When Does a Gardenia Bloom?

What’s the Blossom Time for Gardenia?

Gardenia blooms from mid-spring to early summer, but on some plants, flowering can continue for over a month. The flowers are typically white with a yellow center and come in multiple colors. The blooms are commonly used as an attractive cut flower. Although gardenias don’t offer much in the way of landscapes, they do blend extremely well with other flowers.

The blooms generally last for four to six weeks, sometimes longer if they’re cut. Gardenias are grown as bulbs for the convenience of their quick flowering. Many gardeners choose to either plant them in groups, or separate one container full into several pots which can be placed on a deck or patio.

What Factors affect the Gardenia Bloom Time?

The bloom time is the length of time it takes for a plant to produce flowers. The length of the blooming period can be affected by many factors such as light, temperature, and humidity.

Time to Plant

Gardenias are best planted in early fall, about 6 weeks before the last frost date in your area. If you reside in a hardiness zone less than 7, make sure to plant your Gardenias in the spring to allow your blooms plenty of time to establish in before the first frost.

Soil Conditions

Gardenias prefer acidic soil. They do best in moist, well-drained soils with an acidic pH of 5.0 to 6.0. Ensure your soil is also loose and organic. Additionally, add a layer of organic mulch around the roots to help retain moisture.

Prune at the right time

When prune at the right time, you can avoid prune diseases and its effects. Prune too early and it may cause disease to spread. Too late will also affect the quality of your flowers because most pruning happens when flower buds are forming in the stem tips.

Light Conditions

Gardenias need full sun to bloom well. In order for your gardenia to bloom, it needs at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. The amount of light will determine how long your gardenia bloom will last. For example, the Cone type of gardenias is optimally planted in full sun to enjoy their long bloom period. They do not require much soil additives for best-blooming results as they tend to be low maintenance species with no foliage growth that makes them expensive compared to other cultivars.

Temperature and Humidity Levels

Gardenias require a moderate level of humidity and temperatures generally bloom best in climates between 70F to 75 F (21 C) and a relative humidity level of at least 45% with temperatures exceeding 80F (27C). Gardenia plants generally don’t need too much water. Some Gardenia cultivars can tolerate light watering, but it is best to avoid overwatering particularly during the winter months.

Taking Care of Your Flowers

Most Gardenias will require 2-3 fertiliser treatments each year. Gardenia fertiliser should be used in February and March, then again in September and October.  Gardenia flowers do not require as much attention as other plants, but they can still benefit from a weekly water application. When growing your gardenia, you may need to water it during times of extreme heat. If watering in these dry months, ensure the soil is moist but not wet when putting tray over plants.

If your gardenia plant is receiving water, you should do something like cover the tray with a plastic bag to make sure it doesn’t dry out. Bark mulch around your plants will help retain moisture and prevent root rot diseases caused by overwatering. Do not cut back on fertilizer for a long time as gardenias do not require much maintenance.

Pests and Diseases

Gardenia soil pests include aphids, mealybugs, whitefly and scale. The most common damage caused by these insects is the loss of blossoms or leaves. Aphides look similar to rice grains on a stem. They suck juices from plant stems and leaves and often exhibit brown, black or white colouration. This insect damages tender green foliage causing its premature fall. Aphids may also cause damage to flower buds and fruit growth by sucking the nectar from flowers which will result in weak florets around the disk .

Leaves of the diseased plant will be discoloured yellow coverted or dry and mahogany coverted. A dense population of mealybugs may also inflict damage to the foliage, if remaining unnoticed during inspection which could lead to reduce flowering in gardenia. Gamarta contains insecticidal substance that can effectively eliminate generalized mealybugs.

The best way to avoid pests in gardenia is by removing debris from around the plant so it stays free of weeds and insects that could transmit diseases . Keep young shoots away from aphids with a hose nozzle, misting only every other day will help maintain your plants and their health.

You Can Extend a Gardenias Season with Mulches

The soil around the base of gardenias is poor and feeders will grow new roots every year. If those short new roots are not trimmed back after flowering, they can undermine any support structure as new flowers start to come up each spring again, pulling on whatever there may be left of the older plant. Forgetting to trim back new roots after flowering will cause weak plants to die over winter, but they can be saved if mulches are added around them, following autumn pruning.

If you know there is a problem with crown rot (rots like tobacco), don’ t wait until the plant dies before you spot it. If roots are badly affected, check them out immediately whilst there is still a chance of treating them correctly. Try to cut back at least 1/3 rather than keeping it spindly for too long in many cases when crown rot strikes which will only make it worse.

How long do gardenias bloom?

The gardenia is a perennial plant that blooms for over three months from spring through fall. The flowers are produced from an arching raceme, which grows to 60 centimeters wide and produces 10 to 15 flowers. The blooming period is marked by the appearance of an orange-red stamen along with a zigzag branch. Each bud that opens in mid to late summer produces numerous seeds, which enable this shrub to reproduce every year from year after several years. In general, gardenia plants can have larger flowers in some cultivars than others, but this is not always the case. This variety of gardenia produces beautiful orange blooms during the spring and summer months while keeping its bouquet throughout the year.