I just joined and I need some information on planting Gardenia cuttings. I took a clipping from one of my mother-in-laws bush and started rooting it in water. It just now is starting to sprout roots. When should I plant it and in what? Any help would be appreciated! Thanks
I've done alot of cuttings but never even thought about my gardenia! So this is something I scouted from *ahem* another garden site, think I'll give it a try too! "In the last two years, I have rooted hundreds of gardenia cuttings to give away, and have not lost even one. I use cuttings with three sets of leaves, usually about four inches long. I use a mix of 2 parts of top soil, 2 parts peat moss, and 1 part sand. I wet the peat moss ahead of time so that it absorbs water and stays damp. I use clear soda bottles. I cut the bottles in half about three inches from the bottom, poke drain holes in the bottom ribs with an ice pick. Put about two inches of mix in the bottom part , insert the cutting with the bottom set of leaves stripped off, and a cut made just below the lowest node. Put the top of the bottle back on the bottom by gently squeezing the top of the bottom part. You now have a mini greenhouse. You can see when the roots have grown by looking thru the clear plastic. Put in abright spot, but don't let the sun shine on them, because it will bake the cutting. You might devise a way to hang them under a tree near the branches so the sun doesn't hit them. In about three weeks you will see roots, it helps if the weather is hot, in the ninties."
