Help! Bonsai Gardenia

[clynn72]

Hello!

I've had a bonsai gardenia for about 5 years that I repotted a few months ago. I used a bonsai soil with pumice, lava, calcined clay and pine bark. Since repotting, it hasn't been the same.

I ended up cutting a few branches that died - which seemed to help but the leaves still look kind of droopy and DULL. It's still sprouting new leaves, which is good but I just don't understand what I'm doing wrong that the leaves don't have that nice gardenia glossiness. Not sure if it just needs more time to recover? It's been about 3 months.

Any guidance/advice would be appreciated. Thanks!!

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Could you put your general location in your description, so that we can give more specific advice?

Gardenias are outside trees. Assuming you live somewhere in the US, your gardenia should be outside at this time of year, enjoying the rain and humidity. When repotting gardenias, azaleas and camellias, you have to be careful about eliminating too many of their very fine roots. If you remove too many of the roots, the plant will have difficulty supplying water to the foliage. The foliage will droop, and in many cases people will make the mistake of assuming the plant needs more water - when the solution is not to water more, but to provide more humidity so the leaves don't dry out while the roots are trying to recover. If you aren't careful, you can find yourself in a death spiral where you are keeping the soil too wet - causing more root problems - while the leaves continue to wilt and fall off the plant.

 

[clynn72]

Thank you! I'm on the Jersey Shore. I've placed her outside (maybe 2 weeks ago?)... she's hanging in. No major turnarounds yet but I'm staying hopeful and keeping a close eye. I appreciate the input and guidance!