* (Bleeder trees include: birch, dogwood, elm, maple, & styrax) Prune undesired and storm damaged limbs. When to prune gardenias. You need to wait till spring starts properly, whenever that will be, without the risk of sudden cold snaps recurring. Cut them back as far as you need to after all the trees have dropped their leaves this fall. Tip. Gardenias (Gardenia jasminoides) are excellent specimen or accent plants with glossy evergreen foliage and waxy, white flowers. Be sure to choose the proper variety for your location and USDA hardiness zone, which will range between 6 and 11. How & When to Prune Gardenias. It is covered with sooty mold and I want to prune it back severly. In Texas, in order to prevent overheating, gardenias should be planted in partial shade. Most varieties of Gardenia set buds on both the green and brown wood and therefore will set blooms regardless of where you prune the bush. Start by buying the right gardenia for the space where you’re planting it and you’ll be ahead of the pruning game. However, if you need to prune, here’s when and how to do it. An important part of taking care of gardenia plants is to give them fertilizer. The fact that your gardenias are way overgrown makes the question of whether you should prune them a moot point. Dead branches may be pruned away any time of year on gardenia plants. Prune and deadhead very shortly after your gardenias are finished blooming. Incorrect pruning can reduce the amount of flowers the plant produces, and be detrimental to the plant’s growth. As beautiful as gardenias are, they are a shrub. When is the best time to prune gardenias? By Kathy Huber. Plants Remarks JANUARY Shade Trees: oak, hickory, beech, black gum, poplar, sycamore, ginkgo, etc. The best time to prune Gardenias is immediately after flowering. You can actually prune at any time from spring through summer, however pruning in spring can reduce flowering. Proper pruning care of Gardenias is needed for good branch growth, plus helping with bud initiation and development. Grumpy's sure-fire, no messing around, always guaranteed correct answer: Gardenia blooms on new growth, so you can prune it now, this winter, or early spring without eliminating the blooms. Cut it back as far as you need to. To reduce size or to shape . Pruning later in the year may inadvertently remove new buds for the next flowering season. They are heavy feeders when setting bud, so apply Harry’s Gardenia Food for best results. Avoid pruning late in the season or when daytime temperatures falls below 65°F/18°C. A. Prune after the late-spring bloom. As tropical flowering perennials, gardenias should be pruned only in the the summer or early fall after flowering for the year has completed. And like many shrubs, gardenias can benefit from being pruned. It is best to prune your gardenias right after their summer blooms fade. Gardenias sometimes take a few years to settle into a new position, so persevere. And like many shrubs, gardenias can benefit from being pruned. Q. Click here for more. Hi Tim-Gardenias when cared for properly normally need very little pruning. If you prune too late in the season you risk losing flowers the following year. Even prune gardenias flowers and leaves that have either wilted away, turned yellow or have gotten infected. Time Frame. My problem is … Fertilizing Gardenias. The main consideration when trimming gardenias is paying attention to their flowering cycle. Maybe one of the best-smelling of all those shrubs is the gardenia. You have to prune them. Gardenias should be fertilized in spring and summer. Make cuts using the Branch Collar Method of pruning. Can I prune gardenias in winter? Do Not prune Gardenias by “cutting back” to the base of the plant or by “shearing”. Pruning and training. Gardenias bloom in early summer. Over winter, feed with a balanced fertiliser with trace elements at five or six-week intervals. To flower well, most gardenias need some sun. Gardenias take well to pruning, and there are no specific instructions on how to prune other than you might not want to prune it more than half way back. The best time to prune gardenias is immediately after blooming, not later than August 10th in North Carolina. V.H., Houston. Sporadic flowers may still appear later in summer or fall. Published 5:30 am CDT, Saturday, August 2, 2003 Q. I have gardenias rooted from cuttings. Some of the flowers are produced on twigs that grew the previous year while others form on twigs that develop after March. From general observation, the groundcover form 'Radicans" does seem to perform better locally than the larger shrub types. There is an appropriate time to prune these for better growth, find out here! This is so we do not prune off the next seasons flower buds. Gardenias prefer warmer days and cooler nights as well. May 30, 2015 - Gardenias have won the hearts of gardeners for their exquisite scent and beauty. Gardenias are excellent for mass plantings or as a hedge. Oct 29, 2013 - Gardenias have won the hearts of gardeners for their exquisite scent and beauty. It is important to prune gardenias after they have bloomed and the flowers have died off, although this time can be difficult to determine because some varieties have been cultivated to re-bloom throughout the season. The safest time to prune your gardenias is during the summer, right after the blooms begin fading. Answer: Major pruning for gardenia shrubs is usually after the spring bloom of around May. Prune gardenias after they are done flowering, but before October. The sooty mold is so prevalent that just spraying it won't be sufficient. You can prune anytime after it stops or slows down blooming.