How to propagate gardenia? Mastering these key points is crucial

Gardenia is one of the most popular garden and potted flowers, and the large-flowered double varieties have made gardenia even more famous. Due to its growth habits, gardenia is grown as a potted plant in northern China and needs to overwinter indoors in winter. Here is an introduction to the precautions for propagating gardenia.

Gardenia

For propagation, use cuttings. In April and May, cut one-year-old mature and robust branches into 10-15 cm lengths, keeping 2-3 leaves at the top, and insert them into a sand bed. At a temperature above 20 degrees and relative humidity above 80%, roots will form in about 40 days. If you first dip the cutting in vitamin B12 injection solution, take it out and let it dry for one or two minutes, and insert it after the solution has been absorbed into the cutting, the rooting time can be shortened by about 10 days and the rooting rate can be increased. The cuttings sand bed should be covered with plastic film to keep warm and moist. For small-scale propagation, you can also soak them in water in a glass cup; at a temperature of 20-28 degrees, roots will also form after about 40 days. Sowing can also be used for propagation. Seeds can be sown immediately after being received, but because the seeds have a long dormancy period, they often do not germinate until more than a year later, and cultivated varieties mostly do not set seed, so this method is rarely used.

Gardenia cultivation methods: gardenia cultivation methods and precautions

Gardenia, also known as yellow gardenia, white gardenia, etc., is an evergreen shrub or small tree of the Rubiaceae family, native to central China, and is now widely cultivated in various places.

To grow gardenia at home, you must understand its physiological characteristics well so that the leaves, flowers, and fruits are all beautiful and its ornamental value is enhanced.

Soil. Gardenia likes to grow in acidic soil containing more humus. It can be mixed using 4 parts leaf mold, 4 parts vegetable garden soil, 1 part soybean meal (decomposed), and 1 part river sand, with good water permeability and air permeability, plus 0.5% black alum or sulfur mixed in for use.

Temperature. 20-25°C is the optimal temperature for gardenia growth and development, and the suitable flowering temperature is 26-28°C. Plants cultivated for 4-5 years can endure short periods of -3°C low temperature, but below -5°C they suffer cold damage, the leaves turn black and fall off, and young tender branches freeze to death. In winter, indoor care should maintain 6-10°C, and it must not be lower than 0°C. If the room temperature is above 15°C, the south-facing doors and windows should be opened for proper ventilation to lower the temperature; otherwise it is prone to sprouting, and once low temperatures occur it will be harmed, which is extremely unfavorable for growth and flowering the following year.

Light. Gardenia likes sufficient light, especially in spring and autumn, and should receive more than 8 hours of sunlight daily, otherwise it is unfavorable for its growth and development and winter overwintering. In summer, avoid strong sunlight at noon, otherwise the leaves will turn yellow. It should be placed in a place with diffused light for care, with a light transmittance of 40-50% as suitable. In winter, place it indoors in a spot with direct south-facing sunlight.

Fertilization. Gardenia is not a flower that especially loves fertilizer, but because it grows vigorously and is limited by the limited nutrients in the pot soil, it needs reasonable supplementary fertilizer during the growing period. Apply decomposed human manure or cake fertilizer once every 10 days or so. Watering should be stopped 1 day before fertilizing, and on the day of fertilizing, water thoroughly once at the same time. Stop fertilizing from mid-September. For adult plants, add sesame paste residue once each in mid-June and mid-August, 0.5-1 liang each time, crushed and fully mixed with the surface soil.

Watering. Gardenia likes plenty of water, and some people call it "water gardenia." In spring, because there is much wind, strong wind, dry air, and little rainfall, water once every 3 days, and sprinkle water around the potted flowers every morning and evening to increase air humidity. In summer after the dog days begin, the weather is hot, so water less in the morning and water thoroughly after 2 p.m. In summer, watering with soft water is preferable, because hard water contains more calcium and magnesium salts, which is very unfavorable for gardenia growth; in mild cases the branches and leaves turn yellow, and in severe cases they soon die. To overcome the alkalinity of the soil and water quality, water once a week with alum fertilizer water during the growing season, so that gardenia keeps its branches and leaves dark green. In winter, watering should be controlled, and do not water unless the soil is dry. Long-term excessive water content can easily cause root rot and death.

Pinching. In order to regulate and control the growth of gardenia, make the plant shape beautiful, and promote flowering, when vigorous growth is about to stop in spring, remove the tips of new branches to promote plump axillary buds at the base of the branches and the formation of flower buds.

