Q. I love Veithcii Gardenia and I noticed that a local
nursery has them for $10 for a 5 gallon plant. How do you keep the plant alive
in the winter in Las Vegas and should it remain in a container and not in the
ground? I have seen two of these plants in containers in Sun City Summerlin
under a tree blooming profusely in the summer.
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| Gardenia In Las Vegas in filtered light |
A. “Veithcii” is a popular selection or variety that has
a longer bloom period than some others. Gardenias are grown by a number of home
gardeners in our desert but you are right, they don't belong here so we have to
put them in the right location and amend the heck out of that soil if we want
them to do well.
. It is
best if they are grown in containers rather than growing them in garden soil. A
good spot would be in filtered light which is what you would get growing them
under some trees for protection from intense sunlight.
Gardenias
in general perform best in a bright northerly or easterly exposure. The soil
should be 50% compost or at least high in organic matter. You can grow them in
the ground but they will be more difficult to manage because the soil will
slowly revert back to desert soil unless you continually add compost to the
soil surface.
It is
also important to put a two or 3 inch layer of wood chips. I would use two drip
emitters and never let the soil get overly dry. Fertilize 3 to 4 times a year
and add a good iron chelate to the early spring application of fertilizer.
The
important things to remember is having a good soil, the proper exposure to
light and irrigation frequency. The container should allow for drainage of
water and you should see a small amount of water exit the container every time
you irrigate. Good luck!
