Why Is My Gardenia Putting Out Bulbs And Then They Fall Off?

Question

I have a potted gardenia purchased a couple of months ago. It had a couple of blossoms when purchased. We transplanted it to an outdoor pot slightly larger than when purchased. Those blooms soon turned brown and dropped off, but there were more buds just coming along. The pot it is in has drain holes in the bottom and some cedar mulch around the top. Soon a few of the leaves turned yellow and fell off, buds looked like they were about to open but all have dropped off, but new ones are forming. The pot is outside near our pool. almost all leaves are green and healthy looking, but still a few turning yellow. We’re doing something wrong, but don’t know what.

Answer 1

Gardenias will yellow out leaves and-or drop flower buds at a moment's notice for a long list of mostly sensitive environmental issues. Consider any combination of these and avoid them -if you can- when it is blooming:

Dry soil or inconsistent watering (maintain the soil as evenly moist as you can – no dry but not soggy either); low humidity in the summer; the plant and/or the pot was physically moved to a new location (say, from the store to your home) so avoid moving them when they are about to bloom; pests that may harm the roots; temperatures are too hot, too cold or quickly fluctuating; an infestation by thrips or aphids.