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tracydr

Planting baby hibiscus in-ground?

tracydr
11 years ago

I just purchased 7 hibiscus from an out of state nursery and received them by UPS yesterday. They are potted in 4" pots and look fantastic. Instructions that came with them say to repot in two weeks to 10" pots and not to plant in-ground for the first year.

I'm concerned about keeping them potted in the summer. Keeping potted plants is not my forte. I've done quite well with my single, big-box hibiscus that I planted in the ground 4 years ago. I'm very concerned that I would lose these little guys by lack of knowledge but mainly through the roots getting cooked in the summer.

They are much too tall to go on my seed shelf under lights indoors.

Do you think it's really that much better to keep them in a pot for a full year? Could I go to the larger pot for a month, then into the ground before our oven blast heat hits?

I'm planning to plant them around the pool, in partial shade. I will be able to protect them from cold and freeze.

Thanks!

Oh, I got three El Capitalos, one Hibiscus Schizopetalus and 3 large flowered hybrids. (Saffron, Party Girl and Aztec Giant)

Depending on how these do, I'd like to get about 7-8 more.

Comments (12)

  • MaryMcP Zone 8b - Phx AZ
    11 years ago

    I wish I had known that advice before I repotted my stunning yellow hibiscus into the ground. It's really struggling and I'm not sure it's going to make it. I was thinking I was over- or under-watering it but maybe it should have stayed in the pot. I was thinking the same as you Tracy, get it in the ground before summer.

    FWIW, that's all I know about it.

  • tomatofreak
    11 years ago

    I don't know nuthin' 'bout no hibiscus, but I think I'd trust that the growers do. If you do decide to repot in the 10' pots, I'd use those thick-walled foam pots with plastic inner and outer coatings. They keep roots much cooler than terra cotta pots and the soil doesn't dry out as fast. I got several of those pots on clearance a few years ago and now I wish I'd bought them all.

    Mary, is it too late to dig yours up and stick it in a pot? I've done crazier things. ;o)

  • azbookworm
    11 years ago

    I am trying that double pot idea with small bark in between the two pots for my Hibiscus container plants this summer. Otherwise, they just burn up. I have been testing the soil temps with this double pot system and so far so good.

    Could you keep your 4" --> 10" in doors during this hot part of the year. Then transplant them in the fall?

  • tracydr
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Alright. I put them in 10" pots. Maybe, I'll buy some grow bags and repot when it gets hotter to larger pots or put the smaller pots into the grobags full of bark.
    Or, I may just put them in the house, though not ideal. Don't really have a great place for 7 hibiscus, since I have a new wood floor.
    But, certainly don't want to loose them!
    Thanks everyone!

  • tracydr
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Marymcp, what kind is yours? Is it something rare and special?
    I'm hoping to get lots of cuttings off of mine next year!
    I'll offer them here so you don't all have to pay exorbitant shipping costs. I'm really looking forward to those giant blooms and the crazy, double blooms of El Capitolo. The Hibiscus Schizopetalus is really interesting, too. Such a frilly looking flower.
    Would anybody be interested in going in on another order, now? I'd love to get anothe 7-8.
    They're from Hidden Valley Hibiscus and they look fabulous, so far.

  • tracydr
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Marymcp, what kind is yours? Is it something rare and special?
    I'm hoping to get lots of cuttings off of mine next year!
    I'll offer them here so you don't all have to pay exorbitant shipping costs. I'm really looking forward to those giant blooms and the crazy, double blooms of El Capitolo. The Hibiscus Schizopetalus is really interesting, too. Such a frilly looking flower.
    Would anybody be interested in going in on another order, now? I'd love to get anothe 7-8.
    They're from Hidden Valley Hibiscus and they look fabulous, so far.

  • MaryMcP Zone 8b - Phx AZ
    11 years ago

    Mine came from Lowe's - nothing special, the flowers were large and bright yellow/golden.

    I missed the last co-op, if that's what you mean by "....another order." Someone on Dave's was just saying she wished she had not missed the last coop, so you probably have at least one interested party there. What do you have in mind in terms of how many you need to order?

  • tracydr
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I was just thinking about making another order, not with a coop. If I found another person or two to share shipping with.
    It's through Hidden Valley Hibiscus, if you'd like to see what they have.
    You may want to try some actinovate with iron on your sick little hibiscus. It's done wonders to a rose that I had that was sickly right after transplanting.

  • MaryMcP Zone 8b - Phx AZ
    11 years ago

    I checked the site and they have some really pretty hibiscus but I avoid 'exotic' and 'tropical'. In my yard 'hardy' is better suited. :-/

  • tracydr
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Mary-the hibiscus you got from Lowes is tropical. You won't see the hardy hibiscus around here unless you mail order or start from seed. It's a whole different variety.
    They are exotic but no harder to keep alive than the ones from Lowes. In fact, I think the El Capitolo and maybe the hibiscus Schizopetalus might be easier than the ones from Lowes.
    They are simply hybrids, crosses of fancy different colors and bigger flowered varieties but shouldn't be any harder to grow than the average reds, yellows and pinks with smaller flowers.

  • tracydr
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Mary-the hibiscus you got from Lowes is tropical. You won't see the hardy hibiscus around here unless you mail order or start from seed. It's a whole different variety.
    They are exotic but no harder to keep alive than the ones from Lowes. In fact, I think the El Capitolo and maybe the hibiscus Schizopetalus might be easier than the ones from Lowes.
    They are simply hybrids, crosses of fancy different colors and bigger flowered varieties but shouldn't be any harder to grow than the average reds, yellows and pinks with smaller flowers.

  • tracydr
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Sorry about the double posts! I keep getting a message that the server isn't responding, from garden web.

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