Product Description:
Hibiscus can be grown in container or planted in garden beds outdoors, but all things considered, most folks find it a bit easier to care for them in containers. The beauty of container gardening is the freedom to move your plants around to make sure their needs are being met. If the spot you’ve chosen for your hibiscus isn’t getting quite enough sun, you can easily move it to a new spot. Once temperatures begin to drop, you can even bring it inside to overwinter it so you can enjoy it for a second summer.
Light:
Hibiscus love bright conditions. In northern climes, full sun is often best, but in the intense, dry heat of the south, filtered sunlight is better.
Soil:
All hibiscus do best in well-drained, fertile, moist, loamy soil. The hardy varieties are wetland natives and are a good choice for sites that are too wet for other plants.
Water:
All hibiscus are thirsty plants that need to be kept moist. Indoor tropical hibiscus benefit from regular watering from spring to early autumn during the growing season.
Temperature and Humidity:
Rose of Sharon and hardy hibiscus can grow in cool, temperate climates. They thrive in temperatures from 60 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit but can handle temperatures as low as 20 degrees Fahrenheit. When temperatures drop below 30 degrees Fahrenheit and frost is a risk, bring container-grown plants indoors. However, be mindful of their higher humidity requirements—which is why bathrooms are a good location for these plants.
Fertilizer:
To encourage abundant, healthy blooms with good color, feed plants with a high potassium and high nitrogen fertilizer
Pruning:
Hardy hibiscus benefit from annual winter pruning once they are established. Cutting the plant back after flowering, especially dead, damaged, and diseased branches and old wood growing in the center of the plant can aid air circulation and keep the plant looking tidy.
Propagating Hibiscus:
Most hibiscus propagation is from cuttings. Select a four- to six-inch piece stem from new, vigorous growth. Keep the leaves at the top of the stem but remove all the rest. You might want to dip the cut end in rooting hormone before potting in a well-drained, moist potting soil. It can take a couple of months for the root system to fully develop.
Potting and Repotting Hibiscus:
Nutrient-loving potted hibiscus will benefit from being repotted every couple of years in early spring. Avoid deep pots, otherwise the plant will spend a lot of its energy on root development, and you want it to focus on flower production.
