Bonsai Gardenia Care: How to Grow a Bonsai Plant
One of the most beautiful things about a bonsai gardenia tree is that even if it has a shallow root system, it will usually grow quite well in a container. The reason for this is that a bonsai gardenia needs a soil with a good amount of moisture and also needs to have good drainage so that excess water can evaporate quickly. It does not need much sunlight but will prefer a south facing window for optimum light. Another important thing to note is that you should never fertilize your bonsai gardenia too early, as it will lose its flavor before too long.
The flowering period of a bonsai gardenia starts in late summer and ends in early fall. The foliage will change from green to shades of pink in early autumn. This flowering period is very important to the plant, since it is during this time that you can actually begin pruning the plant. The flowering is also when the bonsai gardenia experiences one of its most intense periods of growth, at which time it will produce as many flowers as it wants.
Like all plants, a bonsai gardenia needs regular watering, and it should be fertilized only about once every two months during its flowering season, and then once a month during its dormant period. The fertilizer should be applied with the top leaf of the plant. If there are any brown patches or yellow spots, do not apply the fertilizer, and allow them to heal. Pruning the bonsai tree can help to control its wild growth, and the vigorous pruning may even help it to flower more lavishly than it would without pruning.