Need Advice on Tropical Hibiscus

18 years ago

Today I was "lucky" enough to buy some TROPICAL hibiscus. For $20.98 I got the following (forget the Weigela that was only 1.87!):

2 hibiscus whose trunks are braided and those trunks are about 4 feet tall.

1 hibiscus that has one single straight 4ft trunk

2 hibiscus that are shrub-like in growth habit.

I am in ZONE 5 SW Michigan and will have to take these in over the winter - I have a walkout basement and the room I plan to put them in has two picture windows that face south and west.

What should I be doing with these beauties? How should I care for them over the winter? What temperatures? How much water? I don't want to lost any of them and need all the help I can get!

Can I get them cool enough to go dormant or is that not a good idea (I can get one area down to 43-45 degrees and that is where I winter over my brugmansias in dormancy - also the bananas, elephant ears and other bulbs like that temp). I appreciate all the help and advice you can give me.

Thanks in advance!

Cheers - Kiwi in Kalamazoo

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Comment (1)

tsmith2579
18 years ago
Please remember, these are tropical and they don't normally go dormant. They are going to need as much light, warmth and humidity as you can give them. In Michigan, you may want to supplement light with a couple of those halogen shop lights on stands (two lights on a four foot stand, Home Depot, Lowe's, Sears, etc.). This will also add the warmth. Do not sit them in a drip pan to catch the water. They are very susceptible to getting root rot if their feet are wet. Water only when the top 2 inches of soil feels dry. Take then out of that crappy stuff they are planted in and transplant them into pots with a heavy sandy loam. Even in my greenhouse they lose leaves like mad during the winter, so don't be disappointed if they get almost bare.