I Am A Brand New Gardener. I Have Gotten Myself…
Nicole Asked
I am a brand new gardener. I have gotten myself way in over my head by trying my hand at a gardenia tree (a very small one). At first everything was fine, I read up on them and used the right soil and made sure to keep it watered properly, but it all went downhill so fast. I noticed two days ago the buds wilting a bit and the leaves turning yellow. Now that I look closely at the “trunk’ where the soil meets, I’ve noticed these little (very little) whitish bugs crawling all over, in and out of the soil. Now the whole tree is getting “crunchy.'” Can I save this poor little gardenia?
The Gardener’s Answer
Hello, Nicole in New Jersey: Gardenias are a Southern favorite and a treat during the warmer months for those of us who cannot grow them year-round. The scent is intoxicating but these plants can be a bit finicky if not given ideal growing conditions, so do not be too hard on yourself! These plants are happiest growing in nutrient-rich, acidic soil that is consistently moist. They prefer to grow in full sun to part shade and benefit from a monthly feeding of 20-20-20. Gardenias are susceptible to several different insects, including thrips, which affect the flowers, whiteflies, and mealybugs. Not being able to see your plant I cannot say which insect is the culprit so it is important to have the bugs on your plant positively identified. You can take a sample to a local garden center with a horticulturist on staff or to your County Cooperative Extension Service to have the horticulture agent take a look. Gardenias are sensitive to horticultural oils and soaps so identifying the problem is essential for control purposes.
