Q.Gardenia
I recently bought a small gardenia tree 10 days ago. I read a tip about it in your website saying it doesn’t like change of location. I had to move it from its location when I first bought it from the nursery. It had 3 unflowered buds. When I placed it in one of the rooms (indoors) I had, there wasn’t enough light there, so I had to move it to a lighter one 2 days ago. Until then the tree looked alright. Today I noticed one bud fell off as it was being cut it had fallen off the branches. The new location has 2 windows and pretty lighted and afternoon sun will shine on the tree for about and hour through the glass around 5 pm. It is mentioned that the tree doesn’t like direct sun, but I also read that it needs it, so which is correct? The sunlight coming through glass window isn’t direct or is it enough for one hour? Please help me with this in order to know if I need to change its location to a shadier place.
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
2 hours will not be enough. Sunlight that gets indoors is far less intense than outdoor light. Indoors, gardenias are a full sun plant and need at least 5 hours of indirect light. Indirect light would be like setting it next to a window rather than in front of a window.
A sheer curtain would be great to turn direct light from a window into indirect. You can also just place it a foot or so over from the window, just so it is not in the direct rays.
Outside, they like part shade, so that is why you read that about them not needing much light. Indoors, they need more light because the light is not as intense.
Once you have the right place for it, move it there and keep it there. since it has been a short time and you are only moving it short distances in your home, it should be fine. As you just bought it though, you can expect some bud drop as the move from the store to your home was a big move for the plant.
