Deadheading Gardenias

Question

Hi. Your website has been pretty helpful, but I have a black thumb and I still don’t understand where to do this. Plus all of the Internet drawings are hard to comprehend. I have been deadheading the gardenias right below the leaves that the bud comes out of. I will include a picture. I don’t know if that’s right and I feel like I need some kind of picture to tell me if I’m doing it right because it doesn’t make sense. I’m attaching a picture and my nail is about where I remove the spent blossom. Before, I just took off the dead flower and left the “star shape” it came from.

• 

Answer 1

The article is saying to cut it off below the flower but down to the first leaves so you don't leave a bare stem. Just cut right above the leaves. Here is more:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/gardenia/removing-spent-blooms-on-gardenia.htm