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I brought in a double hibiscus tree for the winter. It is still blooming but the leaves are turning yellow and it is dropping some buds. What am I doing wrong or how do I stop this?
I bring my hibiscus inside every year. It usually loses some of its leaves but comes back out. I leave it in full sunlight by a window.
I'm told that I can bring my hibiscus plant (in a pot) in for the winter. It is only 2 1/2 feet tall and still has about 8 buds on it. It has a bloom right now. Should I cut it back? Some say to leave it in the garage to go dormant. I could, but still don't know if I should cut it back. I live in southern Michigan.
When I used to have them in NO VA, I just brought them in and our basement had a sunny slider and they lived out winter there. It was a heated room so that was critical as they need to be at at least 50 degrees. I never cut mine back. They sometimes lost leaves, but sometimes not.
If you don't have a sunny spot to keep them going, you can winter them just the same, just make sure they stay at at least 50 degrees. Don't worry about cutting back you can prune in the spring if needed.
Here is probably more info than you need about these lovely plants. They are beautiful. I miss mine (I moved and had to leave them behind).
I would not cut it back. Leave it in a place that gets sun and water evenly.
I would only trim when you want to shape it up or if it needs cutting back
because it got too leggy (not enough light/warmth) and then you can trim it almost anytime after it blooms.
Pghgirl is right about the 50 degrees as I live in Florida and I have to protect my plants when the temperature drops below 50.
Try not to over water it while you have it indoors and it needs sunshine or a light several hours a day.
southern Michigan gets very cold, and if this is a plant that does not do well in under 50 degrees, then maybe having it go dormant, if you can't be assured to provide it the light/warmth it needs, might be the way to go
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Sherry
A: Sherry,
Some people aggressively cut back their hibiscus in the spring. Others prefer the "maintenance pruning" approach to shape plants, which can be done any time of the year. One strategy of maintenance pruning is to cut back by 1/3 to 1/2 only those branches that are long and out of balance with the rest of the plant. You can either cut all of these long branches or only half of them-cutting the other half next year.
In regards to fertilizing, I'm not sure where you live, but I assume you're in a zone with frost. As you prepare to bring them indoors for winter, stop fertilizing. If your garage stays cold enough to give the hibiscus a chance to go completely dormant, you can prune them hard after 6-8 weeks of being cold and then bring them into an environment of warmth and light to stimulate growth.
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I don't know where you live. I live in Michigan I bring my hibiscus trees in every fall. I keep them in the house. I put them next to the window so they get a lot of light. I don't think they will survive in the garage. They are tropical. (09/20/2005)
By Donna
I don't know where you live, but it must not be in the tropical parts of the South. You can cut the plants back when you bring them inside. No fertilizer until next spring/summer when it is time to move them outside--and outside cannot be before all frost is gone. The most important part of all this is sun.
Unless your plants are in direct sun for a good part of the day (as they were when outside) they will not survive the winter. In any event, after a few years, it is best to replace them and start with new. I have kept mine successfully over winters, but only in my sun room. Good luck. (09/21/2005)
By mm
I have a Moscheutos Hibiscus. Can I leave this one outside for the winter. I live in Ontario, Canada. The leaves on this one are red. I also have another one with pink leaves. Not sure if this one is as Hardy as the other. People are telling me that I cant leave any Hibiscus plants outside in the winter. (Confused) (08/27/2008)
By Linda
I usually "wash" the plant and pot with luke warm sudsy
water. I use Dawn. I water until I know the plant and the pot are soaking. Then I rinse and take them in. Any bugs usually head for the Hills either over or thru the holes in the bottom of the pot. I do the for my Hibiscus, wandering Jew, Spider plants, geraniums and Charlies, papyrus and Orchids No bugs inside!!!
