Question
QUESTION: In the last month, I have lost over 7 buds. They just fall off. I have recently
gotten about 4 new buds, they have also fallen off. I went to move the plant
into the morning sunlight (a different window of my apartment) and noticed
the little light-colored spider-like creatures and webs on the leaves. So
without rinsing in the sink, like I tried yesterday to do, just because the leaves
looked a little dull (when I first bought the plant the leaves were so-o-o
shiny) I put it in the sink and sprayed the entire plant with Pam cooking oil
spray, the olive oil spray. Will my gardenia recover? Will it suffocate from the
spray? Will it kill the spider mites? What should I do? I'm ready to go out and
buy a small humidifier, as I was reading "dry air" could be a big problem of
mine. Please advise, I don't want to lose any more buds.

ANSWER: Kimberly,

Yes, a cool mist humidifier will help. Dry air is a huge problem. With out a humidifier you should keep a spray bottle of plain water beside the plant and everytime you walk by give it a spray. To do that you need to keep it sitting on a vinyl table cloth so it won't hurt the surface under it.

That will also keep the spider mites away. They attack plants that are stressed because of too dry air. The dull leaves are caused by the spider mites.

Now for the Pam! That was a huge NO NO! Plants leaves have pores that breath in carbon dioxide and breath out oxygen. You clogged all the pores with the Pam. If you had just sprayed it with water in the sink it woulld have gotten rid of the webs and most of the bugs and not hurt the plant. Now you need to mix a teaspoon of dish soap with a quart of water and put the plant in the sink or on a plastic sheet or tablecloth and put the soapy water in a spray bottle and spray the entire plant everywhere you sprayed the Pam. Mak sure you get the tops and bottoms of all leaves. It will help wash the Pam off and it will also smother any remaining spider mites. After this if you see any more spider mites you can use this same soap mix to spray the plant and it will kill the spider mites.

The problem with the buds falling off may be not enough sun, gardenias do best in the south where they are outdoors in full sun at least 6 hours in the morning then shaded in the hot afternoon. You can't put yours outdoors so you should put a flourescent light above it set on a timer to be on 14 hours a day. It can be one of the flourescent bulbs in a little lamp you can hang on the wall just above the plant pointed toward it. Set a timer and you don't have to worry about turning it on and off.  

Also gardenias like to be kept evenly moist, not too wet and not too dry. Do not leave it set with a lot of water in the drain tray or that will cause the roots to rot. If you have any more questions feel free to write again. Good luck.

Darlene

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: OK, as soon as I got your response, I ran out and got a brand new spray
bottle, filled it with water and 1 tsp of Dawn dishwashing liquid and sprayed
everywhere that I had previously sprayed the Pam.  For 2 days, I kept her in
the kitchen sink,  every time I saw a glistening miniscule drop of oil, I sprayed
her again, and on the undersides of leaves, and everywhere I sprayed the
Pam.  Yesterday, I put her back on my kitchen table, only tonite, to find more
miniscule droplets of oil remaining, so back to the sink she went and I
sprayed her again with the water/soap mixture.  Then I sprayed her with
straight water, cool, not freezing, and I'll leave her there until morning.  
Through all of this, she's lost so-o-o many leaves, but I'm still surprised to
see all of this NEW growth.  I bought a light I can shine directly on her, but
my question to you now is, should I use a "plant light" bulb, or should I get a
light that is "flourescent?"  It does not matter to me, I want to do the right
thing by her, and I want her to continue to flourish and bloom.  I refuse to
give up on her!!!  How could I with all of this new growth?

Thanks again!
Kim

PS-The spider mites are GONE!

Answer
Kim,

If you see more Pam try adding 1/2 cup 70% isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) to the Dawn and water mix. It will not hurt her or her roots and it will not cause drain problems but it will help disperse the Pam.

All the water and humidity from it would definitely get rid of spider mites. She has lost the leaves because they didn't like the spider mites and especially not the Pam. I tell people never to use leaf shine sprays for the same reason, they have a small amount of oil in them to make the leaves shiny and they cause more problems than they solve.

Now for the light. I would use a a bulb that is "flourescent" that is equal to a 75 watt bulb. That will not take much electricity. I would put it on a timer so that it comes on at 7 am and goes off at 9 pm and your gardenia will be very happy. I'm glad to hear she has a lot of new growth.

There is a good chance she could bloom for you yet this summer with enough light and then try some fertilizer for Palms, Evergreens, Holly, Azaleas & Rhododendrons. I like Holly Tone Fertilizer by Epsoma if you can find it. It is a bit smell but you mix it in the top inch or two of soil and water and it has trace minerals that the plants love. I kept a hibiscus blooming all winter using that. It's a good fertilizer. If you have more questions write again. Good luck.

Darlene