How to cultivate gardenia
This article provides netizens with knowledge about growing gardenias at home. Here is a detailed explanation on how to care for gardenias:
Gardenias are fragrant when in bloom and are therefore very popular. However, many people don't know how to care for them after purchasing. Let's explore how to cultivate gardenias:
Gardenias are typical acid soil plants and are afraid of alkaline soil. They thrive on fertilizer, and during the summer, you should water them frequently, and spray the leaves with water morning and evening, as well as sprinkling water on the ground to cool and increase humidity during hot weather. Do not expose them to direct sunlight at noon, as the leaves will definitely turn yellow. Keep the potting soil moist at all times. Water with a 0.2% ferrous sulfate or alum solution every half month (but do not overuse ferrous sulfate) to supplement soluble iron elements in the soil and prevent yellowing leaves.
When growing gardenias at home, it is important to understand their physiological characteristics to make the leaves, flowers, and fruits beautiful and enhance their ornamental value.
1. Prefer acidic soil: If the soil and fertilizer contain alkali, the plant cannot absorb iron, which affects the formation of chlorophyll, causing branches to wither, leaves to burn, and even death. Use fertile, loose, well-drained acidic soil, such as mixing well-rotted pine sawdust into the soil, which also has good results.
2. Prefer shade: Avoid direct sunlight, but some people mistakenly believe that gardenias require full shade, which can lead to mistakes in cultivation. In fact, while ensuring a shaded environment, it is necessary to maintain 60% full-day sunlight to meet their growth requirements.
3. Prefer humidity: If the air humidity is below 70%, it will directly affect the differentiation of flower buds and the growth of flower buds, but excessive moisture can cause root rot, branch withering, and leaf yellowing and falling. In addition to regular watering, the leaves and nearby ground should be sprayed with water to appropriately increase air humidity.
4. Prefer fertilizer: Apply well-rotted soybean cake, sesame seed meal, peanut bran, and other fertilizers, which, after fermentation, can become acidic. However, thin applications of fertilizer are preferred, avoiding thick and raw fertilizers. Do not fertilize during the dormant period. For plants less than three years old, avoid using human waste as fertilizer. Too much nitrogen fertilizer can cause thick branches, large leaves, and dark green color without flowering. A lack of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers can also result in no flowering or withered and fallen flower buds.
5. Prefer warmth: Growth temperature is 18°C to 22°C, and overwintering temperature is 5°C to 10°C. Below -10°C, they are prone to frost damage.
6. Timely pruning: Gardenias have strong germination power and can easily become overlapping and dense, leading to scattered nutrition. When shaping, select three main branches according to the tree shape and always cut off other branches that sprout from the roots. After the flowers fade, the branches should be cut short to promote new growth at the cut. When new branches grow three nodes, pinch the top to prevent excessive growth.
7. Prevent chlorosis. There are four causes:
① Iron deficiency: Too much lime, alkali, phosphorus, and manganese in the soil can affect the plant's absorption of iron, affecting the formation of chlorophyll, causing the veins of young leaves to lose green, spreading to the entire leaf. Apply a 1/500 ferrous sulfate solution or 0.2% alum solution every 10 days.
② Magnesium deficiency: Acidic red soil and excessive potassium and ammonium can easily cause magnesium deficiency, leading to the veins of lower leaves turning yellow. Apply a 1% to 2% magnesium sulfate solution, but excessive application of magnesium can cause calcium deficiency and hinder the development of xylem in roots and stems.
③ Overly wet or dry potting soil.
④ Direct sunlight in summer.
The comprehensive explanation on how to grow gardenias provided above aims to solve your problems with green plants.