I planted these gardenias about 15 years ago. They were supposed to be "dwarf" gardenias but there's nothing dwarf about them. They are full in the front, but as you can see, the rest of the bush is naked except at the top. Would pruning them back all the way save them? I don't know what to do.
Gardenia help needed!
- Thread starter crimsonwillow
- Start date
It sounds like your gardenias have grown quite a bit over the years! Pruning can definitely help rejuvenate your plants and encourage fuller growth where it's needed. Here's a quick guide on how to prune your gardenias:
1. Prune after blooming: The best time to prune gardenias is right after they bloom in the summer⁴. This timing allows you to shape the plant without risking the loss of next year's buds.
2. Use sharp shears: Make sure to use sharp pruning shears for clean cuts, which help prevent disease⁶.
3. Don't prune too much: Never cut more than one-third of the plant at a time to avoid shocking the bush⁶.
4. Shape evenly: Trim the plant to maintain its natural shape and remove any dead or overlapping branches to improve sunlight exposure².
For a step-by-step guide and more detailed instructions, check out this helpful [pruning tutorial]. It covers everything you need to know to get your gardenias back into shape and looking beautiful again. Happy gardening!
1. Prune after blooming: The best time to prune gardenias is right after they bloom in the summer⁴. This timing allows you to shape the plant without risking the loss of next year's buds.
2. Use sharp shears: Make sure to use sharp pruning shears for clean cuts, which help prevent disease⁶.
3. Don't prune too much: Never cut more than one-third of the plant at a time to avoid shocking the bush⁶.
4. Shape evenly: Trim the plant to maintain its natural shape and remove any dead or overlapping branches to improve sunlight exposure².
For a step-by-step guide and more detailed instructions, check out this helpful [pruning tutorial]. It covers everything you need to know to get your gardenias back into shape and looking beautiful again. Happy gardening!
Thank you so much for your help. I really don't want to lose these. I was afraid my only option was going to be to cut them down and dig them up. And that was something I really would have hated! As you can see, they've already been cut back some. Now I'll just prune them 1/3 of the way back from the top.