Gardenia flowers bloom beautifully but always get yellow leaves - they must be starving from lack of fertilizer.

Gardenias are prone to yellow leaves, a problem most flower growers encounter frequently. There are many causes of yellow leaves on gardenias, and most are caused by improper watering. In fact, improper fertilizing can also easily cause yellow leaves. Today let's take a look at the signs of fertilizer deficiency in gardenias.

This flower grower's gardenia is still in good shape. The yellowing leaves and dropping flower buds are largely due to fertilizer not keeping up.

Plants need a certain amount of nutrients to bloom. If nutrient supply is insufficient in the early stage and blooming is forced, then the old leaves at the bottom will turn yellow and drop due to nutrient deficiency. This is a natural phenomenon.

In this situation, the gardenia needs frequent ventilation and moderate watering to keep the soil moist. After the flowers finish blooming, once the nutrient supply is sufficient, new tender shoots will emerge from the bottom and gradually grow well.

During the bud stage of the gardenia, sufficient fertilizer should be applied. If using fertilizer, use some phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, which can promote blooming and keep the leaves glossy green. Use it once or twice a month, and not too much at one time, because during the flowering period, using too much will cause severe lateral bud differentiation, overly lush leaves, and dropping flower buds. Use it for one month and then stop; after the flowers finish blooming, supplement with a multi-element fertilizer.

To grow gardenias well and avoid yellow leaves and bud drop during blooming, fertilizer must keep up in the early stage. Before blooming, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer must be supplemented in time, applying fertilizer two to three times a month, until the plant sends out flower buds and the buds begin to swell, then stop fertilizing. This way, more buds will differentiate and the flowers will be vigorous, without short flowering periods, yellow leaves, or bud drop.