What are the things to note when growing gardenias at home?
Things to note when growing gardenias at home
Gardenia: The gardenia is an evergreen shrub or small tree, and there are four commonly seen types: (1) Large-flowered gardenia, also known as river-flower gardenia. The leaves are large and long-elliptical, the flowers are large and mostly double, with a strong fragrance. (2) Small-leaved gardenia, also known as sparrow-tongue flower. The plant is short and small, the flowers are relatively small, double, with a very strong fragrance. (3) Oval-leaved gardenia, with relatively small, obovate leaves, bearing single small white flowers with a delicate fragrance. (4) Walnut-pattern gardenia, with large, ovate leaves, prominently raised veins in a mottled pattern, large flowers and a relatively light fragrance.
The gardenia by nature likes a warm, humid climate and is not cold-tolerant; south of the Yangtze River it can overwinter in the open ground, while in the north it is always grown in pots and moved indoors to overwinter in winter. It likes light and also tolerates shade; when the summer sunlight is intense, it should be kept in a semi-shaded place. The leaves should be sprayed with water frequently. If strong direct light, high temperature and excessive watering are combined, it is most likely to cause yellow leaves and even the death of the whole plant. The gardenia likes fertile, loose, well-drained, slightly acidic sandy soil.
Things to note when keeping gardenias at home in the north
The gardenia is a flower that many flower lovers greatly adore, but in the north of our country, many flower lovers do not know how to grow gardenias well. In fact, the gardenia is relatively cold-tolerant, tolerates partial shade, fears waterlogging, and requires loose, fertile, acidic sandy loam.
Gardenia
The gardenia requires relatively high air humidity. In northern homes, you can put clean water in the saucer and place a thin board (about 3 cm) on it; the water in the saucer should not cover the thin board, and the flower pot can be placed on the thin board, taking care to add water frequently. The principle of watering is to water thoroughly once the soil is completely dry; rainwater, snow water or fermented rice-washing water is best for watering, and if it is tap water, let it sit for 2 to 3 days before use. During the growing season, water once every 7 to 10 days with water containing 0.2% ferrous sulfate, or apply alum fertilizer water once. In summer, the gardenia should be kept in a place with scattered light under the shade of trees, and in spring, summer and early autumn it should be watered and sprayed on the leaves frequently to increase humidity. In winter it should be placed in a sunny spot, fertilization should be stopped, and it should not be watered too much; you can frequently rinse the branches and leaves with water close to room temperature to keep the leaf surface clean, especially in rooms with heating in the north. Do not place the flower pot directly in front of a radiator or air conditioner, to avoid dehydration of the leaves.
How to grow potted gardenias: growing methods and things to note for gardenias
The gardenia is a common houseplant, evergreen all year round, with fragrant and elegantly simple flowers, especially fresh and lovely, and is a houseplant that many people like to grow. So how do you grow a potted gardenia at home? Below is a detailed introduction to the growing methods and things to note for gardenias.
Introduction to the gardenia
The gardenia, also known as zhizi, originated in our country and is mainly distributed in Sichuan, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi, Guangdong, Yunnan, Fujian, Taiwan, China, Hunan and other places. The gardenia's leaves are evergreen all year round, its flowers are fragrant and elegantly simple, with green leaves and white flowers, especially fresh and lovely. It is suitable for planting in front of steps, beside ponds and along roadsides, and grows well whether planted in the ground or in pots in courtyards, patios and under tree shade. It can also be used as a flowering hedge and for potted ornamental display, and the flowers can also be used for cut-flower arrangements and worn as decoration. The gardenia likes a warm, humid environment with ample sunlight, is relatively cold-tolerant, tolerates partial shade, fears waterlogging, and requires loose, fertile, acidic sandy loam.
How to grow potted gardenias
I. Propagation methods for gardenias
Cuttage method
Gardenia branches root very easily. In the warm south this is often done from March to October, while in the north it is often done from May to June. Cut healthy, mature branches and insert them in a sand bed; as long as they are kept moist, they root and survive very easily. Water cuttings are far superior to soil cuttings, with a survival rate close to 100%. This is done from April to July: cut the cuttings, keep only the top 2 leaves and the growing tip, and insert them in a container filled with clean water, changing the water frequently to prevent the cut end from rotting; after 3 weeks they begin to root.
Layering method
This is generally done around Qingming in April or during the plum rain season. In April, select 1-year-old healthy branches 25 to 30 cm long from 3-year-old mother plants and layer them: pull them down to the ground and wound the part of the branch that enters the soil; if you can dip the wounded part in 200 ppm powdered naphthalene acetic acid and then cover it with soil and press it firm, rooting is even easier. If there is a three-forked branch, then at the fork you can obtain three seedlings at once. Generally, roots form after 20 to 30 days; after rooting in June they can be separated from the mother plant, and by the following spring they can be divided and replanted with soil or potted individually.
Transplanting seedlings or potting is best done in spring, during the plum rain season, and a soil ball is needed. During the growing season keep the soil moist, and water more during the flowering period and midsummer. Fertilize once a month, and add one extra application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer before flowering. In early spring of the following year, prune and shape, and promptly cut off dead branches and leggy branches.
