Gardenia as a housplant--is it worth it?

[catjac1975]

I do not think they like direct sun!!!!The flowers will burn.

 

[thistlebloom]

Ducks, that acidic composted soil you have....is that from a garden bed by chance? Just asking, because since gardenias are such princesses, I think a high quality commercial potting soil would give you the best outcome.
We're all rooting for your little tree to succeed!

 

[ducks4you]

@catjac1975 , it's good to know about the direct sun. Maybe it will like the office and live there. Again, I'm giving it a week to see.
Yeah, @ninnymary , I was hoping for $6, too. =/
I don't understand why there was a basket of perfectly good mums, about 4 inches tall, just past blooming at Walmart that they were throwing away. You don't try to talk them out of it, either. They also have two roses, marked zone 10, that won't sell.
Rural King is the best place to buy clearance bc during the drought, they had some annuals in hanging baskets that they finally marked "free", so I acquired a few hanging baskets and most of the plants lived after being heavily watered, too. I bought my two $2 hollies there.
I also look at Lowe's and Menard's, where I bought 2 roses, wintered them in my basement windows and they thrived along my front walk this summer. Surprisingly, one was a full sized tea and the other was a mini. I bought a mini rose right after Valentine's Day, again on clearance, from Aldi. It was a surprise color bc there was nothing on the tag to tell me it was red. It's done nicely, too along the front walk.
@thistlebloom, my acidic soil is from my chickens and my horses. When you clean after them, you find places to pile it up and ways to use it. Thanks for the support! Man, it smells great!
I was talking to this women this summer at Rural King, and she was tentatively buying plants. Apparently, her MIL who is a "Master Gardener" has intimidated her. The MIL spends thousands of dollars every year, "gardening." I guess you can solve lots of problems by throwing money at it, INCLUDING gardening!

 

[catjac1975]

I would prune and repot as soon as the flowers are spent. Something in my memory says not too drastic a prune.

 

[ducks4you]

OMGosh, that is great to know. SO, prune, kinda like you would prune back a rose a bit before winter?

 

[thistlebloom]

Just a thought on using garden soil or homegrown compost in container planting... though it's terrific for the outdoor in-ground plantings, it doesn't work well with containers, it tends to compact around the roots too much, as well as having other potential hazards that wouldn't affect a plant outdoors in the ground. Sooo...with something like a gardenia I would definitely part with the cash to give it a good chance at being healthy.

 

[ninnymary]

Ducks, I don't understand your comment about not having to talk to them (Walmart) out of it either? Were you able to get those mums they were throwing away?

Mary

 

[catjac1975]

I am patting myself on the back for my memory.
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/prune-potted-gardenia-indoors-outdoors-45289.html

 

[Nyboy]

Ducks your windows sound great !! What style is your house? Do they open up like french doors? Good Luck with gardernia!!