The hibiscus has settled in well in a sunny, sheltered spot in the garden. Although it is not very demanding, you should still follow a few care instructions and then you can enjoy the most beautiful flowers from your favorite spot.

How often do I need to water my hibiscus?

Young plants in particular need a lot of water to grow, so they should be watered regularly. If the drought persists, the hibiscus tends to shed its leaves. Therefore, you should always keep the soil around the hibiscus moist, but at the same time avoid waterlogging.

Does the hibiscus need a special fertilizer?

Organic fertilizer or compost, which is applied to the soil in spring, is suitable for fertilizing.

How can I transplant the hibiscus?

The best time for transplanting hibiscus is spring, around the end of March. You should proceed in the following steps:

  • Prepare a new planting hole about 50 cm deep with loosened soil
  • If necessary, cut or trim the shrub
  • dig up carefully and generously so as not to damage any roots
  • water the planting hole
  • Put in the shrub, cover with soil and muddy it up at the same time
  • Tamp down the soil, water it and cover with compost or bark mulch
  • water regularly

Do I need to trim my hibiscus?

Yes, you should trim the hibiscus once a year to maintain the abundance of flowers, to train the growth habit and to avoid senescence and excessive growth. If you notice that the flowers are getting smaller and smaller, it is also time for a pruning.

When is the right time to trim the hibiscus?

The garden hibiscus is trimmed in the spring. The best thing to do is to wait until the end of March. Then the severest night frosts should be over and fresh shoots will not freeze again immediately.

How and with what do I blend the hibiscus?

To cut the hibiscus, use well-sharpened pruning shears or pruning shears. You make the cut diagonally above an eye or directly on the trunk. The hibiscus thanks a pruning with a brisk new growth and can be shortened by about a third without any problems.

If you have created a flowering hibiscus hedge, cut the hedge down by about two-thirds every year.

My hibiscus has aphids, how can I get rid of them?

With its flowers, the hibiscus is also very popular with aphids. As a preventive measure, you can underplant the hibiscus with herbs such as lavender, sage or thyme, the smell of which is unappetizing for aphids.

If you have nevertheless discovered the unwelcome guests, you have the choice between collecting them or showering them off with a powerful jet of water. You then spray the entire shrub dripping wet with soapy water. You can get ready-made, organic soap mixtures from hardware stores or garden centers. There are also chemical agents for use against particularly stubborn aphids.

My hibiscus has yellow leaves, now what?

Yellow leaves usually indicate a nutrient deficiency. With this so-called chlorosis, your hibiscus needs more fertilizer.

If, on the other hand, individual yellow spots have formed on the leaves, the hibiscus has been infected by the yellow spot disease. This is a virus attack. The best way to contain this is to remove all affected leaves. Other plants in the garden may also be affected, so be sure to check them out as well.

What do the brown spots on my hibiscus leaves mean?

Brown spots on the leaves can be caused by the leaf spot fungus. You simply collect the affected leaves and dispose of them.

Why are my hibiscus flowers falling off unopened?

This happens when the hibiscus lacks water. So be sure to water during dry periods.

How can I safely overwinter the garden hibiscus?

You must have planted the proven hardy variety Hibiscus syriacus in the garden. You can protect young plants in winter by covering the soil with a layer of bark mulch. Older plants do not need special protection.

My terrace is decorated with a hibiscus in a bucket. What do I have to consider when caring for it?

The Hibiscus rosa sinensis, which absolutely needs a sunny location, is often used as a container plant for the terrace. When the flowering period begins, however, it must not be moved, otherwise it will drop the flowers.

It needs a lot of water, but you should make sure that there is no waterlogging in the bucket or pot and pour off excess water. Drainage holes in the pot, which you can usually drill yourself, or a drainage layer of stones are helpful.

Before the first frost, the potted plant must be brought into the house. Here it hibernates best at temperatures between 10 and 15°C.

tips and tricks

You make the soapy water to fight the aphids from 1 tablespoon of soap per liter of water.
A nettle infusion may also help. The mixture of chopped nettles and water has to stand for three days and is then poured off.

Category:

Vegetable garden