Sowing method
Generally, plump, dark-red ripe fruits are selected, dried in the shell or air-dried to use as seed. Before sowing, use scissors to cut open the fruit skin of the seeds, dig out the seeds, rub them apart in hot water, remove floating seeds or impurities, then scoop out the sunken, plump seeds, spread them on a bamboo mat, and place them in a ventilated place to air off excess moisture. Generally, a sunny hillside or earthen plot with deep, loose, fertile sandy loam is chosen for sowing; field edges and corners can be used for planting, or intercropping and relay cropping with leguminous plants can be done. Before planting, plow the land 1 to 1.5 chi deep, remove stumps of miscellaneous trees, and build beds with a bed surface width of 4 to 5 chi (the distance can be larger if the soil is good, otherwise smaller), with a bed height of 6 cun; soil-and-miscellaneous manure, green manure or human and livestock manure water can be applied as base fertilizer, for example applying 20 to 30 dan of human excrement and urine per mu, and after the soil dries, shallowly rake the clods and level the bed surface. On the bed surface, open sowing furrows at a row spacing of 6 to 7 cun, with a furrow depth of about 1 cun, ready for sowing.
Gardenias can be sown in spring or autumn, generally mostly in spring; spring sowing is done around Yushui, and autumn sowing around Qiufen. When sowing, mix the seeds with wood ash and sow them evenly in the sowing furrows, then cover and level the furrows with fine soil or burnt soil, cover with grass and sprinkle water, keeping the soil moist frequently to help seedlings emerge, using 4 to 6 jin of seed per mu. After seedlings emerge, take care to remove the covering grass promptly; during the seedling stage, weed frequently, taking care not to damage the seedling roots, and after weeding, topdress with dilute human excrement and urine water each time. After one year of raising seedlings, they can be transplanted. If transport is over a long distance, it is best to coat the roots with yellow mud slurry, cover with grass to retain moisture, plant one plant per hole, then cover with soil, press firm and sprinkle water. After planting, cultivate and weed and topdress once each in spring and summer every year; human and livestock manure, stable manure, compost, cake fertilizer and so on can all be applied. Before flowering in summer, it is better to apply fertilizer with higher phosphorus and potassium content; fertilization is generally done after weeding and loosening the soil.
II. Growing methods for potted gardenias
1. Choice of soil
The gardenia is an acid-loving flower, with a suitable pH of 5 to 6. If the soil acidity is unsuitable, future management will achieve twice the result with half the effort. For the growing soil, you can choose leaf mold, peat soil, or composted sawdust plus half garden soil; avoid old wall soil and coal cinder, and the commercially available clivia soil is more convenient and practical. If the soil and water-fertilizer contain alkali, the plant cannot absorb iron, thereby affecting the formation of chlorophyll, causing branches to wither, leaves to scorch, and even death.
2. Propagation methods
Cuttage and layering are commonly used for propagation. For cuttage, in the plum rain season use young branches 15 cm long and insert them in a seedbed; they root in 10 to 12 days. For layering, in April select 2-year-old branches 20 to 25 cm long, layer and bury them in soil, keep moist, and they root in about 30 days; separate from the mother plant in summer and replant in the following spring. For transplanting seedlings or potting, spring is best, during the plum rain season, and a soil ball is needed. During the growing season keep the soil moist, and water more during the flowering period and midsummer. Fertilize once a month, and add one extra application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer before flowering. In early spring of the following year, prune and shape, and promptly cut off dead branches and leggy branches. Related recommendation: Propagation methods for gardenias
3. Potting up
For potted gardenias, potting up is best done around April, using loose, slightly acidic soil. After planting, water thoroughly, place in a semi-shaded spot outdoors, and pay attention to watering and spraying the leaves normally; after about 15 days, once the plant has settled in, move on to normal care.
Daily care and things to note for potted gardenias
1. Watering
How to water gardenias when growing them
The gardenia likes moist soil and relatively high air humidity. During the growing season from April to September, keep the potting soil moist. Water whenever the surface of the potting soil looks dry, and in the evening you can use a watering can to sprinkle water on the leaves. If it dries out completely and wilts, it will be bad for growth. For plants that grow too vigorously with relatively long internodes, do not water in the evening; water again after the sun comes out in the morning. In northern regions with alkaline water, let tap water sit for two days before use. Every three to five days, water thoroughly once with an aqueous solution containing 0.5 g citric acid and 1 g ferrous sulfate per liter, which can make the leaves glossy and emerald green.
2. Fertilizing
Topdress promptly in May, applying 1 to 2 times a nitrogen-phosphorus combined fertilizer. At the same time, note that the potting soil must not be too wet; avoid poor drainage or waterlogging after rain, otherwise it will cause leaf drop or flower bud rot and no flowers will open. The gardenia likes fertilizer, and it is suitable to apply decomposed bean cake, sesame paste residue, peanut bran and other fertilizers, which can become acidic after fermentation and decomposition, but you must apply thin fertilizer frequently, and strictly avoid concentrated fertilizer and raw fertilizer; do not fertilize during the winter dormancy period. For plants grown for less than three years, strictly avoid applying human excrement and urine. Applying too much nitrogen fertilizer will cause thick branches, large leaves and dark green color, but no flowering. When phosphorus and potassium fertilizer are lacking, non-flowering or flower bud withering and dropping will also occur.
