Ok to repot in late Aug, early Sept?

Shaolo

Seedling
Messages
16
Reaction score
6
Location
Oregon
Is it OK to repot a Gardenia around this time of year?

I had a Mite problem which I think is resolved, but my leaves are curling up and I’m worried it’s from bad soil.
 

Attachments

  • 64B4239F-B3B9-4B1C-8B5F-5796680E0FC0.jpeg
    64B4239F-B3B9-4B1C-8B5F-5796680E0FC0.jpeg
    147.3 KB · Views: 102

Shaolo

Seedling
Messages
16
Reaction score
6
Location
Oregon
I keep the Bonsai in my shop through the Oregon winter. They never see freezing temps.
I’m concerned the soil is too wet so I’m anxious to repot and get them in to something more synthetic.

I’m still a bit confused on what to water them with though.
 

Shaolo

Seedling
Messages
16
Reaction score
6
Location
Oregon
Leo, what is it about the leaf shape that indicates mites are still an issue?
 

sorce

Nonsense Rascal
Messages
32,908
Reaction score
45,579
Location
Berwyn, Il
USDA Zone
6.2
Seems sparse.

Seems there may be more problems.

Sorce
 

Leo in N E Illinois

The Professor
Messages
11,337
Reaction score
23,254
Location
on the IL-WI border, a mile from ''da Lake''
USDA Zone
5b
Your leaves are tiny, and not laying out flat, they "look dusty", which often means an active mite infestation. I can never see the damn things, so I go by the damage I see. The leaves will feel dusty too, if you still have mites. Clean leaves will feel smooth, almost waxy.
 

Shaolo

Seedling
Messages
16
Reaction score
6
Location
Oregon
I sprayed with Avid yesterday. Might be too late for this tree but I’ll try until all the leaves fall off.
 

Leo in N E Illinois

The Professor
Messages
11,337
Reaction score
23,254
Location
on the IL-WI border, a mile from ''da Lake''
USDA Zone
5b
Water gardenia with water, of course.

What is your water quality? If you have extremely hard water, you might want to collect rain water and use that. But if your municipal water is less than 300 ppm total dissolved solids, just use the municipal water.
 

Shaolo

Seedling
Messages
16
Reaction score
6
Location
Oregon
The Tap water i use is about 26ppm.
 

Carol 83

Flower Girl
Messages
11,126
Reaction score
27,131
Location
IL
Gardenia like a mildly acidic soil, much like azalea and citrus. Read up on potting media for azalea if you want. Try kanuma if you can get it.
I have a gardenia about to bloom for the third time. I bought it just because they were my mom's favorite. It's in a regular flower pot and regular potting soil. I'll have to bring it in for the winter I imagine, do you think it would be beneficial to repot into kanuma or maybe add some to it's current soil? Not trying to hijack your thread @Shaolo sorry.
 

Forsoothe!

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,878
Reaction score
9,248
Location
Michigan
USDA Zone
6b
I have to say that the foliage looks pretty bad, @sorce is right, more than mites. I don't see any evidence of webs. Soil that is too wet is a misnomer. Soil watered too often is a better description. Touch the soil, leave it be if it is damp. Apply 15 to 20% of the volume of the pot when watering and many problems will go away. Feed it with a commercial liquid for acid loving plants when it is actively growing and let it alone when resting. At least then it will be a good home for mites.
 

Shaolo

Seedling
Messages
16
Reaction score
6
Location
Oregon
Did you mean then it won’t be a good home for mites?

it’s beenpretty hot and dry here lately. 90-100. I’ve been watering every other day. I have been watering inter water comes out the bottom then I stop. I have two trees. One looks great and the other is 80% dead.

As said above, I sprayed with avid and hope to have the mites under control. If anyone has additional suggestions I’m open to the feedback.

Carol, I’ve done a lot of research on soil in the last few days. The makeup of your soil will depend on where you live. I would google bonsai soil. There’s a lot of good info in the first 3-5 hits.

I found this to be informative:
https://kusamurabonsai.org/Newsletters/2017/March/Soil.pdf
 

Carol 83

Flower Girl
Messages
11,126
Reaction score
27,131
Location
IL
Did you mean then it won’t be a good home for mites?

it’s beenpretty hot and dry here lately. 90-100. I’ve been watering every other day. I have been watering inter water comes out the bottom then I stop. I have two trees. One looks great and the other is 80% dead.

As said above, I sprayed with avid and hope to have the mites under control. If anyone has additional suggestions I’m open to the feedback.

Carol, I’ve done a lot of research on soil in the last few days. The makeup of your soil will depend on where you live. I would google bonsai soil. There’s a lot of good info in the first 3-5 hits.

I found this to be informative:
https://kusamurabonsai.org/Newsletters/2017/March/Soil.pdf
Thanks, but my gardenia is just an homage to my mom. Not really using it for bonsai, just want to keep it alive over the winter.
 

roberthu

Chumono
Messages
817
Reaction score
571
Location
Atlanta GA
USDA Zone
7B
I put mine in my shop near the window. The shop is probably 45-55 degrees all winter. The window is very large, but tinted. Only needed to water them every 3-4 days and they looked great all winter.
Good to know that gardenia doesn’t need winter dormancy. Our winter is mild so maybe that’s why I don’t notice much difference in appearance in winter.
 

Leo in N E Illinois

The Professor
Messages
11,337
Reaction score
23,254
Location
on the IL-WI border, a mile from ''da Lake''
USDA Zone
5b
Thanks, but my gardenia is just an homage to my mom. Not really using it for bonsai, just want to keep it alive over the winter.

I have a gardenia about to bloom for the third time. I bought it just because they were my mom's favorite. It's in a regular flower pot and regular potting soil. I'll have to bring it in for the winter I imagine, do you think it would be beneficial to repot into kanuma or maybe add some to it's current soil? Not trying to hijack your thread @Shaolo sorry.

If it is doing fine in the potting soil, in a conventional flower pot, just keep growing it that way. When you want to move it to a bonsai pot, to "make bonsai" out of it, that is when I'd consider changing the potting medium. If what you are doing is working fine, no need to change it. Especially if you don't want to "do Bonsai on it". Not everything has to become a tortured tree.
 

coh

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
5,781
Reaction score
6,822
Location
Rochester, NY
USDA Zone
6
Oof...that doesn't look good. Not only are the leaves shriveled and small, but the twigs/branches look bad too. They look dry/shriveled. I suspect the plant might be dead (or close to it). I've killed a few gardenias and know what that looks like. Could be a root/soil problem (either too wet or too dry) or perhaps a severe infestation of mites and/or scale.

@Shaolo can you post a pic of the whole plant and maybe a close up of some other areas? Tell us what kind of soil it is in, how long you've had it, etc.
 

Shaolo

Seedling
Messages
16
Reaction score
6
Location
Oregon
I've had them about 18 months. Still in the original soil from FTD or one of those places. I didn't order them and would have to spend some time trying to figure out where they came from. I think it was FTD.

90% of the plant is/looks dead. There are maybe 10-15 leaves still hanging on. I'll get pictures tomorrow when there's light.

I've always watered the two together and in the same way. The second tree didn't have a major infestation of mites though they are kept 2 ft apart at all times. Both were sprayed in the same ways with the same chemicals. Second tree looks fantastic. This one not so much.

In the event this one probably isn't going to make it, is there any way to take a cutting from it?
 
Top Bottom