Precautions for gardenia

Gardenia is often prone to chlorosis with yellowing leaves. Chlorosis is caused by many reasons, so different measures must be taken for prevention and control. Chlorosis caused by fertilizer deficiency: this kind of chlorosis starts from the old leaves at the lower part of the plant and gradually spreads to the new leaves. Nitrogen deficiency: simply yellow leaves, with new leaves small and brittle. Potassium deficiency: old leaves change from green to brown. Phosphorus deficiency: old leaves appear purplish red or dark red. For the above situations, topdress with decomposed human manure or cake fertilizer. Chlorosis caused by iron deficiency: this kind of chlorosis appears on new leaves; at first the leaves are light yellow or white, while the leaf veins remain green, and in severe cases the leaf veins also turn yellow or white, and eventually the leaves dry up and die. For this situation, spray 0.2%-0.5% ferrous sulfate aqueous solution for prevention and control. Chlorosis caused by magnesium deficiency: this kind of chlorosis starts from old leaves and gradually develops toward new leaves, the leaf veins still remain green, and in severe cases the leaves fall off and the plant dies. For this situation, spray 0.7%-0.8% boron-magnesium fertilizer for prevention and control. Excessive watering, freezing, and other factors can also cause yellow leaves, so special attention must be paid during care

Key points for gardenia cultivation

China has a long history of cultivating gardenia. From the 17th to the 18th century, gardenia was introduced to Europe, arousing widespread interest among local gardeners and flower enthusiasts, and in the early 19th century it was introduced to the United States. Through continuous breeding, many new varieties of gardenia have appeared, such as double-flowered winter-blooming types, potted types that bloom in all four seasons, varieties specially used for cut flowers, and single and double varieties with yellow and white spots on the leaves.

The gardenia plant is 1 m to 2 m tall, with pale yellow roots and many-branched stems. The leaves are simple and opposite, with a few in whorls of 3, leathery, glossy, oblong-elliptic, and entire. The stipules are membranous, usually 2 fused into a tube, surrounding the branchlets. The flowers are large, white, with short stalks, fragrant, solitary at the branch tips or in leaf axils. The calyx is green, cylindrical, gradually narrowing at the base, with several lobes at the tip, and the tube is nearly as long as the lobes. After opening, the corolla is salver-shaped, usually with 6 petals, but also 5 or 7. The capsule is obovate or elliptical, golden yellow or orange-red when ripe, with 5 to 8 winged longitudinal ridges, and at the tip 5 to 8 narrowly lanceolate persistent calyx lobes, nearly equal in length to the fruit body. Seeds are numerous, flat-round, and yellowish white. The flowering period is from May to June, and the fruit ripening period is from November to December.

Gardenia likes humid air and a warm climate, and grows better in well-drained, loose, fertile acidic soil. It is relatively shade-tolerant but poor in cold tolerance; at -12°C the leaves freeze and fall off, and in North China it is often cultivated in greenhouses. Its sprouting ability and tillering ability are both strong, and it is tolerant of pruning.

Propagation is usually carried out by cuttings, layering, and sowing. Cuttings are done during the plum rain season, when air humidity is high and the temperature is 20°C to 25°C, which is favorable for rooting. The cuttings can use robust young branches of the current year, cut into 15 cm segments, retaining 2 to 3 upper leaves, and inserted into a seedbed of loose, permeable sandy soil, with 2/3 of the cutting inserted into the soil and proper shading, giving a high survival rate. Layering is carried out in early April; select robust 2- to 3-year-old branches and press them into the soil, and roots can form in about 1 month. In mid-to-late June, separate them from the mother plant and transplant them to a seedbed for management and cultivation. For sowing and seedling raising, spring sowing is preferable, but seedlings grown from seed flower relatively late.

Transplanting seedlings is best done during the plum rain season. When planting, the plant should be kept with a soil ball, and a fertile, loose, moist site should be chosen for planting. During the high-temperature period in summer, water frequently to increase humidity. Before flowering, apply more decomposed fertilizer water, applying 10% human manure or soybean cake water around the roots, which can promote lush leaves and large flowers with a rich fragrance. After autumn begins, apply less or no fertilizer, hence the saying "do not fertilize after autumn," to avoid excessive growth of branches and leaves and susceptibility to cold damage. If gardenia leaves are found to be yellowing, apply alum fertilizer water (containing 1% ferrous sulfate), which can turn the leaves bright green. For potted gardenia, prepare a fertile, loose, acidic culture soil rich in humus. During the growing period, keep water sufficient, which can promote bud formation and flowering. After Frost's Descent, move indoors to overwinter. If aphids or horned wax scales are found on the leaves during the rainy season, spray 1000-fold dimethoate solution for control.

Gardenia is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine, with the fruit used medicinally. It has the functions of purging fire and relieving restlessness, clearing heat and draining dampness, and cooling blood and detoxifying. Its fruit can also be used to make dye.