3. Light
The gardenia likes cool shade and must never be exposed to scorching sun, but some people mistakenly think that the gardenia requires full shade, thus causing mistakes in cultivation. In fact, while paying attention to providing a cool, shaded environment, you should maintain 60% of full-day light to meet its growth needs. In summer and autumn, prevent exposure to scorching sun to avoid yellowing and withering of the leaves, which affects the ornamental value. From April onward, apply thin fertilizer once every 10 to 15 days, and once there are flower buds you must not water too much. This flower fears waterlogging; once waterlogged, the leaf edges turn black.
4. Humidity
It likes moisture; if the air humidity is below 70%, it will directly affect flower bud differentiation and the growth of flower buds, but excessive moisture will in turn cause root rot, branch withering, and yellowing and dropping of leaves. In addition to normal watering, you should frequently spray clean water on the leaf surface and nearby ground to appropriately increase air humidity. Once there are flower buds, do not water too much, otherwise it will cause bud drop. Apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizer and thin the buds to prevent bud drop. Generally, when you see the soil is dry, tap the clay pot with your hand (like tapping a watermelon); when you hear that hollow "dang dang" sound, water until water leaks out from the bottom. For watering the flowers, use tap water drawn the day before and left to sit for a day and a night, mixed with some of the upper layer of decomposed fertilizer water made from rice-washing water, lemon peel, crushed bones, eggs, soybean milk and so on; it smells a little bad, but after watering it disperses after a while, or let rice-washing water sit for a few days until it turns sour and water it on the roots.
5. Temperature
Likes warmth: 18°C to 22°C during the growing season, 5°C to 10°C during the overwintering period; below -10°C it is prone to frost damage.
6. Placement of potted plants
The gardenia likes partial shade, so potted plants should be placed in a semi-shaded spot for care, and must never be exposed to scorching summer sun. In winter, appropriate freeze protection and warmth should be provided, placing it in a south-facing, wind-sheltered, warm balcony or warm shed to overwinter.
7. Timely pruning
Gardenias need timely pruning
The gardenia has strong sprouting ability, and branches easily overlap, becoming too dense for ventilation and dispersing nutrients. When shaping, select and keep three main branches according to the tree form, and always cut off other branches sprouting from root suckers. After the flowers fade, the branches should be cut back promptly to encourage new branches to sprout below the cut. When new branches grow three nodes, pinch off the tips to prevent blind growth.
8. Timely repotting and soil changing
Use a small pot for small seedlings, and gradually move them into larger pots. When the crown width is 2 to 3 times the pot's diameter, it is time to repot. This can be done at any time during the growing season. After knocking the plant out of the pot, plant it with the soil ball into a new pot, with a diameter about 5 cm larger than the original pot. For home potting, when the pot reaches about 28 cm, generally no more repotting is done and only the potting soil is changed. Changing the soil in March of spring is better. After knocking the plant out of the pot, cut off some old roots, shake off half the old soil, plant it in the pot with new soil, water thoroughly, place in a warm, semi-shaded spot, and move it into the sun for care when new buds begin to sprout.
9. Winter dormancy
Gardenias can overwinter in the open ground in the Qinling area of our country, but potted gardenias will suffer root damage after a harsh winter, and recover slowly in spring. Overwintering indoors with heating avoids frost damage, but with insufficient light the growth is weak and spindly, most of the young buds formed in autumn drop off, and flowering is late the next year. A better method is to place the potted flower in a cold room at about 5°C to let it go dormant, or wrap the flower pot well with foam plastic and other insulating materials to protect the root system, and place it in a wind-sheltered, sunny spot to overwinter; then it recovers quickly in spring and flowers early.
10. Prevent chlorosis
There are four causes: ① Iron deficiency. Too much lime, alkali, phosphorus, manganese and so on in the soil will all affect the plant's absorption of iron and affect chlorophyll formation, causing the veins of young leaves to lose green, spreading over the entire leaf; you can apply 1/500 ferrous sulfate water or 0.2% black alum water once every 10 days. ② Magnesium deficiency. Acidic red loam and excess potassium and ammonium easily cause magnesium deficiency, causing the veins of the lower old leaves to lose green and turn yellow; you can spray with a 1% to 2% magnesium sulfate solution, but excessive application of magnesium will in turn cause calcium deficiency and hinder the development of the xylem in roots and stems. ③ Potting soil too wet or too dry. ④ Scorching sun in summer.
11. Pests and diseases
Leaf spot and chlorosis commonly occur. For leaf spot, spray with 65% zineb wettable powder at 600 times dilution; regularly add 0.1% ferrous sulfate solution to the watering to prevent chlorosis. Pests include slug moths, scale insects and whiteflies; spray with 2.5% deltamethrin EC at 3000 times dilution to kill slug moths, and with 40% omethoate EC at 1500 times dilution to kill scale insects and whiteflies.