How to Fertilize Gardenias: Our Formula – Sembrar100
If there is a species of flowering plant that loves well-nourished substrates, it is undoubtedly the gardenia.
But be careful, because it is not a mere whim, on the contrary, thanks to this special requirement, they are able to give you beautiful and fragrant flowers.
And we assume that this is precisely the goal you were looking for when you decided to have a specimen among your favorite species.
So how about we take a closer look at all that gardenia composting entails and how you can seamlessly implement it yourself?
Why is it important to fertilize gardenias?
Gardenias need fertilizer to create a strong and healthy structure, both indoors and outdoors. This structure enhances the productive capacity of the plant, which leads to a greater quantity of flowers and better quality.
At the same time, a timely fertilization will have a definitive impact on the health of the plant, motivating it to have a more optimal and long-lived life. This includes the fact that gardenias can sometimes be subject to harmful attacks by pests or diseases.
And, if it is well nourished, it will be able to withstand this damage and even present resistance so that the causative agents do not affect it too much. After pruning, being with correct levels of nutrients, you help them recover and remain vigorous for the next season.
How often should we pay gardenias?
The frequency of gardenia subscribers will go directly to the type of fertilizer to be used, considering that it becomes a more frequent task in spring and summer.
If you use homemade organic fertilizers (which we will see below) your application will be on a monthly average, since they are slower to be absorbed.
In the case of water-soluble fertilizers, these act more quickly, which means that you have to apply fortnightly fertilizations. During the end of winter, it is worth giving your gardenias an extra dose of nitrogen so that they wake up in spring energized.
What nutrients do gardenias need?
The requirement in terms of nitrogen (N) becomes the protagonist when you plant the gardenias because it will be what allows it to develop. This nutrient is also key to helping you re-green when the winter vegetative shutdown ends.
In the case of potassium (K) and phosphorus (P), they become more necessary when flowering begins.This is because they are resources directly linked to the development of flower buds, as well as the establishment of their internal structure.
Micronutrients must be properly balanced to allow the plant to be in good health.
What kind of fertilizers do gardenias need?
Gardenias are not particularly demanding when it comes to fertilizers, since they accept well any type that you have the opportunity to supply them with. This means that you do not necessarily have to spend money to buy one in the store.
However, we do clarify that water-soluble fertilizers for flowering plants are the best alternative when the flowering process is underway.
The reason is that they are very easy for the roots to absorb and this allows the plant to use these resources without delay. Now, continuing with the topic of organic fertilizers, you can use any type you have available, such as compost or fermented guano.
In this case, the gardenias will also appreciate other fertilizers that, in addition to nourishing them, help them acidify the soil, since they prefer it that way. Here we can count coffee grounds, for example, or vinegar -based solutions that will also help prevent weeds in the environment.
These are products that, despite their organic origin, must be administered on the roots of the plants and not letting them fall on the leaves.
How do we prepare fertilizer for gardenias?
You have to prepare homemade organic fertilizers according to the basic process for them.In the case of guano and cattle manure, you will have to let them ferment for a certain number of days so that they break down properly.
If you plan to use homemade organic matter such as homemade compost, you must follow the same scheme, avoiding that the resources that you have used as raw material can cause rotting.
The theme with coffee grounds or tea bags will hardly generate work for you, since you can incorporate them into the farmland after preparing them. And the vinegar solution is just diluting vinegar in water so it’s not an overly acidic mixture.
If you have decided on a store-bought subscription, you need to follow the manufacturer’s instructions to the letter. If you don’t, you could be offering the plant too little or too much nutrients, which will become a problem in either case.
How do we detect if the gardenias need fertilizer?
Poor blooms, poor morphological characteristics, flower buds that fall before opening or changes in color in the foliage can be alarms that gardenias require fertilizer. If you have planted your specimens in fertile land, but have forgotten the seasonal subscribers, you should consider that these are resources that are depleted.
This is usually more frequent in the case of gardenias that are planted in pots because the irrigation water progressively eliminates the nutrients. If you also add that sunlight affects the use of resources, you will have more certainty that you need to pay.
Gardenia fertilization is an urgent task that you must carry out if you want to have them beautiful and with flowers every spring and summer. The good news is that it is not a very complex topic, but you can run it in a few minutes and it will not even be every day.
Consider planning subscriptions in such a way that you have a more exhaustive control and eliminate the worry of forgetting one.And, above all, take advantage of the resources that you have left over in your home and that the gardenias are fully able to enjoy.
Bibliographic references
- The gardenia: characteristics, uses, pests and diseases and basic aspects of its cultivation, Y Castilla-Valdés – Mesoamerican Agronomy, 2018 – scielo.sa.cr
- THE CULTIVATION OF Gardenia jasminoides Ellis IN THE CENTRAL REGION OF VERACRUZ, MEXICO, MV Rodríguez-Deméneghi … – …, 2016 – search.ebscohost.com
- DIAGNOSIS OF CULTIVATION OF GARDENIA (Gardenia jasminoides Ellis) IN THE CENTRAL REGION OF THE STATE OF VERACRUZ, JM González, TCD Vázquez, ORL Ovalle … – uv.mx
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