Planting 7gallon Gardenias- August Beauties

Watch a few youtube vids on planting shrubs first

Make sure the hole is appropriately sized, that you break up the root ball, till the walls of the hole, don't plant the shrub too deep.

I mix some Dr. Earth's Root Zone in the planting soil along with some sand since my soil is essentially clay

Good fact sheet on planting shrubs from Clemson. LINK, if you have poorly draining clay soil plant to a depth where the top of the root ball is 2 to 4 inches above landscape bed grade, and never plant where the top of the root ball is below grade, and that includes settling that might occur. Don’t amend the soil placed back into the planting hole - just the native soil you removed.

No need to fertilize until next spring. Just water well during dry spells, even during winter. Remember Gardenias thrive in acidic soil - have you checked your soil pH?

If it doesn't fit in the hole you dug, just step on the root ball until it does.

Heavy clay based soils are often alkaline but years of organic additions will help to lower pH. But there is no reason to guess. Just order this kit and get some solid numbers. LINK. Of course sample soil from the area the gardenias will be planted.

If the soil pH is higher than ideal for gardenias the results should come with a recommendation on how to decrease it to an optimum level for gardenias. Generally the addition of elemental sulfur, aluminum sulfate (alum), using acidic fertilizers, liberal additions of organic matter, etc. Your UGA county cooperative extension agent can guide you.

Do you grow azaleas, and if so to they grow well? They also thrive in acidic soils.

One of yall should have told me "rent a bobcat".