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#1
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Is it too late for these plants?
Hi all,
I recently received 2 plants - a Gardenia and a red Mum. I was trying to keep these going inside my house, but they both look kinda peaky. I have had them about a month now. I am not sure why...they have adequate water, but not too much. I have also put some fertilizer sticks in each of their pots. I thought maybe they would fare better outside, but I didn't know if it is too late to plant them outside. It's VERY important to me that these plants live. Can anyone here give suggestions for how to either 1) plant them outside now, if it's possible, and what to do to ensure their success or 2) keep them alive inside. They both have leaves that are turning brown, and the mum's blooms have died. The gardenia is losing some of its leaves. TIA! Lisa |
#2
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Is it too late for these plants?
Have you looked at taking cuttings & trying to root descendents from these
just in case? I'm a pretty lousy plant doctor, so I tend to go for the perpetual lineage method.... Let's see... Here's what I came up with on Google: Gardenias, http://www.msue.msu.edu/msue/imp/modop/00000652.html http://www.ccenassau.org/hort/fact_s...enia_nov01.pdf http://www.myhouseplants.com/flowerdb/gardenia.html I like the last one best because it says that one can propagate any time . Ooh, a mum society. http://www.mums.org/disc/ ok, that's all. Good luck! Arwen On Wed, 20 Nov 2002, Lisa wrote: Hi all, I recently received 2 plants - a Gardenia and a red Mum. I was trying to keep these going inside my house, but they both look kinda peaky. I have had them about a month now. I am not sure why...they have adequate water, but not too much. I have also put some fertilizer sticks in each of their pots. I thought maybe they would fare better outside, but I didn't know if it is too late to plant them outside. It's VERY important to me that these plants live. Can anyone here give suggestions for how to either 1) plant them outside now, if it's possible, and what to do to ensure their success or 2) keep them alive inside. They both have leaves that are turning brown, and the mum's blooms have died. The gardenia is losing some of its leaves. TIA! Lisa |
#3
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Is it too late for these plants?
Both the Chrysanthemum and the Gardenia Bush are hardy here in the triangle.
You can go ahead and plant both outside now. The Gardenia should be planted in a semi-sheltered area (not in a wide open space on the lawn) in case of a hard winter in the future. I prefer to plant them off the back corner of my house or near a porch. They should have good drainage in the area. If it's hard clay, dig it out and amend with potting soil or soil conditioner. It should ideally get morning sun/afternoon shade to flourish in this area. They typically bloom at the end of May/early June for several weeks. Mine sometimes would also bloom in the fall when we had weird fluctuations in hot/cold temps. In late February I fertilize with some Hollytone Fertilizer (acid loving plants love this). The Mum should also be planted in well drained soil and located anywhere in the yard in full sun. Plant it with its spent flowers for now. In March/April you should cut down the brown plant to about 2-3" from the ground. You will eventually see green leaves sprouting when the weather warms up. Cut the branches back down low during June, but no later than July 4th to allow the plant to grow back to a nice form and to bloom at its proper time (September/October). If you allow it to grow and bloom during the summer, it will get very leggy and overgrown and you'll miss its peak bloom time for the best show of flowers. When I see new growth in the spring, I throw a little bit of Osmocote 14-14-14 around the base of the plant. Be sure to cover it with mulch or soil to keep the fertilizer moist (allowing it to slowly release food to the plant). Hope this helps. Good luck. Penny "Lisa" wrote in message ... Hi all, I recently received 2 plants - a Gardenia and a red Mum. I was trying to keep these going inside my house, but they both look kinda peaky. I have had them about a month now. I am not sure why...they have adequate water, but not too much. I have also put some fertilizer sticks in each of their pots. I thought maybe they would fare better outside, but I didn't know if it is too late to plant them outside. It's VERY important to me that these plants live. Can anyone here give suggestions for how to either 1) plant them outside now, if it's possible, and what to do to ensure their success or 2) keep them alive inside. They both have leaves that are turning brown, and the mum's blooms have died. The gardenia is losing some of its leaves. TIA! Lisa |
#4
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Is it too late for these plants?
You have been given excellent and thorough advice but a question remains
to be asked. Were the plants hothouse grown and given to you as greenhouse plants, perhaps for a special occasion? I ask because hothouse gardenias and chrysanthemums are sometimes not winter hardy in our area. If you do not know the source or the cultivar of the plants you may want to nurse them along in a frost free place till spring and plant them after the last frost to give them a chance to establish themselves. This may not be feasible; outdoor plants do poorly indoors. Good luck. Pat The Powell House USDA Zone 7b Perennials Lady at Atlantic Avenue Orchid and Garden Center Lisa wrote: Hi all, I recently received 2 plants - a Gardenia and a red Mum. I was trying to keep these going inside my house, but they both look kinda peaky. I have had them about a month now. I am not sure why...they have adequate water, but not too much. I have also put some fertilizer sticks in each of their pots. I thought maybe they would fare better outside, but I didn't know if it is too late to plant them outside. It's VERY important to me that these plants live. Can anyone here give suggestions for how to either 1) plant them outside now, if it's possible, and what to do to ensure their success or 2) keep them alive inside. They both have leaves that are turning brown, and the mum's blooms have died. The gardenia is losing some of its leaves. TIA! Lisa |
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