Gardenias

Discuss growing vegetables, fruits, and herbs.
Post Reply
hsgymcoach.com
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2008 11:30 am

Gardenias

Post by hsgymcoach.com »

Hi,

I planted 3 gardenias last Fall, and everything I've read about them says they require heavy feeding April - November with an acidic fertilizer like you would use for azaleas or rhodies. However, I did a pH test and my soil is already acidic - overly so actually, around 8.0 - so I'm not sure what type of fertilizer to use, if any. Does anyone know?
User avatar
valerie
Posts: 7125
Joined: Sun Sep 05, 2004 12:00 pm

Gardenias

Post by valerie »

You might try just good ol' fish emulsion. It's available in (nearly)

odorless if you can't stand the smell... it never bothers me but my

husband doesn't like it. Besides, you want to have that lovely gardenia

fragrance, right?



If not that, you might try Schultz Instant. I've used both with great

results...



:-6
Tamsen's Dogster Page

http://www.dogster.com/?27525



User avatar
CARLA
Posts: 13033
Joined: Thu Nov 25, 2004 1:00 pm

Gardenias

Post by CARLA »

:D I can smell them already. Love Gardenia's my sister has a huge bush in her back yard monster Gardenia's every year. I will ask her tonight when I see her what the gardner does to make them so beautiful. :D
ALOHA!!

MOTTO TO LIVE BY:

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, champagne in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming.

WOO HOO!!, what a ride!!!"

weeder
Posts: 3130
Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2004 3:05 am

Gardenias

Post by weeder »

hsgymcoach.com;797128 wrote: Hi,

I planted 3 gardenias last Fall, and everything I've read about them says they require heavy feeding April - November with an acidic fertilizer like you would use for azaleas or rhodies. However, I did a pH test and my soil is already acidic - overly so actually, around 8.0 - so I'm not sure what type of fertilizer to use, if any. Does anyone know?


Plant Tone
[FONT=Microsoft Sans Serif][/FONT]
User avatar
Bryn Mawr
Posts: 16113
Joined: Mon Feb 27, 2006 4:54 pm

Gardenias

Post by Bryn Mawr »

hsgymcoach.com;797128 wrote: Hi,

I planted 3 gardenias last Fall, and everything I've read about them says they require heavy feeding April - November with an acidic fertilizer like you would use for azaleas or rhodies. However, I did a pH test and my soil is already acidic - overly so actually, around 8.0 - so I'm not sure what type of fertilizer to use, if any. Does anyone know?


I hate to say this but a pH of 8 is alkaline rather than acid so maybe you do need something to get it down - do you know the range it should be in?
hsgymcoach.com
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2008 11:30 am

Gardenias

Post by hsgymcoach.com »

From what I've read, between 6.0 and 7.0. I added a supplement last fall to bring it down a bit but I haven't tested since. I'm assuming (but don't know for sure) it will have come down to the target range, but I worry that fertilizing will push it back up again.
Post Reply

Return to “Gardening Forum”