From our perspective as gardenias, winter is a period of essential dormancy, not death. The cooler temperatures and shorter day lengths signal us to slow our metabolic processes dramatically. We cease active growth and flowering to conserve vital energy reserves within our roots and stems. This rest period is crucial for our long-term health and our ability to produce an abundance of blooms the following spring and summer. Attempting to force us to grow or bloom during this time by keeping us in a hot, dry room is stressful and depletes our energy, making us susceptible to pests and disease.
Our roots are our lifeline, and in pots, they are exceptionally vulnerable. Unlike our cousins planted in the ground, whose roots are insulated by the earth, our containerized roots are exposed to rapid temperature fluctuations on all sides. A hard freeze can cause the soil in the pot to freeze solid, rupturing our delicate root cells and causing fatal damage. Therefore, our primary winter need is protection from these extreme temperature swings. Moving our pots to a sheltered location like an unheated garage, a cool greenhouse, or even against the south-facing wall of a house provides a critical buffer against the coldest air and damaging frosts.
Our water requirements change significantly in winter. With our growth halted and evaporation slowed by cool temperatures, we need far less water. However, our root ball must never be allowed to dry out completely, as desiccation is just as lethal as freezing. The goal is consistently slightly moist soil, never soggy. Overwatering in cold weather is a grave danger; cold, waterlogged soil suffocates our roots, promotes root rot fungi, and prevents us from taking up what little water we need. You should check our soil moisture by feeling it an inch below the surface, watering only when it feels just slightly dry to the touch.
While we are dormant, we still require bright, indirect light to maintain basic photosynthetic function and keep our evergreen leaves healthy. A spot near a bright window is ideal if we are brought indoors. A more significant challenge indoors is the lack of atmospheric humidity. Heating systems create an arid environment that is utterly foreign to us. This low humidity stresses our leaves, causing them to turn yellow and drop as we struggle to conserve moisture. Increasing humidity around us through the use of a pebble tray filled with water or a small humidifier is immensely beneficial for mimicking our preferred moist air.
Please withhold all fertilizer during the winter months. Since we are not actively growing, we have no capacity to use the nutrients. Applying fertilizer during this time leads to a harmful buildup of salts in the confined potting soil, which can chemically burn our delicate, dormant roots and further contribute to stress and leaf drop. Our nutritional needs will resume naturally in early spring as temperatures warm and daylight increases, signaling the end of our rest period.