Eight tips and care points for daily gardenia cultivation

Many people like to grow some plants, and gardenia is one of them. It is pure white and elegant, with a pleasant fragrance and good decorative effect, so it is loved by everyone. Many people buy gardenia without any flower-growing experience and often see it wither, so they want to ask how gardenia should be grown. Below, the editor of Shengduoduo Decoration Network summarizes for everyone eight tips and care points for daily gardenia cultivation. Let's take a look.
Eight tips and care points for daily gardenia cultivation
First, grow in acidic soil
Gardenia needs diffused light, so it likes acidic soil. If the soil is alkaline, gardenia cannot absorb iron well, which greatly affects the formation of chlorophyll and further causes the flowering branches to wither and even die. Therefore, its soil must be loose, fertile acidic soil, and some substances with this effect can also be added to it.
Second, place in a cool place
Gardenia must never be placed in blazing sunlight, otherwise the leaves will wither and yellow, but this does not mean placing it in full shade, because it still has a certain demand for light. It is best to place it where it maintains 60% light daily. In addition, after April begins, fertilize twice a month.
Third, air humidity
Gardenia likes moisture, so the air must not be too dry. According to expert statistics, if the air humidity is below 70%, it will affect the normal opening of the flowers, but if it is too wet, it will cause root and stem rot and yellow leaves. Therefore, in addition to normal watering, clean water should also be sprayed nearby frequently. Another issue to pay great attention to is that water must not be applied too much, otherwise it will also affect growth. When you see the soil is dry, tap the flower pot with your hand; if there is a hollow sound, it needs watering, and stop when water begins to leak from the bottom of the pot. The water used is best mixed with some egg or soybean milk, as this is more favorable for growth.
Fourth, key points for fertilizing
Gardenia likes fertilizer, but too much fertilizer must not be added at one time. Be sure to apply thin fertilizer frequently, and never cut corners, otherwise the branches will become thick, the leaves large and dark green, and it will lose its own ornamental effect.

Fifth, temperature requirements
The growing temperature for gardenia must not be too low, because it likes warmth. Generally speaking, the suitable growing period temperature is 18 to 22 degrees, and in winter 5 to 10 degrees. If it is below minus 10 degrees, it will suffer cold damage, and the north must pay special attention to this.
Sixth, proper pruning
Gardenia very easily grows with luxuriant branches and leaves, creating a feeling of being impervious to wind and messy, which causes nutrients to be dispersed and reduces ornamental value. Therefore, it needs pruning. When pruning, it is best to retain 3 main branches and at any time cut off new shoots sprouting from root suckers. After the flowers fade, the branches should be cut short in time, so that new branches will sprout below the cut. When the new branches grow three nodes, pinch them to avoid blind growth.
Seventh, disease prevention
Generally, the gardenia diseases we see are of four kinds:
a. Iron deficiency, this is the most common kind. Iron deficiency affects the formation of chlorophyll, then causes the leaves to lose green. At this time, ferrous sulfate water and low-concentration black alum water can be used, three times a month.
b. Magnesium deficiency. Magnesium deficiency causes the leaf veins of the lower old leaves of gardenia to turn yellow. At this time, a low-concentration magnesium sulfate solution should be sprayed.
c. Soil too wet or too dry, see point three
d. Exposure to blazing sunlight, see point two.
Eighth, propagation methods
Gardenia generally has two propagation methods: cuttings and layering
a. Cuttings: during the plum rain season, use young branches 15 cm long and insert them into a seedbed; they root in 10-12 days
b. In April, select 2-year-old branches, 20-25 cm long, press and bury them in the soil, keep them moist, and they root in about 30 days. Separate them from the mother plant in summer and plant them separately the following spring.
Precautions for gardenia cultivation
1. The propagation methods of gardenia are cuttings, layering, and division.
2. Pay attention to the prevention and control of pests and diseases in gardenia. Generally, gardenia is prone to yellow horse disease, and in addition leaf spot disease, canker disease, and others occur from time to time, so we should pay more attention. Gardenia is also easily attacked by a pest called Ma's whitefly. If you encounter this, you can consult professionals for pest control.
3. Gardenia is very sensitive to water, so a clay pot with good air permeability should be used as the pot bottom, so that watering gardenia will not cause water accumulation, which can lead to yellowing and falling leaves and, in severe cases, even the death of the plant.
4. Regarding the cutting time for gardenia, April in the first half of the year and August to September in the second half are the best. These two periods are the best seasons for gardenia propagation.
5. Fertilizing is not suitable before or after gardenia cuttings. At this time, it only needs natural growth; even natural fertilizer, urea, chemical fertilizer, and so on are not acceptable.
The cultivation method of gardenia is not complicated. On the contrary, it is a relatively easy plant to care for. No matter which corner it is placed in, it exerts its own small value, especially in early summer when the flowers bloom, and the floral fragrance is refreshing. To learn more about small-apartment decoration cases and decoration knowledge, please follow Shengduoduo Decoration Network, a decoration platform that makes decoration worry-free and money-saving.