[greentiger87]

I hate when growers do that! It can be a death sentence for woody perennials, because the root systems essentially strangle each other. I suspect they may have fared better if they had been separated and root pruned. Root pruning is rather scary at first, but it's increased my success with perennials by leaps and bounds.

So I succumbed and bought a gardenia about a month ago. I was afraid to say anything about it lest it die on me. Thankfully... it's thriving 0.0 It's in a pot with just pine bark compost. Fertilized it heavily with ammonium based (acid) fertilizer, epsom salts and gypsum. I water it with rainwater or acidified tap water whenever I'm not lazy. It's growing like crazy! It's had a few blooms, but I don't think it'll go all out until the nights get cooler.

Let's see how long my good luck lasts...