| I just purchased them and I would like to know how to take care of them. |
| Rubber trees do well in bright to moderate light but will also tolerate low light conditions. When you water, drench it so the soil is very wet, then let it dry down about a half inch before watering again. All-purpose fertilizer for houseplants should keep this one happy. Gardenia is a much more difficult plant to care for.Gardenias are difficult to grow as houseplants and the simple shock of moving from the greenhouse to home can kill them. (Stress can also cause the plant to stop blooming or die back temporarily.) These plants require an acid soil mix and plenty of bright light with ample humidity and a moist but not soggy soil; often they will tolerate a short stay in the house during winter but then need to be returned to the optimum conditions of a conservatory or cool greenhouse in order to rebuild strength to bloom again the following year. In my experience it is really best to enjoy a gardenia as a "bouquet" without trying to keep it as a houseplant -- unless you have a greenhouse. It helps to think of gardenias as one-season plants and be prepared to replace them each year; that way, if yours thrives you will be pleasantly surprised. |
