Hibiscus can be enjoyed the year round. Bring the plant indoors whenever night-time temperatures are expected to be below 50 degrees. Continue to take the plant outdoors, until the daytime temperatures are regularly into the low 50's. Before bringing the plant indoors for the winter, treat it for insects to prevent infesting house plants. If the plant has grown too large for the indoor area, prune it back, but not so severely as to cut into the hard bark areas.
Hibiscus have a high light level requirement, so put the plant in the sunniest place possible. Growth and flowering will be enhanced with the use of artificial lights. It's not unusual for flowering not to take place until next spring. Indoors, hibiscus prefer a night temperature of 60-to-65 degrees.
Keep hibiscus evenly moist by watering regularly. Household humidity levels are often too low for hibiscus. Increase the humidity with frequent misting or place the plant on a tray filled with gravel and partially filled with water; the evaporation of the water will raise the humidity around the hibiscus. Do not allow the water level to come into contact with the bottom of the pot.
If the plant is grown under lights, fertilize lightly twice per month with Bachman's ExcelGro water soluble fertilizer and plant food. Otherwise, taper off and discontinue fertilizing in October; resume fertilizing around the beginning of February. Don't prune the hibiscus in the Spring, as this will delay the flowering until late summer or early fall.
For further information, read online our care sheet on "Tropical Hibiscus", "Moving Plants In and Out", and "Indoor Insect and Disease Problems".
Revised: Fall, 1997 |
