What Does a Gardenia Seed Need to Germinate?

Viable Seed

• Find the round fruit of the gardenia plant. When the fruit is mature, it has a green shell with whitish spots. When you open the fruit, you see pale yellow seeds about 1/4 inch long. Place the fruit pulp that holds the seeds in a plastic bag to ripen, which can take a few days to a week. Remove the fruit pulp from the bag and place it in a colander in the sink. Run water over the pulp as you break up the pulp and the seeds.

Prepared Seed

• Place a bowl of water on the counter and add the seeds to the water. Soak the seeds overnight in the water. Seeds that sink to the bottom of the water are viable. Remove the seeds that float in the water because these seeds will not germinate.

Soil and Planting

• Make your own soilless mixture for germinating gardenia seeds. Mix equal parts of perlite, compost and peat moss together. Place the mixture in a 4- to 5-inch diameter container. You don’t want to transplant the gardenia when it first starts growing, so using a larger container than a peat pot is the best. Sow the seed on top of the soil and pressed lightly into the soil, but do not cover the seed.

Light and Moisture

• Place the seed in a warm room with temperatures about 68 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit with no direct sunlight. The gardenia seed needs low light conditions to germinate. Place the container in a corner away from any windows or artificial light. Use a misting bottle to wet the soil and seed. Check the soil regularly and mist to keep the soil moist.