What time of year is best to cut back or transplant Gardenias?

I know this doesn't sound like a question from me but, someone else wanted to know..

Thanks..
What time of year is best to cut back or transplant Gardenias?
I love gardenias, I was going to answer this, since I think Im a great gardener, but the first 2 answers that you got are exactly what I was going to say. It really depends on where you live, and if the plant is going to live inside or out. Gardenias can be very fickle, but I have been very lucky, I love their smell....
Reply:Hey Fonz,



You can transplant any time of year. However if you wait until after the bloom, then the plant will not have it's energy focused on the flowers - better recovery time.



Gardenia is difficult to transplant and does not tolerate root disturbance well. Mechanical injury to roots

often occurs during transplanting, so care must be taken.

Transplants should be planted higher than is normally

done, so that the root ball is an inch or so above the soil

level and not entirely covered with soil. Avoid crowding

plants to prevent competition from other roots. Because

the roots are sensitive to disturbance, do not cultivate

around them; suppress weeds by mulching around

the plants, and hand-pull weeds when the soil is moist.
Reply:Pruning

Pruning keeps plants shapely and in scale with the landscape. Pruning should be done just after the plant finishes blooming. Pruning after October 1st decreases next year's blooms.

Research in Florida suggests that a combination of long nights, low temperatures, and wood of the proper age aid in bud initiation and development. Pruning should be early enough to allow new growth to be at least 4 to 6 inches long by approximately October 1. Young plants, growing vigorously during their first year, may be pinched once in June and again in August to encourage heavy branching.