Growing Gardenias in Pots

Set potted gardenias outdoors in spring after all frost danger has passed. Place them in an area where they receive bright, filtered sunlight for most of the day, such as beneath sparse tree canopies.

Feel the soil in the pot daily and water when the top of the soil begins to dry out. Irrigate at the base of the plant, pouring the water onto the soil and not onto the gardenia foliage, until water begins to drip from the bottom of the pot.

Fertilize the gardenia beginning in March. Apply a high-nitrogen soluble fertilizer at the label recommended rate for the fertilizer type and the gardenia's pot size. Make a fertilizer application every two weeks through August.

Prune gardenias after they finish flowering. Cut out damaged and dead branches at their base with a pair of sharp shears. Remove up to half the gardenia to maintain its size and shape.

Bring the gardenia pot indoors before the first fall frost. Set the pot in a warm area that receives at least four hours of direct sunlight daily. Continue to water the pot as the soil begins to dry.