Gardenia Bonsai Care Tips

Gardenia Bonsai Care Tips

Lighting: Partial shade to full sun.
Temperature: Zone 7 to 9.
Watering: Do not let it dry and stay dry. Prefers moist soil.

Feeding: Every 2-3 weeks, spring-autumn. Use a fertilizer like Miracid, formulated for acid-loving plants, half-strength. Do not fertilizer when the plants bloom. The plant may also benefit from the administration of chelated iron 2-3 times a year.

Pruning and wiring: Every 2-3 weeks, Spring Autumn. GunaWire from late spring to autumn, taking care to protect the delicate skin and branches. Do not wire while the plants are setting buds, and wire only lignified shoots. Young plants should be pruned after leaf buds have developed a 4-6, 2-3 trimmimg return to form branching. Established bonsai pruning is best done following flowering, pruning only once and then let the new shoots to set buds.

Propagation: End or the middle of the wood cuttings with 6-8 weeks, 4-5 inches long with 2 or 3 sets of leaves. Cuttings can be taken any time of year, but summer is best. Might be propagated by grafting and several cultivars with seeds.

Repotting: Every 1-2 years in late winter or spring, after bloom. Well drained soil high in organic terms. Soil pH between 5.0 and 6.5.The roots are shallow and smooth, so that drastic root pruning is not recommended, and the best if only 10% of the root is removed.

Pests and diseases: Stem rot is distinguished by rough cracked areas that form cankerous growth near the soil line - destroying crops. Sooty mold, aphids, scales, mealybugs and whiteflies, pillows cotony, spider mites, nematodes.

Some species suitable for bonsai:
Gardenia radicans, a dwarf variety. Small leaved, almost creeping version of the species. 1 inch diameter flowers.
Gardenia radicans, variegated dwarf variety.
Gardenia thunbergia