Gardenia Branches Dying

Question

The branches of my bush have started dying off from the middle out. There do not seem to be any bugs on the branches, so I am assuming there is something in the ground. My husband has built up the soil around the bottom of the plants. He says the branches were already dying before he did a bit of gardening around the bushes. The outer branches are now dying off too. Really want to save these bushes, as they were propagated by my dead mom. Also, can gardenias be reshaped liked roses, as we have had to cut out a lot of the centrer branches?

Answer 1

Certainly sounds like a soils problem. I would have the soils tested to see what might be goind on there. It might be a good idea to dig them up and see if anything is attacking the root systems, like grubs perhaps. Then replant them all with good fresh garden soils. Discard the other soils. Replant them with some super phosphate in the planting hole and give them some root stimulator mixed with a product called Super Thrive when watering them in after replanting. They can be lightly reshaped but lightly.