URGENT ~ Outdoor Gardenia Bonsai Possibly Dying?

[BabyGardener]

Hello All,

I got a lovely Gardenia Bonsai as a birthday gift from my Mother in law. It was doing fine until a few days go when we noticed a change that occurred within the last 1 month:

A little background on the conditions the bonsai has been put through:
From Aug 2011 to about mid December 2011 the bonsai was kept outdoors in a mid to upper 40* F temperature...then the plant was taken to my husbands workplace where it was kept in a roughly 68-70* F temperature (his colleague helped to take care of it, while we went on 2 week vacation). During this period when the bonsai was kept indoors, it started budding and new leaves were observed growing at the tips.

After the 2 week period, we brought the bonsai back home and thats when the problems started. We kept it near a glass patio door with minimum sunlight exposure for 1 week. Note: Leaves and the overall condition of the bonsai looked fine at this point and there was no problem, temperature at 60-68* F...

After that, we placed the bonsai outside in order for the bonsai to receive proper sunlight (temperature around 10-20* F) and just 4 days later, we found the plant in a 'dying' condition where most leaves have turned brown, remaining green leaves have brown spots, and the buds which had new growth are now completely dark brown to black.

We are urgently seeking some opinion on what is happening to our bonsai and what can we do to get it out of its current (not so pleasant) situation...

Here are the pictures of the condition described above:
1. [url]https://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i33/1taplay/whatever/?action=view&current=20120119_193651.jpg[/url]

2. [url]https://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i33/1taplay/whatever/?action=view&current=20120119_193716.jpg[/url]

3. [url]https://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i33/1taplay/whatever/?action=view&current=20120119_200449.jpg[/url]

*Since we are clueless on whats happening, the Bonsai has been taken back to my husbands workplace since the Bonsai was thriving best in those conditions...

Thank you very very much in advance![/url]

[rainbowgardener]

I think you are torturing the poor thing -- hot, cold, hot, cold... plants can't adapt that fast.

You didn't say where you are, but you said from Aug to Dec it was outdoors, mid to upper 40's. Where do you live that it is 40 degrees in August?

And then you said after bringing it in so that it is no longer hardened off for cold, you plopped it back out doors, 10 -20 degrees. Gardenias DIE at 10 degrees. They are frost tolerant, but 20 is pushing their limits and they would need a lot of protection. 10 is just way to cold for them. It got frozen which is why the buds died.

So, bring it back in and leave it in until spring. It is native to tropical and subtropical areas. It doesn't need or want winter chilling. It will be somewhat dormant in the winter time so will not need as much light. Keep it watered but well drained and DON"T fertilize while it is trying to recover.

[TomM]

It is important to know where you live. Please tell us in your profile / avatar. When telling a story like yours, and seeking advice, it makes a big difference whether you are in Seattle, Miami or Madrid. Most of us are in USA but not everybody so include your country too.

[BabyGardener]

I think you are torturing the poor thing -- hot, cold, hot, cold... plants can't adapt that fast.

You didn't say where you are, but you said from Aug to Dec it was outdoors, mid to upper 40's. Where do you live that it is 40 degrees in August?

And then you said after bringing it in so that it is no longer hardened off for cold, you plopped it back out doors, 10 -20 degrees. Gardenias DIE at 10 degrees. They are frost tolerant, but 20 is pushing their limits and they would need a lot of protection. 10 is just way to cold for them. It got frozen which is why the buds died.

So, bring it back in and leave it in until spring. It is native to tropical and subtropical areas. It doesn't need or want winter chilling. It will be somewhat dormant in the winter time so will not need as much light. Keep it watered but well drained and DON"T fertilize while it is trying to recover.

thanks for your reply...actually when I mentioned the 40* weather, I was thinking more towards the December period...do u think that I can place it near a glass window?

we live in Norwood, MA a suburb of Boston, MA...