Water the gardenia with nutrient water once every 10 days; Sister Li can get 60 blooms at a time

The flower enthusiast Sister Li especially loves gardenias. The gardenias she grows have glossy green leaves and never turn yellow, and she says her gardenias bloom especially abundantly during the flowering season. Once she counted and they had actually produced more than 60 blooms. That is really impressive. When asked how she did it, she said that after retiring she had nothing to do, so she tinkered with growing flowers, and hard work pays off, which is why she can grow them so well. When asked if she had any little secret recipe, she said readily, I will teach you, and you can share it with the flower friends. Today let us talk about Sister Li's little secret for growing gardenias. Thanks again to Sister Li for her selflessness.

Flower friends should all know that gardenias like acidic soil, so Sister Li says the key to growing gardenias well is to keep the gardenia soil acidic. On this point Sister Li has 2 little methods. Let us take a look together.

Soak willow branches in water; gardenias really love it

This method can generally be used in spring, summer and autumn. Flower friends can break off a bit of willow branch when out walking in the park, preferably one grown in the current year. After getting home, cut it into sections, and it is best to crush the bark of the willow branch a little, then put it in a basin, fill it with water and soak for 24 hours, then use it to water the flowers. The effect is really quite good.

The principle is: willow contains salicylic acid. Using willow bark and willow branches soaked in water to make acidic water can maintain the acidity of the soil, so it is especially suitable for gardenias.

Soak orange peel and apple peel in water; the gardenia drinks its fill at one go

This method is generally used in winter, when it is exactly the time for eating oranges and apples. Flower friends can take one orange peel and soak it together with leftover apple cores and apple peels. After 3 hours, the water can be taken out to water the flowers. This method is relatively simple and does not require fermentation, and is especially suitable for flower friends living in apartment buildings. The effect after use is also amazing.

However, if you want to achieve the purpose of fertilizing, you can also chop the orange peel and apple peel, put them into a plastic bottle, add rice-washing water to 8 parts full, and place it in the sun to ferment. In summer, after about 20 days it can be used to water gardenias.

But it must be diluted with water at a ratio of 1:20. Flower friends can give it a try. Flower fertilizer fermented this way will have a slightly sour off-odor.

If you want to grow gardenias well, other aspects of care also need attention. Let us take a look together!

1. Light and temperature

The most suitable temperature for gardenia growth is 18°C-22°C. In summer, gardenias should be placed in a well-ventilated spot with high air humidity and good light for care. In winter, they should be placed in a sunny environment no lower than about 0°C, allowing them to go dormant naturally. If the temperature is too high, it will affect flowering the following year.

It is afraid of direct strong light and requires about 50% shade. If exposed to the sun, the leaves turn yellow and white until they fall off, so in summer it must be placed in a shaded spot or a place with scattered light for care. Let it receive light in the morning and evening to avoid yellowing leaves.

2. Watering

Gardenias like moisture. During the growing period, the potting soil should be kept moist, and attention should be paid to increasing air humidity. In summer during high temperatures and dry weather, water more; in spring and summer, spray the leaf surface with clean water every morning and evening, and also sprinkle water on the ground around the pot to increase air humidity; in winter, water less, but still frequently spray and wash the branches and leaves to keep the leaf surface clean.

3. Pruning

Cutting off the top shoots of gardenias to promote branching helps them bloom more. Flower buds form every year in April, so when removing some branches from the main trunk in April-May, care should be taken to keep the flower buds. After the flowers fade in June, prune them off promptly. This can reduce nutrient consumption and promote new branches. When new branches grow to 2-3 nodes, carry out the first pinching to reduce the loss of nutrients.