil, so if your water, by chance, has a high lime content...that will affect it, too.
Hi Nan,
LOL!!! Well I was sort of close...
I gave it Fish Emulsion probably a couple weeks ago I am thinking.
I have not had good luck with them either and I keep trying and trying.
Thanks a bunch.
Joanne
Oh, Fish Emulsion! (lol!)
I thought you meant Ironite....that may help with Chlorosis if you can get ahold of some.
I think Schultz makes an Ironite product....they had it had our little hardware store.
BTW...I keep trying them, too.
Someone on here a while back posted that she mists hers alot and has had it for a few years......she deserves an award for that, IMHO!
I don't have one currently, but WM usually carries them in the spring relatively cheap...so I'm sure that scent will 'lure me into' buying one again!
Hi Nan,
Will see if I can round some up then...thanks a bunch. I got iron chelate I think...would that work?
Good luck on your next Gardenia...they have such a heavenly scent don't they?
I just love them.
Joanne
I have had these in the past too, I treat them as strictly temporary pot plants as you can guarantee that within a few weeks they will be covered with red spider mites and ready for the trash bin!
I've never known anyone be able to keep these growing well indoors. Does that sound like a challenge?... :)
Morning Kniphofia,
Well I always loved a challenge but this one I am beginning to think is getting the best of me.
I ferttilized it with Peter's acid fertilizer so hopefully that will make it come around. I guess I was also overwatering as well....I had some brown spots on the edges of the leaves and I called a greenhouse in the city yesterday and they said that it was a sure sign I am overwatering.
The yellow in the leaves they said was because it needed an acidic fertilizer and the fish emulsion just doesn't cut it.
So I have my fingers crossed and we will just have to wait and see.
Thanks for your reply.
Joanne
That's what always gets mine, kniphofia!!
I've read, too, that they insist on a cool location....If I get one this year, I'm going to try it on my unheated porch.
I wish I could remember who it was last year that posted about her Gardenia.....I wonder if it'll come up in a search....she had photos, too.
I'm off to search for that thread.
Hi Nan,
Thank you...look forward to seeing those photos. I keep mine in my bedroom and it is cool in there....post menopausal...LOL!!!
Joanne
I actually found that thread!
There are a lot of other threads in the search results that mention Gardenias too.
Here it is......Mine ended up dead, yet again!
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/482328/
Hi Nan,
Thank you so very much for all your trouble, I do appreciate it!
I am not giving up...they will thrive in my house or I will buy another one...LOL!
Don't give up Nan!
Joanne
Thanks, Joanne....they actually did have Gardenias at WM this weekend, and they were 1/2 price, so I got the best looking one of the bunch for $4.00.
It has several buds and a few developing.
I'm gonna try it again, too......poor Gardenia! lol!
I did put it out on the porch in an 'inner' windowsill....cool and lots of light. I guess I'll have to bring it in tonight, though......brrrrrrr cold and windy!!
Hi Nan,
Wow, that was a lucky one for ya! Yes I know they like cool and I was told I was watering mine too much that is why I was getting brown edges on my leaves.
My one little lonely bud is still hanging on.
Here is wishing you the best with this one! I know you will do just fine!
It was mighty cold here this morning -20 Celsius....brrrr is right!
Joanne
Joanne....here's hoping yours develops more buds.....could happen, right?!
I hope I can succeed with this one!
Good luck....to both of us, lol!!
I have a small greenhouse, about 25 x 15, heated by a kerosene heater in the cold winter nights and days and a box fan to keep the air circulating. I keep all my plants in it. I have 2 gardenia plants which are full of buds. When they start yellowing up I know they need an iron solution. I combine this with fertilizer. When they get bugs I spray them with a mixture of baking soda in water. Seems to do the trick and doesn't hurt the plants. In the summer they go out into the morning sun and afternoon shade. Hope this helps.
Liz
Hi, orkidlady.
I have managed to keep my Gardenia alive for over a year now! That poor plant survived a couple attacks from Spider mites. (I almost trashed it, but a heavy pruning followed by serious bug spray got rid of them)
I haven't had the leaf problems that you are experiencing, although the new leaves are always lime green for a week before aging to a darker shade.
A friend has had problems getting her Gardenia to set flower buds for the past couple of years, and I didn't want the same problem, so I went out and bought 'Maxsea', in their Acid formula. It is nearly organic (the company doesn't want to jump through hoops to get the stuff certified) and a month later, I have a couple of flower buds that are large, and just beginning to turn white. If the weather ever warms up, I'll finally have my first flowers of the season.
I kept this guy in the house all year long, but because the kitchen in my house has very little insulation, it got the same kind of heat that it would've seen outside and it thrived in there!
Good luck with your plant! I do hope you get it to bloom.
Lori
How alkaline/acidic is your water supply? Ours is alkaline, so I add a little vinegar to the water to make it more on the acidic side - helps alot. I also fertilize it with food made for acid loving plants.
Morning!
Thank you for all the great ideas. I have switched to Peter's acid fertilizer 30-10-10 but I haven't noticed any real improvement yet.
My one lonely little bud is still there though...LOL!
So that is a good thing.
I am keeping my fingers crossed!
Joanne
This is my 3rd year trying to grow my gardenia. I am hoping that this year will be successful, but so far, not so good. Its still alive for the most part, but with buds that won't open, and I am using an acid fertilizer for gardenias. They are a tough plant to grow.
kanita
Mine's doing well so far......it's held on to the buds it had when I brought it home but none have opened as of yet.
I just keep mine on the porch (unheated) where it gets cool temperatures and plenty of bright light.
I brought it in on the coldest nights, but recently it has stayed in the 40's at night out there (the porch) so I've left it.
I haven't fertilzed at all as it was a recent purchase and it is 'in bud'.
I'll be happy if I can just get those existing buds to open....I'll worry about the dilemma of getting it through the next winter when that time comes!
Hi Nan,
It sounds to me like you are doing everything right and if the buds haven't fallen off I am thinking they are going to open for you.
I have my fingers crossed anyway for you.
My lonely little bud is still on but nothing is happening. I guess the Gardenia's really like the acidic fertilizer and I had been watering it with my African Violet fertilizer which has a higher middle number and lower front number.
Well hopefully by the time this ordeal is over we will be pros at this. LOL!
Joanne
Thanks for the encouragement, Joanne...I'm crossin' my fingers for you, too!
If this one doesn't work for me.....I'm throwin' in the towel on Gardenias, and I love them and am determined to grow one, so hope I don't have to resort to giving up on them!
Oh, and since our water has a high lime content....I've been watering with distilled water.
Hi Nan,
Oh you are so welcome! I wonder if I should switch to distilled water? Our water is hard but that is it as far as I know.
Yes I think I will do the same...like me and ferns don't see eye to eye either!
Joanne
It's so hard to keep it straight with ferns....some of them prefer alkaline soil, so like the 'limey' water, but some of them prefer acid soil, so detest it!
I forget and get lazy about looking it up so I've probably killed a lot of ferns with that water.
I *love* ferns, and they don't always love me back!
So discouraging!!
