The mistake made usually is to water con¬ 
stantly thus keeping the plant too wet, which 
results in rotting of the roots. Use tepid 
water. Do not let plant stand in water. 
Keep saucer dry. 
Controlling Insects 
Unfortunately the white mealy bug is 
quite troublesome on gardenias. These in¬ 
sects lodge in the joints of the plant and 
must be eliminated. The easiest method is 
to place plant in a sink and go over the 
joints of the plant with a soft cheap flat 
2-inch paint brush. Use a little laundry 
soap in the water to clean the plant. Dur¬ 
ing warm weather, take the plant out doors 
and syringe with cold water with enough 
force to clean the plant, using a garden hose 
equipped with a spray nozzle. These rules 
apply to controlling any other insects that 
may appear on the plants. 
Feeding 
Feed plants every three or four weeks 
with liquid fertilizer. The Belmont Gar¬ 
dens have a special preparation for this pur¬ 
pose. Gardenias require certain elements 
that are quite necessary to keep plants green 
and healthy. Dissolve one teaspoonful of 
this fertilizer in the water used for one good 
watering for each plant. 
