bonsai gardenia

[elinfla1]

I have a gardenia bonsai plant that was a gift from my son.The leaves are turning yellow and I just don't know what I'm doing (or not doing)I keep it outdoors and we have had a long run of hot weather(I live in Florida)I think I am watering it enough but at this point I need help to keep this plant alive at least till my son gets to see it.

[opabinia51]

What is your watering scheme?

[The Helpful Gardener]

And how are the leaves turning yellow? All at once? Yellow with green veins? From the tips? A picture is worth a thousand words...

HG

[elinfla1]

I water when it appears dry,usually every day.I have also been feeding with a liquid fertilizer that I got from a local bonsai nursery.The leaves are yellow with green veins,eventually turn all yellow and fall off.There does appear to be some new growth even some flower buds but they don't come to anything,usually fall off too(some of the buds appear to be rotting at the bottom.

[The Helpful Gardener]

I think you are over fertilizing. Is this an ammonia or nitrogen based fertilizer?

[elinfla1]

I'm not sure.It is called Dyna-Gro and the instructions say to use it every time I water(in a very dilute form)It really looks very poorly.My husband suggested it may be dormant for the winter.Is that possible.My son is in Iraq and won't be home for at least 6 months.Iwould love to be able to keep it alive till he comes home.Any advice would be a help.Thanx

[The Helpful Gardener]

Stop fertilizing for the winter, and definitely stop with the Dyna-Gro. It's really made for hydroponics and has lots of trace elements and IS ammonia based, so it could be salt build up, high levels of trace elements, or something else entirely, but let's eliminate known problems. Shouldn't fertilize in winter anyway, so this gives you some time to rinse that soil out well, and find a nice organic fertilizer that will help build some healthy living soil (seaweed emulsion is nice and less smelly than fish emulsion, which is also good. Winter color is a possibility, but those green veins make me think too much fetillizer (phosphate, mostly).

Let me know how this does; it'll be touch and go for a bit, but I think it will pull through.

Scott