The August Beauty Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides ‘August Beauty’) is a popular evergreen flowering shrub known for its incredibly fragrant, pure white blooms that perfume the garden from late spring through summer. With its lustrous dark green foliage that provides year-round interest and heavenly scented flowers it’s easy to see why gardeners love this plant. However August Beauty Gardenia is only hardy in zones 8-11, meaning it requires special care to survive colder climates. If you live where winters get chilly, follow these tips to successfully overwinter your August Beauty Gardenia.
Choosing the Right Location
Proper site selection is key to protect your August Beauty Gardenia during winter. This plant thrives in a location with full sun to partial shade and moist, acidic, well-draining soil. Shelter it from harsh winter winds, which can damage branches and dry out foliage. The ideal overwintering site blocks wind while still allowing some sunlight to reach the plant.
Position the shrub against a wall or fence on the south or east side of your home. Near the foundation of a building also provides insulation that keeps roots warmer. If growing your Gardenia in a container, place the pot right up against the house when temps drop. A location near a heat source like a warm wall or vent is also beneficial.
Providing Winter Protection
When winter temperatures in your area begin to drop below 30°F, it’s time to add insulation around your August Beauty Gardenia An ideal way to protect the entire shrub is to build a frame around it and fill the enclosure with leaves, straw, or pine needles. Commercial insulation blankets also work well For container plants, wrap the pot in bubble wrap or place it inside a bucket lined with styrofoam.
Secure the winter protection snugly around the Gardenia, but avoid compressing branches. Leave the top uncovered on sunny days so light can still reach the plant. Ventilate the enclosure on mild days to prevent moisture buildup.
Preventing Root Damage
Insulating the roots is just as important as protecting the top growth. Mulch heavily around the base with several inches of shredded bark, leaves, or pine straw. The mulch insulates the soil and prevents rapid temperature fluctuations that can damage roots.
For potted Gardenias, place the container on insulating mats or blocks to prevent the cold from radiating up from the ground into the soil. Move container plants into an unheated garage or shed to shelter the roots if temps drop below 25°F.
Maintaining Adequate Moisture
Dry soil and foliage are more susceptible to cold damage. Water your August Beauty Gardenia deeply before winter arrives, then continue watering when the soil begins to feel dry. Rain and snowmelt also contribute moisture over winter.
Prevent winter winds from excessively drying out the Gardenia’s leaves by misting them regularly with water on mild days. Anti-desiccant sprays create a protective film that seals in moisture. Keep humidity around the plant high by placing gravel trays filled with water near the base.
Avoiding Early Spring Growth
If temperatures warm up in late winter, the Gardenia may break dormancy and start growing too early while it’s still vulnerable to frost. Prevent premature growth by keeping winter protection in place until your average last spring frost date passes. Continue watering during warm spells so the plant doesn’t get stressed.
Providing Extra Care to Container Plants
Gardenias grown in pots are more exposed and require extra protection. Insulate the containers, water more frequently as needed, and move the pots into a protected garage or cold frame if hard freezes threaten. Keep the plants outdoors during winter as much as possible, only bringing them in when temperatures drop below 25°F.
Choose a cool spot indoors near a window for adequate light. Water sparingly while inside, just enough to keep soil slightly moist. Bring container gardenias back outside in spring once nighttime lows stay above freezing.
Timing Spring Pruning
Avoid pruning the August Beauty Gardenia anytime from fall through early spring to prevent damaging cold-tender new growth. Wait to prune until after the last spring frost when temperatures warm up and the plant resumes active growth. Prune to maintain shape, remove dead wood, and eliminate branches damaged by winter.
With the proper care, your treasured August Beauty Gardenia can survive cold winters to bloom again next year. Follow these overwintering techniques if you want to enjoy this beloved shrub’s fragrant summer-long display of flowers outside its normal growing zones. Protecting the roots, foliage, and branches from winter’s harsh effects will allow your August Beauty Gardenia to thrive season after season.
Gardenia Winter Care in Pots
If your Gardenias are planted in containers or pots. The bins can be moved to a covered area and wrapped in heavy blankets, cardboard, or even plastic bubble wrap that you recycle from your trash can. This works well for milder climates that experience an occasional frost or freeze. If you live in an area where it always freezes or even snows, you should move your containers inside a garage or greenhouse during the winter.
Cutting Back Gardenias For Winter
Gardenias only require occasional pruning to keep their size and shape. This is best done in the late summer after the last flower has bloomed. The shrub goes mostly dormant in the winter, but you don’t want to prune it at this time. You could damage small developing buds that will become flowers once spring arrives.
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FAQ
How cold hardy is August beauty Gardenia?
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Hardiness
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8 – 11 What’s My Zone?
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Heat Zones
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7 – 12 What’s My Zone?
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Climate Zones
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7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, H1, H2
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Plant Type
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Shrubs
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Plant Family
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Rubiaceae
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Can Gardenia survive winter?
Where is the best place to plant August beauty gardenias?
What is the best Gardenia for cold weather?