When should I plant a gardenia bush?

Question

My neighbor took a piece of her gardenia bush and rooted it. Now it's ready to be planted and I wanted to know if I should put it in a pot, since fall is coming soon, or if it would be fine to go ahead and put it in the ground. I live in Georgia.

Answer 1

I would place your gardenia in a pot for now and plant it in the ground later on this fall.  That way you will be able to keep it watered and the summer weather will not put such a strain on it, being young and all.  Once you place it in the ground, do water it when there is no rain, fertilize it at the beginning and it should do nicely.