If you decide to replenish your home garden andto get gardenia, we can only approve your choice. Gardenia jasmine is one of the most beautiful plants, but caring for it is very difficult. In this article we will describe what is necessary for the growth of gardenia, as well as the ways of reproduction of this capricious beauty. 
How to care for gardenia?
Under suitable conditions, the gardenia is verygrows rapidly, which means it requires a lot of nutrients. Therefore, when choosing the soil for planting, give preference to acidic or slightly acidic mixtures with a large amount of organic substances. Excellent proved itself as a component of soil for gardenia peat (normal, riding and not neutralized). If the mixture for planting turned out to be loose, you can not even use drainage, because in such a substrate water will not stagnate. Gardenia jasmine is very fond of moisture and requires regular watering. It is important to remember that it will be much easier to look after a flower if you do not rush to extremes. Do not allow excessive drying of the earth coma, and then overflow it. The same applies to the conditions of detention: 22-24 degrees - that's the optimal temperature for this plant. There are no sharp drops in the temperature of the gardenia. It is important not to allow the root system to subcool. In winter, if the plant is on the windowsill, you can even put a piece of polystyrene under the pot to protect it from the cold air. In the summer gardenia can safely be in the open air. But this is only if the night temperature does not drop below 16 degrees. The laying of future flower buds takes place at a time when the air temperature is between 16-18 degrees. When it increases, the plant begins to grow leaves, there is an active growth of shoots. As already mentioned above, care for gardenia in the autumn-winter period depends on the conditions of maintenance, namely from the lighting of the room and the temperature of the environment. If the room is light enough (maybe using artificial light lamps) and heat, then the care for the flower is no different from the summer period: abundant watering and regular top dressing of the plant. If the light and heat is not enough, it is recommended to reduce the fertilizer to once a month, as well as reduce the number of irrigation. 
Reproduction of gardenia jasmine
From December to March and from August to Septemberthey harvest cuttings of gardenia, with the help of which the reproduction of this plant occurs. Cuttings choose half stiff, their height should not exceed 8-10 centimeters. The shoots are carefully cut from the mother plant and rooted in small nine-centimeter pots (4 pieces each). Or in six-centimeter - one piece. To maintain a high level of moisture, the pots with cuttings are covered with a film until they become fully rooted. To reproduce successfully, a mixture of perlite and peat is used as a primer in equal proportions. The process of rooting will go faster if you pre-treat the cuttings with a special stimulant. If the air temperature is about 24 degrees, then it takes weeks 3-4 to wait for rooting of shoots. Accordingly, the lower the temperature, the longer the rooting time. Once the root shoot system is formed, they are transplanted by a method of transferring into larger diameter pots and begin to form the crown of the bush. For this, the tips of the shoots are plucked. You can do this when young plants reach 10-15 centimeters in height. As the lateral shoots proliferate, the procedure is repeated. Young gardenias grow quite actively, so in a couple of months they will need another transshipment into a bigger pot. But the adult and the formed plant must be transplanted once in two years. Care for young gardenias is not very different from the content of adult plants: they are protected from direct sunlight, regularly and abundantly watered, sprinkled and fed with mineral fertilizers. If you care for seedlings correctly, then in six months they will please you with blossoming buds. Grow this beautiful flower simply. The main thing is to observe two important rules: do not allow sudden temperature changes and observe the measure when watering. Yes, gardenia loves humidity, but the main thing is not to overdo it. Overflow can cause chlorosis, a disease that reduces the activity of photosynthesis. As a result, the growth slows down, the shoots shrivel, the leaves fall off. Try not to bring the plant to such a state, since it is difficult to cure it, and sometimes it is completely impossible. That's all. Now you know the basic rules of gardenia care. And you can afford to grow this plant and admire its amazing colors.
