Just received one and it says hardy to zone 6. true? Does it need winter-protection, if so like hydrangeas or like roses?
Thanks. I was going to grow it indoors in a pot but if it'll live outside, why not?
Gardenia jasminoides question
They definitely need winter protection. I killed a Kleim's Hardy last winter. I planted it along the foundation of my house, built a cold frame over it, but it didn't get enough moisture and it mummified (very gruesome.) Someone else might have better ideas for protection, I read of someone in Brooklyn having success wrapping the plant, but personally I would recommend keeping it potted and moving it inside over the winter. :)
The "hardiest" gardenias are Kleim's Hardy, Chuck Hayes, and Frostproof.
-Joe
Thanks Joe. Have no idea what cultivar this one is. You think if I wrapped it like I do the hydrangeas it would overwinter? And do you think it needs part-shade in this zone or should it get more sun?
Joe,
How do you over winter gardenias? For whatever the reason - they tend to die and die quickly once brought in doors...at least for me. Ugh!!
Chantell, you should be able to grow Kleim's Hardy or Chuck Hayes successfully in 7a. Plant them close to your house's foundation and cover them with leaves once the temps go below freezing at night. I would think they would do quite well.
I just had a Kleim's Hardy I thought I killed, welp, no, it's not dead, it's coming back, and it overwintered outside (and freeze dried) here in 6a/5b.
bbinj, I don't think most gardenias can survive outside in our type of weather, even with protection. Only the hardiest varieties stand a chance. I found two gardenias, one a small single shrub, and one a double "tree" type, fore sale at my local Kroger's. When I get the $$$, they are mine, but I will bring them indoors in the winter. I overwinter my plants in my basement under 160 watts of fluorescent shop lights on a 14 hour/10 hour timer of day versus night. I keep them moist, but I'm careful not to overwater them.
I have two coffee shrubs, gardenia relatives, that I have kept alive now for two seasons that way. I will be adding Chuck Hayes to my outdoor experimental plantings this summer. :)
And I still don't have protection perfected. Last winter I tried a cold frame, hence the freeze-drying. This winter I am just going to try a simple leaf mulch.
-Joe
This message was edited May 14, 2007 11:12 PM
Why the leaf mulch if you're bringing them in for the winter?
I picked up the following at my local Lowes: August Beauty, Daisy, and Dwarf Gardenias - their tags showed them hardy to my area. I can certainly plant them up against the foundation of my townhouse but they wouldn't get much relief from the summer sun there. My townhouse faces south-east. Any thoughts on lighting?
Why not plant a quick-growing annual that will grow upwards and give them some mid to late-summer shade; i.e. morning glory, or love-lies-bleeding?
I think they do better with soil a little on the acidic side so they might not do their best right up against the foundation. Also, they may do OK in full sun for you, there was a discussion recently on another gardenia thread and people in humid summer climates seemed to be able to grow them in full sun without problems, but out here where we don't have humidity they'll fry if they get PM sun.
LOL Humidity, eh? Oh...we get LOTS of that here...ugh!!! I've got some cannas coming up for the 1st time (planted last fall) - they'd give them some relief "just in case." And I also have some taro root I picked up but haven't planted yet...hmmmm. If they like the soil on the acidic side is there something I can add to the soil or is that what folks were suggesting with the epsom salt?
Hollytone by Espoma is a good fert for acid-loving plants. I just scrape some garden sulfur into the soil around a plant's base, and mulch with pine needles if I've got em. The more organic matter in the soil, the less its pH is a problem.
Ah Zeppy - thank you...I think I've seen the Hollytone at Lowes or HD...is garden sulfur something you find at stores or is this something I go in search of outside...LOL...sorry to be so ignorant. :)
Should be near the HollyTone, in 5 lb bags. :)
Thanks Zeppy - any help with these is greatly appreciated...I seem to be good at killing them...LOL
Oh, lordy, I don't know how to grow them... sorry if I gave that impression. I was just going by what you said the plant likes. :)
Acid soil, check. A place with a lot of sun, check. Summer humidity, check. Chantell, what say you and I put our gardenias outside in the ground? I'm thinking of where my lilacs, lavender, dianthus, herbs, peonies, and roses thrive. Opinions from the experienced welcomed. And I always mulch with cedar bark.
Leaf mulch for the hardier gardenias that don''t need to go inside, the rest go inside for the winter. :)
-Joe
MINE are most definately going IN the ground...when mine go IN the house...they die...LOL. If these don't make it, I'll have to stick with my Jasmine/Lavender/Rosemary/Lilacs/Rose/Plumies for scent - ROTFL
This message was edited May 15, 2007 1:19 PM
OK, just came in from planting it in the ground, where the lilacs, peonies, dianthus, lavender, roses. Siberian lilies, and various herbs thrive.
Chantell, we'll have to compare notes on our gardenias.
I planted a hardy gardenia this year, too. I plan to mulch it well and keep my fingers crossed next winter (unless I can come up with a better plan). I bought 2 gardenias from Logee's...the hardy gardenia and one that is a house plant. The house plant will be out on the porch this summer but I will have to get a humidity tray before it comes in for the season. Our house is extremely dry once the furnace goes on...ZAP! LOL
Denise
Yes - we'll all have to compare notes and see how these babies do. The 'shooting star' gardenia that I got from Flower Scent Gardens has been in the ground for a week or more...it's the other three (August Beauty, Daisy, and Dwarf) that are still in their pots...ahhh, maybe a project for tonight if the rain holds off. It will be interesting to see which varieties do best...I'd like to find one of those Kleim's Hardy or Chuck Hayes that Joe mentioned above.