my poor gasmin plant.......any help?

Question

my most favorate house plant in the world is the gasmin plant the one with real dark glossy leaves lovely cream beutiful smelling flowers, i think its called gardenia rich beauty, i have had a few over the years and evertime they stop flowering or have the odd flower that turns brown and leaves drop off etc, now i regualy water feed and keep it in the sunny spot its suppost sit in, anyone know why these plants are so hard to keep happy, i have many plants that are fine but when it comes to my favorate one its like..............no way!!

Answer 1

Gardenias prefer acid, moist, well-drained soils. Add plenty of organic matter, such as compost or ground bark, to as large an area as possible. Mulch plants instead of cultivating. A good time to feed gardenias is mid-March, using an acid plant food, fish emulsion or blood meal. Feed the shrubs again in late June to encourage extra flowers on everbloomers or faster growth of young shrubs. Do not fertilize gardenias in the fall. Doing so will stimulate tender growth, which may be killed if the temperature in winter drops below 15 degrees. Gardenias are cold-sensitive and during severe winters can be killed to the ground in the Upstate. Often they regenerate in spring.

Prune shrubs after they have finished flowering to remove straggly branches and faded flowers. Water gardenias regularly. Drip-irrigating the shrubs will keep water off the foliage and blossoms and prevents leaf spots. Regular watering is necessary fter blooming also to keep the plants in good condition and able to withstand winter weather.

Several insects and diseases are likely to show up on your gardenia. When sooty mold coats gardenia leaves in summer, it is usually due to an infestation of whiteflies. These sucking insects look like bits of cotton. While eating, they excrete excess moisture in the form of honeydew and this, in turn, supports the growth of a black fungus. Similar in habit are small gray aphids, which cling to leaf undersides. In sandy soil, nematodes can cause gardenias to be stunted or even die. Nematodes are microscopic worms, which live in the soil and feed on plant roots. Root rots caused by several different fungi can also be a problem, especially in poorly drained soils.

Another problem encountered is “bud drop.” Flower buds abort and drop off just before they open. Common causes include low humidity, overwatering, underwatering, insufficient light and high temperatures (night temperatures between 50 and 55 °F are necessary for the formation offlower buds).

Good luck with your favorate plant.

Answer 2

Jasmine? Blooms continuously throughout the season. Prefer being in the ground, full sun to part shade.

Gardenia? Bloom once then set buds for the following spring. Prune when blooms fade. Like full sun to part shade, fertilize with Epsom salts. Also prefer being in the ground.