Gardenia Leaves turning yellow?
The leaves on my gardenia plant are turning yellow and falling off the plant. I have had this plant for 3 years and haven’t changed a thing. What is happening?
Gardenias are sensitive to water with too much lime, like much of the tap and well water in our area. It is likely that your tap water has chemicals that your plant does not like in any excess amount. Those chemicals are sodium (salt) and chlorine. Use distilled water when possible or capture rainwater.
Chemicals aren’t the only tap water problem. The hardness of the water can also impact your plants. If you have hard water, you will want to use distilled water for your Gardenia and other plants. Some plants are very sensitive to the minerals in hard water. Hard water is most often an issue with well water, but can be a problem with a municipal water supply as well
You can make distilled water at home by leaving a container of tap water out for a day or two. If you will be using rainwater, place a clean container outside to catch the rain. Leave the container outside for two days to allow the chlorine or other minerals to dissipate. The water is then ready to use on your Gardenia and other plants. You can store some of the water in clean, gallon size jugs for later use.
If your gardenia isn’t blooming it could be because there is not enough humidity. Use a humidifier or a humidity tray indoors, especially in the winter. You can go out and spend some money on trays specifically designed for this purpose but anybody can make a humidity tray out of anything that will hold some water. Using a container that is longer than it is deep or by cutting out the bottom 2-3 inches of an empty milk jug. Just fill whatever container with enough pebbles so that it reaches the rim and then fill with water.
As the water evaporates it raises the humidity around the plant. You may have to refill the water in the tray once a day if there is a lot of sun or it is particularly warm in your home. The one thing you want to look out for is that the bottom of your pot (and roots) are not sitting in water. This can be deadly as excess water contributes to root rot. Make sure your pebbles are high enough to elevate the plant out of the water.