Question
I bought a beautiful gardenia plant late spring of this year.  It did very well over the summer and fall.  It stopped blooming when the temperatures got hotter but resumed blooming in the fall.  When the temperatures outside got colder I brought the plant inside nand put it near a large window facing east.  It did ok for about 3 weeks, but then the leaves stated turning yellow.  Now almost all of the leaves are yellow and brown and starting to fall off. Can this plant be saved?  Will the leaves grow back?  Would it do better in the basement in front of a sunny window where the temperatures may not be as warm?  Thank you for any help.

Answer
Hi Rebecca,

Gardenias really struggle as indoor plants unless you have a sunny, but very cool location for it. As you have observed, yours did well when it was outside in the cooler temps of spring and fall.

Unless you have a cool sun room, then you should probably just concentrate on keeping it alive through the winter so you can move it back onside again next spring. The existing leaves are adapted to the brighter outdoor light that they have experienced and will fall off in the reduced indoor light. New leaves that emerge will be better suited for your indoor environment. I suggest that you prune back your Gardenia by about one-third to eliminate some of the inevitable legginess. New growth will emerge just below your pruning cuts.

Keep your Gardenia in your sunniest location. Do NOT repot it and water it thoroughly as soon as the surface of the soil feels dry. Fertilize very sparingly, if at all, during the winter.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC