The hibiscus plant is among the gorgeous flowers you could ever grow in your garden or inside your house. No matter what type of hibiscus plant you choose to grow, the colorful, bell-shaped flower can add a lively appeal to your garden. However, one cannot simply buy these fine specimens on a whim without knowing how to take care of them. To know how you can do this, here are some tips.
Hardy Hibiscus
Before growing hibiscus, you’ll need to know that there are two major types: hardy hibiscus and tropical hibiscus, which have slightly different growing and care regimens. Hardy hibiscus might seem unimpressive at first glance, as they’ll arrive in a pot of soil with sticks coming out, but don’t let that deceive you because they have a very elaborate root system that needs proper nourishment to allow the vibrant flowers to come out. Here’s how to do this.
Planting
The best way to grow hardy hibiscus is in drained soil that is treated with organic matter. Since hardy hibiscus thrives in acidic soil, the gardening experts at Harper Nurseries recommend that you follow some methods that increase the soil acidity, like potting soil or adding Peat moss. Furthermore, you should plant Hibiscus flowers on a raised bed, which will help prevent water buildup, especially if you have clay soil. When planting hibiscus, make sure that you dig a hole that is double the pot’s size with the plant’s crown resting above the soil surface. If you’re adding more than one Hibiscus flower, make sure that there are at least 2 to 3 feet between each plant.
Location
Hardy Hibiscus usually emerges early in the summer or in the coldest days of spring. Hardy hibiscus will grow best in the full sun, so be sure to grow them in a sunny location. Although they can grow in partial shade, they won’t grow as well as they will in a sunny climate. During the hottest part of the day, Hibiscus plants might need some shade to avoid burns. Hardy Hibiscus grows best in warm temperatures, so if the weather is particularly cold during spring or summer, their growth might be inhibited a little bit. To ensure that your Hibiscus is warm, you should apply a mulch layer to the soil, especially during winter or early spring.
Water
The best way to water your hardy hibiscus is to maintain medium moisture levels, meaning that you shouldn’t overwater or underwater it. Water levels should be high enough to keep the plant moist but low enough to keep the soil well-drained. If your hibiscus is grown in a container, on the other hand, make sure that there are enough drainage holes in the pot, as keeping the Hibiscus in too much water means that the roots are likely to rot.
Tropical Hibiscus
Unlike hardy hibiscus, tropical hibiscus can grow in double blooms in variant flamboyant colors, like orange, yellow, and salmon. However, they may not favor water as much as their counterpart, which means that you need to be very careful when growing them in well-drained soil. Here is what you’ll need to do.
Location
Like where you’ll plant hardy hibiscus, tropical hibiscus is best grown in full sun and warm weather with minimal shade. If you live in a northern climate, then your Tropical Hibiscus flowers should thrive in that weather. However, if the suns tend to beat down on your house all morning, then moving your hibiscus flowers to a partial shade is a good idea. If you wish to add these flowers in a location where planting isn’t possible, like around your porch, for instance, or your swimming pool, keeping them in containers is a good idea.
Water
Tropical hibiscus will need a good amount of water depending on the wind, humidity, heat, and temperature in your area. Therefore, you might need to water it twice a day (provided that you’re growing your plants in arid conditions), or water it only once if the weather is not particularly dry.
Fertilizing
Potted tropical hibiscus usually has a slow-release fertilizer mixed within the soil, which means that you won’t have to re-fertilize it in the first few months of growing it. However, you might need to add something like a diluted fish emulsion fertilizer, for example, which will help it keep those oranges and yellows as vibrant as ever.
Hibiscus can be one of the best additions to your garden, but you must follow the instructions for growing them to the letter to get the best results. Ensure that you keep it in an ideal location and temperature to help it grow to its fullest potential. If that doesn’t seem to work, you may want to try other solutions, like repotting them, which can provide sufficient nutrition for your plants.
