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meghanize

Just Bought a Hibiscus... Now What?

meghanize
16 years ago

I just acquired a beatiful hibiscus tree as shown below. It has one yellow bloom and looks prefectly healthy. After I got it home, I cut the plastic pot from around it, loosened the root ball by running some water over it, then repotted in in a 10" ceramic pot with a nicely sized center drainage hole in some Miracle-Gro potting mix. I watered thoroughly and placed the new plant on my back deck which receives a good 12-14 hours of sunlight per day, with three or more of those hours direct sun.

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What fertilizer is recommended? Do you think the plant will get too much sunlight in this area?

I am new to hibiscuses, so any advice or tips those of you more knowledgeable than myself can offer would be appreciated.

Comments (4)

  • User
    16 years ago

    Meghanize,
    Congraulations on your beautiful yellow tropical hibiscus!
    It is truly beautiful!
    I would try to put it "up" a little bit off your deck by using something underneath of it, I use milk crates or plastic Pepsi holders, but you could use a little thing they sell at your local Walmart store and put a small plastic container drainage thing- they sell them at Walmart too, underneath of the pot holder or booster to collect water from drainage to protect your deck and make plant happy.
    Water real good til the water drains out of the bottom and you can see it draining when the plant is dry after sticking one of your fingers down into the soil at least an inch and feeling it is dry.
    It is better to give it a real good water this way when it is dry rather than giving it smaller waterings more often.
    Buy a spray water bottle that will mist the plant and every day when it is warm, mist it. Once a week put Miracle grow in the mister and mist the plant with that.
    THey love Miracle Grow!
    It is a real treat for them!
    Put a small amount of untreated pine mulch around the outer perimeter of your pot, for moisture control.
    You don't have to elevate it a bit for drainage if you don't want to, but I would if I had a nice deck like yours.
    Good Luck on your new baby, it is beautiful!
    You should have beautiful blooms all summer long.

  • meghanize
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Butterfly,

    Thanks for the reply! I will elevate the pot and get a drainage dish for it right away. I also have some pine mulch available that I can spread around the rim of the pot.

    What type of Miracle-Gro do you recommend for it? I have some high-nitrogen azalea/rhod mix that I use for my azaleas and my indoor lemon tree, but I've read that hibiscuses prefer lower nitrogen and higher phosphorus content. Should I just pick up one of their balanced water-solubles or is there a type that would work better? I'm in GA and the temperatures get pretty high here during the summer if that helps you. (I think I'll be watering a lot haha.) I should be able to leave it outdoors until the first of October before the night temperatures start getting too chilly for it.

    What feeding regimen will be best once the plant is moved indoors?

    Again, thank you so much for your advice!

  • User
    16 years ago

    Meghanize,
    I just use the regular granulated Miracle Grow in the box, put a little in a spray bottle and spray it on when it is blooming about once a week.
    Regular water sprayed on in the morning refreshes the plant.
    DONT spray it with a mist at night, to avoid any fungus.
    Good rule of thumb is when it is light outside, you can water it. Your in GA, so spray it in the hot summer months when the temps are high to cool it off, mabey after dinner.
    I feed my tropical about once a month when I move it indoors in the winter. Put it by a sunny window, they love sun.
    Also, in the winter, every other week or so put it in the shower. Sounds funny, but it loves the spray. Or use the handy spray bottle. You really have to have a spray bottle with these plants, they love sprays.
    They are more hardier than you think.
    I love your yellow. I have oranges and reds.
    I actually planted my big red in my yard this year, and it is so happy to be in dirt, free.
    (it is quite large- about 5 foot tall)
    In the fall, I will pot it up again and bring it inside.
    They are beautiful plants.
    By the way, if your plant looses all of it's leaves in the winter after you bring it inside, don't panic.
    It hates being moved inside, so it protests this way, the leaves will grow back.
    They are addictive plants, you will probably buy another one in the future.
    Good Luck!

  • meghanize
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Thanks again, butterfly!

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