Care for gardenia flowers by placing the plant in a good location, using well-drained soil, watering the plant deeply, adding mulch and fertilizing the gardenia bush. This bush needs a tropical environment to thrive, requiring a tray of wet pebbles or a humidifier to increase humidity.
First, plant a gardenia bush in well-drained soil with a low soil pH. Prepare the soil by adding compost or peat moss. If you don't live in a humid climate, plant the bush in a pot, and keep it indoors where you can simulate a moist environment. Place the plant in bright sunlight or under direct light.
Water the gardenia bush deeply upon first planting it, and then once a week to keep the soil moist. Avoid splashing the leaves of the plant during watering. Increase humidity by filling a tray with wet pebbles and placing the pot on top of it. You can also run a humidifier. Make sure the plant gets plenty of sunlight during the winter.
Add a layer of wood chip mulch to the base of the plant to help maintain soil moisture. Feed the plant an acid-loving fertilizer in the spring and the summer. Deadhead or remove faded blooms immediately, and prune away dead wood.
