Question
Hello,
I would like to buy Gardenia to be place indoor because their fragrance and beauty. I leave in Cleveland and how should I plant that. I read one day that we should place in some plate with water and rocks to keep the humidity .
Thanks
Erica

Answer
Erica,

You need a humidity tray under it. First it has to be in a pot with drainage holes and you need a drain tray under it. An hour after you water it you need to empty the drain tray so it is not sitting in a tray of water constantly or the roots will rot easily. However, the plant grows naturally outdoors in the south where the humidity is very high so it needs high humidity. You either need to put a humidifier beside it or a humidity tray under it. A humidity tray can be any large tray that you fill with stones and then set the plant with it's drain tray on top of it. Then you fill the humidity tray with water almost to the top of the stones and leat the water evaporate around the plant. If your house is very dry it can evaporate very quickly. You need to fill the humidity tray with more water whenever it is low and water the plant whenever the top 2 inches of soil are dry. This plant is also a sun lover and it has to sit in front of a large south facing window with the window covering open during all daylight hours. Do not bring the plant home and immediately repot it. It will be fine in the pot you purchase it in for at least a year. You will put it in transplant shock if you repot it immediately. Just set the pot you buy it in inside a more decorative pot if you need something prettier. Fertilize it regularly with a fertilizer that says it is for acidic plants. Do not repot until April 2009. Let me now how it is doing and I will give you repotting instructions then. If you have more questions feel free to write again. Good luck.

Darlene