keith kent wrote:
Hi , i have a Gardenia jasmonoides that was in flower when i got
it,the flower buds that were left died off, they went brown and
dry.Now the leaves are turning yellow in places then going brown and
drop off.There are new leaves appearing,but some leaves continue to
drop.I think i may have been letting it get too much on the dry side
? . If this one goes in the dustbin it will be the last one i try and
grow as i have had 2 in the past and found them very difficult to
grow! Any thoughts?
Thanks Keith

Gardenia jasminoides used to my "bête noire" (can a plant be a "bête"?).
After losing 4 of them, I worked out that it needs:

a) a damp atmosphere.
b) regular watering, but it must not become soaking wet for more than a day
or two at most. Don't allow it to stand in water to any depth. Never allow
it to dry out.
c) good light, but not direct sun.
d) a temperature which doesn't fall below 10°C.

Mine grows, and flowers happily, on a west to north-west facing bathroom
window. Occasional tomato-type (ie high potassium) fertiliser may be of
benefit.

I water mine with ordinary tap water which has been through the heating
system and allowed to cool. In other words, hopefully at least some of the
hardness will have been removed. I don't bother with rainwater, as it
doesn't seem to mind.

Yes, it's fussy and difficult. But when it performs well, it is one of the
world's great flower scents. And, without doubt, one of the purest white
flowers you will ever see.

By the way, if you have trouble with the usual double-flowered Gardenia
jasminoides, see if you can find G.j. "Kleim's hardy". It isn't hardy
(don't leave it outside!), but it's a lot tougher than the usual one. It
also only has single flowers. But it has the scent.

--
Jeff
(cut "thetape" to reply)