1. Planting: These trees can handle full sun all the way down to partial shade, depending on your location, and love well-drained soil. If you’re in a colder northern climate, plant in full to partial sunlight (4 to 8 hours of sunlight daily). Southern growers can place the Double Blooming Gardenia in areas with partial sunlight to partial shade (4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight).

Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and twice the width. Place your tree in the hole, backfill the soil, and water your tree. Finally, mulch to conserve moisture.

To plant in a container, select a pot that’s twice as large as the shipped container and ensure it has drainage holes. Use organic soil and place your tree in the pot.

Then, place it in a location with bright sun and ample humidity. A south-facing window in your home should provide ample sun exposure.

2. Watering: Water your tree weekly unless you have rainfall. If you’re not sure when to water, simply check the surrounding soil for dryness, about 2 or 3 inches down.

For potted plants, check the soil and water until you see it coming from the drainage holes.

You can keep the humidity up around the plant by misting it daily or placing it on a tray with pebbles and water. As the water evaporates, it will feed humidity to the atmosphere around the gardenia.

3. Fertilizing: Your Double Blooming Gardenias can be fertilized every 3 to 4 weeks, from April through November. You can use a formula like 30-10-10, or a fertilizer high in nitrogen.

FGT Tip: If you notice yellow leaves, you can mix in a tablespoon of Epsom Salt with a gallon of water and apply this solution around your plant.

4. Pruning: Gardenias are best pruned in the summer after the plant has bloomed. Remove any broken or dead branches, and prune back any branches with spent flowers.