Gardenia - dropping yellow leaves after transplant

[thisbattymom]

I have a "Radicans" dwarf gardenia that I purchased at the start of last summer. It was in poor condition; had almost no leaves but was alive - I bought it b/c they were going to destroy it and I felt bad. I paid $1 for 3 - the other 2 completely died.
Anyway, through the summer it grew new leaves and bloomed a couple times. It wintered well on my deck and so this spring (about a month ago) I moved it to a much larger pot. When I moved it I buried the plant in to just above the first branching, so it could grow more roots higher up. The old pot was 1gal - the new one is 5gal. I used Miracle Grow potting soil w/ 9 month feeding crystals.
Since then, it has grown progressively more and more yellow and lost more and more leaves.

Is this normal or did I do something wrong? How can I help it become healthy again?

I also have another larger flowered gardenia that I took as a clipping from a neighbor's bush last fall. It is growing beautiful new leaves and I have it in a 1 gal pot. Should I transplant it this yr or let it get more established and transplant next yr?

[Jess]

Hi thisbattymom

I think it may be suffering for two reasons. Firstly Gardenias require acidic soil (ericaceous) and secondly they like free draining compost.
It sounds like you have potted it on into a much larger pot which means far too much compost which will hold too much water around the roots and Miracle Grow potting soil is probably neutral rather than acidic.

If you buy an Ericaceous compost get some Horticultural grit sand to mix in with it so you get the free draining compost that Camellias like and put it in as small a pot as you can. Do not pot on until the roots are completely filling the pot. I wouldn't feed it with the crystals either. You need a plant food for acid loving plants.
Good luck, hope it makes it. Would be a shame if you lost it after taking such good care of it all last summer.

Oh and the other one only pot on if roots are filling the pot too.