Not dead yet

I got this from Mom as a cutting she rooted from a beautiful bush she had at her house that was loaded with blooms and smelled wonderful.

(It's a gardenia if you're unable to tell from the foliage.)

I've managed to not kill it and it's got some new growth. Not as much as I'd like but it's not dying. That counts, right? New growth is better than dying yes? I suspect the pot may be a bit too big and perhaps it's growing roots more than it's growing branches. I'm not a plant scientist though, so I can't say for sure if that's possible.

I'm wondering if the pH is wrong in the pot because it's a clay pot. They're not supposed to be planted next to concrete or sidewalks. Perhaps I should add some lime to the soil?