A gardenia indoor or outdoor setup can work for you in either case. But your gardenias will do best outside in warm climates. Outdoor plants get the natural sun, humidity, and air flow that gardenias love. You can grow them inside too, but they need much more care from you to stay healthy and bloom.
I tested this myself one season with two gardenias from the same batch at the nursery. My outdoor plant went into a shaded bed on the east side of my house. The indoor one sat near a large south-facing window. By August, the outdoor gardenia had given me over 30 blooms and put on several inches of new growth. The indoor plant managed just 8 blooms and grew about half as much. Same soil mix, same age, but very different results from each spot.
The two biggest hurdles with growing gardenias indoors are humidity and light. Your home likely runs between 30% and 40% humidity. Your gardenias need above 50% to keep their leaf edges from going brown. Dry air also triggers bud drop, which is the most common complaint from indoor growers. Without enough light, your indoor gardenia can't make the energy it needs for flowers. You'll see pale green leaves and spindly stems instead of the lush dark growth you want.
The Almanac says you should put your indoor gardenia in a south-facing window for the best light. Set your pot on a gravel tray filled with water to push humidity up around the leaves. Keep your daytime temps between 65°F and 70°F (18°C to 21°C). Let the night temp drop a bit lower. That cool drop at night helps your gardenia form flower buds. Most people miss this because they keep their home at one steady temp all day.
Your gardenia houseplant care routine needs to stay on track week after week. Water your plant when the top inch of soil feels dry. Never let the pot sit in standing water. Feed with an acid fertilizer every 3 to 4 weeks from spring through early fall. Mist your leaves in the morning to add humidity. Avoid wetting open flowers since they bruise and turn brown fast. Turn the pot a quarter each week so all sides get equal light. I also found that setting my indoor gardenia outside on the patio during warm summer weekends gave it a real boost.
If you live in Zone 7 or colder, you should use containers. Grow your gardenias outside from late spring through early fall. This gives your plants the fresh air and natural light they crave. Bring them back in before night temps fall below 55°F (13°C). Put them near your brightest window for the winter months. This approach lets you enjoy gardenias even if your winters get too cold for them to survive outside.
Your gardenias will grow bigger and bloom more outside with less work from you. But if your climate runs too cold, growing gardenias indoors still gives you those fragrant white flowers. Pick a compact variety like Veitchii or Radicans for your indoor setup. These handle pot life better than the full-sized types and fit well on a bright windowsill.
Read the full article: Gardenia Plant Care and Growing Guide
