How to Grow Gardenia Houseplants

Purchase the gardenia in spring or fall. Choose a new pot for the plant that is wider than the current pot by 2 to 4 inches and taller by 4 to 6 inches. Gardenias often are transplanted in spring and fall, so plan to increase the size of your pot each time you transplant.

Pour 1 inch of pea gravel into the bottom of the pot. Cover the gravel by filling the pot halfway with top soil. Add half a cup of coffee grounds and half a cup of dried leaves or pine needles to the soil. Mix the grounds and leaves in with the top soil by hand.

Remove the current pot from around the roots of the gardenia and place the plant into your prepared planter. Adjust the soil mixture to position the gardenia’s base to 1/4 to1/2 inch below the pot’s top edge. Add top soil to fill gaps around the gardenia’s roots.

Place the pot near a southern window in your home in a bright room where the plant can receive filtered, rather than direct, sunlight. Maintain a temperature of 73 degrees Fahrenheit in the room during the growing season with temperatures dropping to 63 degrees over night during the winter months.

Water the plant thoroughly at the first watering then moderately anytime the first 2 inches deep of soil feel dry to the touch, typically every two or three days. If the soil feels even slightly cool or moist 2 inches down, do not water.

Spray a light mist over the leaves of the gardenia each day to keep up humidity around the plant if your home has dry air. If regular spraying isn’t an option, position a tray of pebbles filled with water near the base of the plant to add moisture into the air.

Clip off any spent flowers as they finish blooming (called deadheading) just behind the base of the flower with hand pruners. Cut back long stems that disrupt the gardenia’s shape in early spring.