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I got this tree from CF two years ago & has been an awesome tree until now.  Literally over night the leaves have turned yellow. It bloomed beautifully & never had any issues at all (except bug pests every now & then).  So yesterday I transplanted it into a bigger pot, mixed magnesium & an iron fertilizer and used CF acid loving food pac when I watered it after I repotted it.  My question is will the yellow leaves turn green again or is this tree pretty much done?  I know Gardenia trees can be difficult to grow & can be very high maintenance.  I would appreciate any info to try & save it, thanks!

 

C2600672-EBC8-403F-BE5A-88987325E775.jpeg

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Re: My Gardenia Tree...Help!

Yellow leaves are dying & will fall off.

 

"gardenias should be kept evenly moist but not soggy or standing in water. Raise the humidity around your plant if you can. Next, I'd recommend fertilizing with a water-soluble fertilizer mixed at half strength every two weeks. Look for a fertilizer with iron chelete, because gardenias can be prone to chlorosis. Chlorosis causes a yellowing of the leaves, especially between the veins."

 

bhg.com/gardening/trees-shrubs-vines/shrubs/yellow-leaves-on-gardenia-bush/

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Re: My Gardenia Tree...Help!


@BornToShop wrote:

I got this tree from CF two years ago & has been an awesome tree until now.  Literally over night the leaves have turned yellow. It bloomed beautifully & never had any issues at all (except bug pests every now & then).  So yesterday I transplanted it into a bigger pot, mixed magnesium & an iron fertilizer and used CF acid loving food pac when I watered it after I repotted it.  My question is will the yellow leaves turn green again or is this tree pretty much done?  I know Gardenia trees can be difficult to grow & can be very high maintenance.  I would appreciate any info to try & save it, thanks!

 

C2600672-EBC8-403F-BE5A-88987325E775.jpeg


Does Phillip have a FB page or blog you could post your question and picture? I believe he would be extremely helpful.

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Re: My Gardenia Tree...Help!

What a sad looking plant!  Once leaves die and turn yellow, they will not turn green again.  They're dead.  My guess is that you over-fertilized it and burned it.  Whether or not it'll come back, I couldn't say.

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Re: My Gardenia Tree...Help!

[ Edited ]

@BornToShop wrote:

I got this tree from CF two years ago & has been an awesome tree until now.  Literally over night the leaves have turned yellow. It bloomed beautifully & never had any issues at all (except bug pests every now & then).  So yesterday I transplanted it into a bigger pot, mixed magnesium & an iron fertilizer and used CF acid loving food pac when I watered it after I repotted it.  My question is will the yellow leaves turn green again or is this tree pretty much done?  I know Gardenia trees can be difficult to grow & can be very high maintenance.  I would appreciate any info to try & save it, thanks!

 

C2600672-EBC8-403F-BE5A-88987325E775.jpeg


 

 

@BornToShop  I have the same trees, one had some yellow leaves, the other didn't, but I wouldn't stress about it, they will fall off.  I don't fertilize when I first transplant anything as there is usually fertilizer in the potting soil.  I didn't feed last year, but will this Spring as I think there will be more flowers and less yellow leaves.  I think every tree has yellow leaves at some point or other.  Your tree is much fatter than mine, and I bought mine a year before you did, so you must be doing something right. Smiley Happy  As long as the tree has a lot of green leaves that look healthy, I wouldn't worry.

 

It looks as if there is new green growth, is there?  If so, that means the tree is growing, a good sign.

 

Yellow Gardenia Leaves - How To Fix A Gardenia With Yellow Leaves

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Re: My Gardenia Tree...Help!

@BornToShop  It probably experienced some shock because of the transplanting.  I sure hope it springs back for you.  Keep us posted.  Cat Very Happy  Now I am interested in a Gardenia tree since you can plant in a pot (I have a deck only).  I live in Illinois what would I do in the winter?  Just cover for the roots?  Cover whole tree?  

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Re: My Gardenia Tree...Help!


@mousiegirl wrote:

@BornToShop wrote:

I got this tree from CF two years ago & has been an awesome tree until now.  Literally over night the leaves have turned yellow. It bloomed beautifully & never had any issues at all (except bug pests every now & then).  So yesterday I transplanted it into a bigger pot, mixed magnesium & an iron fertilizer and used CF acid loving food pac when I watered it after I repotted it.  My question is will the yellow leaves turn green again or is this tree pretty much done?  I know Gardenia trees can be difficult to grow & can be very high maintenance.  I would appreciate any info to try & save it, thanks!

 

C2600672-EBC8-403F-BE5A-88987325E775.jpeg


 

 

@BornToShop  I have the same trees, one had some yellow leaves, the other didn't, but I wouldn't stress about it, they will fall off.  I don't fertilize when I first transplant anything as there is usually fertilizer in the potting soil.  I didn't feed last year, but will this Spring as I think there will be more flowers and less yellow leaves.  I think every tree has yellow leaves at some point or other.  Your tree is much fatter than mine, and I bought mine a year before you did, so you must be doing something right. Smiley Happy  As long as the tree has a lot of green leaves that look healthy, I wouldn't worry.

 

It looks as if there is new green growth, is there?  If so, that means the tree is growing, a good sign.

 

Yellow Gardenia Leaves - How To Fix A Gardenia With Yellow Leaves


@mousiegirl, there are so many buds ready to bloom, & yes there is new growth.  When I transplanted it to a bigger pot, it was really root bound.  I am thinking that could be the reason.  Since the soil hasn’t been changed for 2 years, hoping that could have caused it.  I have never had any issues & then this.  That’s when I decided to give it an overhaul & repot, etc.  Keeping my fingers crossed...!  

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Re: My Gardenia Tree...Help!


@Katcat1 wrote:

@BornToShop  It probably experienced some shock because of the transplanting.  I sure hope it springs back for you.  Keep us posted.  Cat Very Happy  Now I am interested in a Gardenia tree since you can plant in a pot (I have a deck only).  I live in Illinois what would I do in the winter?  Just cover for the roots?  Cover whole tree?  


@Katcat1, my grandmother lived in Nebraska & had a Gardenia tree for years she kept in a bay window.  You would have to bring it in when the temps get below 55.  I transplanted my tree as a result of the sudden yellow leaves event.  It was really root bound so I am thinking it needed to be in a bigger pot.  Time will tell!  

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Re: My Gardenia Tree...Help!

I have been raising gardenia trees for a long time.  Gardenias are known as deciduous evergreens, meaning they have both green leaves and spent leaves.  The spent leaves fall off like a maple tree would lose their leaves in the fall.  Yet, the green ones remain as an evergreen would.  New leaves will grow and the ones that are now green will eventually turn brown and fall off.  I believe your tree is just fine and cycling through its natural process.

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Re: My Gardenia Tree...Help!

Chlorosis on leaves is not a uniform yellowing of leaves, the leaves lighten to a lighter green, but the center leaf veins remain the natural green. Iron chelated fertilizers such as Ironite help reduce it. Sometimes chlorisis is caused by lime from bricks or cement leaching into the soil & altering the pH of the soil. This change in pH due to lime leaching causes chlorosis.

 

See photo at top of page for an example of chlorosis: https://www.gardenia.net/guide/Gardenia-Leaves-Turning-Yellow

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