How to care for gardenia at home

Gardenia. For those who grow it for the first time, it seems to be an impossibly capricious plant. Those who have been breeding her for many years have already adapted themselves to her whims. Unites both groups one thing - no one is indifferent to beautiful flowers.

But in order to observe them personally each year, some efforts will have to be made. Let's figure out how to care for gardenia at home.

In fact, the whole secret is stability. This flower does not stand changes. Temperature, watering, humidity, even the position in space should always be at the same level and unchanged. The exception is the winter period of rest. Here we will make a start from this basic rule, we read the rest below.

The soil

Gardenia is one of the plants that does not tolerate an alkaline soil reaction. It requires increased acidity.At the same time, the ground must pass through water and air well. Some sources advise to buy in the store land for azaleas. In principle, it is quite suitable, but sometimes its quality leaves much to be desired.

We recommend collecting the soil mix by yourself, because it is very simple. You will need:

• coniferous land
• turf soil
• high peat
• coarse sand

All items must be taken in equal parts, then mix well and disinfect. Get the perfect mix for planting gardenia.

By the way, if the plant was purchased or received as a gift in a shipping pot, then immediately after the end of flowering, repot it. The fact is that the soil is stuffed with flowering stimulants and other not very useful substances. At such a feed, the gardenia will last for about 2 months, then it will simply die.

And do not forget about drainage. Without it, any plant will quickly begin to rot from the root system. To save such a poor fellow is almost impossible.

Council Do not replant a flowering plant. It will almost immediately reset the buds. Wait until the end of flowering.

Shine

However, in the middle lane in summer the sun is especially insidious. It also strives to burn the leaves of gardenia. Therefore, on the southern and western windows we recommend putting a light shading. For example, a screen made of white paper or light-colored fabric will not allow the sheet plates to burn, but will allow a sufficient amount of diffused light to pass through.

Council In winter, any windows will have to include additional lighting.

Temperature

Gardenia clearly sets the temperature limits of its normal growth and flowering. The range is from +17 to + 23 ° С. A step of even 1 degree in either direction ensures that you will not see colors for a very long time.

In winter, everything is simple. Fenced off with glass or plastic bottom of the window from the room, and now the normal microclimate around the pot. And what to do in the summer, when the thermometer is inexorably creeping up? There is an exit. Of course, air moistening will help, but weakly.But after all, every home has a refrigerator with a freezer. It is enough to cram plastic bottles with water there, and in a day the mini air conditioner is ready.

Just put a couple next to the pot, and as the ice melts, replace them with others. The temperature around the plant will drop noticeably. Just do not overdo it! Frozen gardenia is no better than toasted.

Council Do not even think about putting gardenia under the stream of cold air of a real household air conditioner! The plant loves airing, but quickly dies from drafts.

Humidity

A very significant aspect for the normal development of gardenia. The air around should always be humid. Daily and all the time. Even in the winter. Some sources recommend several times a day to spray the crown of the bush. But this is a constant attachment. But flower growers also work, study, go on a visit. It is possible to list forever why it is impossible to sit next to the gardenia.

What to do? To create the required level of moisture artificially:

1. Put the pot on the tray (stand is obligatory). Around spread out sphagnum, peat, expanded clay, hydrogel.Periodically pour water to all the materials literally floated.
2. Arrange around a few extra saucers or glasses. Ensure that they always have water.
3. If there is a room humidifier, then keep it constantly on next to the plant.
4. In the cold season, put a wet towel or blanket on the radiators, moisturize as it dries.
5. Well, do not forget, if possible, more often to spray a crown from a conventional spray gun. Desirable warm and soft (distilled) water.

All these items must be carried out simultaneously. Separate use will bring an insignificant result. And if growing gardenia without a high level of humidity is quite capable, then it will never bloom in dry air.

Council Some gardeners are arranging a mini table on the windowsill, in which gardenia lives. So much easier to maintain the microclimate at the proper level. By the way, this design helps to avoid a sharp temperature drop, which is not very popular with the plant.

Watering

Gardenia does not like drying up the soil so that it can drop all the buds. About the excess water, we have said above.Therefore, you should strictly monitor the level of moisture in the pot. The ground should always be slightly damp, but not damp. Some flower growers are advised to stick a wooden stick into the ground to the bottom, and after 12-14 minutes to look at it.

But today the industry offers a more convenient solution than daily earth-picking. These are special beacons. They are simply stuck into the soil. As soon as at a certain level it dries, the beacon will change color. Very handy thing.

Now directly about drinking. What water can water gardenia? After all, she is very demanding on this item. You can not just pour liquid from the tap and splash it into the pot. Salt contained in such a swill in the blink of an eye will destroy the plant.

Water must be:

• soft
• filtered
• warm
• boiled
• separated

Yes, it is precisely such difficult conditions that are needed for proper watering of gardenia. Plus, once a month you need to add a few drops of lemon juice or 3-5 citric acid crystals to the water. The plant loves sour.

Council If you do not have time to prepare the water for irrigation, then you have a direct way to the store for aquarists.It is there that you can buy special preparations to soften the liquid. Just do everything according to the instructions and within an hour you have a normal supply of water that is quite suitable for irrigation. Only heat it before use.

Feedings

Gardenias are vital. Any mineral with a high content of potassium and phosphorus will do. These trace elements are responsible for high-quality flowering. But from excess nitrogen is to beware, it causes uncontrolled growth of loose shoots.

Some sources recommend feeding gardenia about 1 time every 2 weeks. This is strange advice. How can they know what kind of fertilizer you purchased?

We offer another method. Just follow the manufacturer's instructions, but reduce the dosage by 2 times. And further. On the package should be written "for flowering houseplants." Then you can't go wrong.

Council If you do not have the time or desire to accurately measure the dose, then acquire long-lasting supplements. Such fertilizers are sold in the form of granules or tablets. Just put them in the ground, and when watering the plant itself takes the required number of trace elements.

Pests and diseases

All diseases in gardenia occur for 2 reasons: either from improper care, or as a waste product of pests. And there are a lot of hunters to feast on delicious juice of leaves:

• aphid
• mealybug
• thrips
• scythe
• nematode
• whitefly
• spider mite

Some can be disposed of simply by washing the sheet plates with a solution of household or potassium soap. Others will have to fight for a long time, carefully and with the use of heavy artillery.

In any case, it is impossible to delay. Need to take action immediately. Because gardenia very nervously treats uninvited guests. She drops buds, changes pigmentation, begins to dry quickly and stops growing.

To determine the presence of insects is very simple. In the normal state, the leaves are juicy green, dense, shiny. With the defeat of pests appear incomprehensible points, holes in the leaves, the shoots are deformed, a black or whitish bloom.

You should not risk beauty using grandma's methods of strange composition. Inexperience can only make it worse. It is better to use proven insecticides of famous brands.At least there is indicated the exact dosage and multiplicity of treatments.

Council Do not wait for a miracle in the fight against the nematode. Such a plant cannot be saved. Science is not yet known means to help get rid of this rubbish. No pitying, cut the cuttings and root them. So you get a few young, and most importantly - healthy plants.

How to care for gardenia at home? No more difficult than any other capricious. She just has her own preferences, which you must provide. But the reward for your efforts will get very quickly. Gardenia will reward the caring owners with fabulous flowering and magical scent. Believe me, you should see at least once - and you will love her forever. Then the care will seem nothing more than pleasant troubles in anticipation of a miracle.

Video: the secrets of growing gardenia