A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Landscape trials and triumphs Example of what not to do

When I put out this lorepedlum 4 years ago it was in a 1 gallon can. Then 2 or 3 years ago I planted this August Beauty Gardenia......a little too close to the lorepedlum, don't ya think. Now I have to prune back the lorepedlum because one side of the gardenia isn't growing.

wow! those are both great though. can't wait to see them in bloom!!

Oh they bloom all the time it's just that the gardenia is getting crowded out on one side. They were both so tiny when I put them out I couldn't believe they'd get so big.

WOW - great growing!

I wish I could leave my gardenia outside year round.
One of them got very large this past summer, and is now overwintering by the sliding glass doors in the basement. It was doing ok so far, even blooming a little still, but a few days ago I noticed several leaves starting to yellow.

I don't think i would worry about the yellowing of leaves--well not too much anyway. I would like to think the object would be just to keep it alive. I over-wintered my chives (& yes I know not the same thing really, but a plant is a plant sometimes) in my basement when we firt moved here and actually kept them in a pot until late spring when my DH made my garden for me. They got listless looking, limp and yellow BUT I managed to keep it alive and with some TLC, it is alive & well in my garden now.

--would bringing it upstairs help any??/ perhpas it is cooler in your basement??

There is absolutely no room by any window upstairs unfortunately, and this is a rather large pot and plant. I will probably end up cutting it back some in the near future. I have tried numerous times to get cuttings from it, but they never take. Have you ever done this with gardenias?

no, I have not--and perhpas someone will happen along tht has and they can help you--

having said that--why not try it--what have you to loose??

Do you have any rooting hormone?? I would be happy to send you some--I have plenty

I gave cuttings of my rather large and healthy gardenia to my daughter's employer and she dipped them in a rooting hormone and got them to root.

Plants'n Pots, I keep my gardenia in front of a south facing slider and it does fabulous. Mine does go through a period of leaf drop after I bring it inside and I did spray it with an insecticidal soap to keep the white flies and aphids at bay. I also water it often, but not a lot of water. It is never wet to the point of being soggy. If it really starts to get yellow, you might give it some acid fertilizer. Mine has just stopped blooming and I will miss the wonderful scent.

I can't imagine what that is like. My gardenias, August Beauties, and I have some dwarf gardenias, are evergreens. The August Beauties look a little peak-ed sometimes and I throw out some epsom salts and they perk right back up. We have what we consider cold weather, like tonight it's going to be in the 20's, and it does get colder at times, but nothing like with which you guys are dealing. I also have those huge trees that offers some protection from the elements.

Thanks for the offer, Carol - I do have plenty of rooting hormone and have used it each time I try and root some cuttings from the gardenia. Just a few weeks ago, I took some cuttings, dipped them in root hormone and potted them up and put it in my bedroom - they dried to a crisp even though I kept the soil moist - not too wet though.

Next time put a clear plastic bag over the whole cutting, Lynne. Put chopsticks or something in with it to keep the plastic from touching the leaves. Tie the plastic to the pot or rubber band it there. Lot's of bright light but no direct sun. Very even moisture. They really need that greenhouse of moisture all around them. Only leave two or three leaves on the cutting.
I even keep a quarter inch or so in a saucer under the pot all of the time for bottom watering. Think very humid greenhouse.

Nice photo, Bestofour. I too have the same problem with some of loropetalums too. There is one that is growing by leaps and bounds & throwing shoots upwards as if it had found an infinite source of nitrogen in the ground!

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s111/llluch/100_3258.jpg

I do have a problem child though. I am not an expert with loropetalums and maybe you can share your experience with me.

About 1-2 years ago, I pruned the problem child for the usual growth problem. The leaves on that one were very nice and normal. Since the pruning, the leaves have been showing some ugly beige/yellow colors that you can notice in the photo below. They are not the usual mix of green/purple/orange/red. I thought they would eventually fall off but either they are still there or the new leaves are coming out with those colors. Note that it seems to have restrained its growth and has not gone beserk with new shoots as the first one has. Has this happened to anyone else?

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s111/llluch/100_3255.jpg

I do not want to prune the first shrub now until I determine what happened with the problem child (i.e., could it have been my fault or is it normal?) It has been so long since the pruning (at least a year) though.... Any ideas, bestofour?

Sorry but I don't know the answer to that. I've never had that happen to my plants. Maybe if you try some epsom salts at the roots it will help with the yellowing.