Gardenia plant

Question

I just moved from Virginia Beach to Meriden, Ct. My friends had given me a gardenia bush a year ago. They kept it at their home until I moved, but it was dying from lack of attention. When I moved to Ct. just a month ago, it has been flourishing in its original pot. The branches are all filled in with deep green leaves and seems to be growing pretty fast. It is August now and I am not sure if I should plant it in the ground. What I am afraid of is that it won’t make it through the winter. What do you suggest?

Answer 1

As long as temps don’t fall below 20 F. for extended periods, gardenias can survive outdoors just fine. If it falls below this, the plant will need to come inside for winter. If you plant it outdoors, I would, however, recommend placing it in a sheltered location to help protect it during any unusual cold spells. Also, in the event of heavy frost or freeze warnings, you may want to cover it. Here is more info that should help: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/frost-how-to-protect-your-plants.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/problems/enviromental/protect-plants-in-freeze.htm