HIBISCUS TIPS
How to maintain plant in dormant period
Q I purchased a tropical Hibiscus at a greenhouse in the late fall. It seemed too late and too cool to plant outdoors, and I was advised I could winter it indoors and then, come spring, plant it outdoors in a sheltered spot. I have been watering it faithfully. However, this past week the leaves are falling off in great numbers to the point I am concerned it won’t survive until spring. Should it be in a cool spot (like in the basement) and also, what fertilizer do you recommend I give it? Any other suggestions or recommendations will be greatly appreciated.
A Most likely the hibiscus is trying to go into a period of rest or dormancy. You should allow it to do so. Cut back on your watering, so that you are watering only enough to keep the soil from totally drying out. Drop the temperature in the room as well. During the dormancy the temperature should be around 12-15 degrees Celsius and away from direct sunlight. In March, you can move the plant to a sunny location and increase the frequency of watering. Once you can see the new growth you can fertilize with a blooming fertilizer that has a higher second number, such as 5-10-5. Fertilize every two weeks.
I was a bit concerned when you mentioned that you wanted to plant the hibiscus outdoors. This is a tropical plant, and while you can certainly put the potted plant out in a protected area when all danger of frost has passed, it cannot be left out over the winter. Some people do plant their tropicals in the spring and then dig them up to bring indoors in the fall, but I always found that doing so is very disruptive to the plant. You can easily damage roots, and the challenge is also in trying to squeeze the roots into a pot again without breaking them off completely.
Q My thoughts are starting to turn to spring and gardening. I believe it is a form of self-preservation, as the winter seems long. My question today is about mulches. I am completely “mulch ignorant.” I would appreciate it if you could explain the pros and cons of the different mulches to use in a flower bed that has shrubs and flowers. In so far as I am not a composter, I would have to buy the best mulch for the situation. I have heard or read somewhere that bark mulch is not the best, but I don’t remember why. I would like a low-maintenance mulch (hopefully one that I don’t have to rake up and dispose of each spring) that is esthetically pleasing.
A My personal favourite is shredded cedar bark mulch. I find it very pleasing to the eye and it has a great smell after rain or being watered. With some bark mulches you need to add extra nitrogen in the form of a fertilizer, because as they break down they can rob the soil of this nutrient. I find that cedar bark breaks down very slowly and just normal fertilizing of the bed keeps the plants happy. I also like the fact that the cedar bark does have some weed inhibitor properties. I have less weeds to deal with and the ones that do take hold are very easy to pull because they are spindly and less than healthy.
When it comes to depth, I mulch my beds to a depth of five centimetres. I find this depth is sufficient for weed control and moisture retention. You will find that the mulch will compact over the winter and will break down over time, so you will need to “top up” the mulch every spring. I add enough mulch every spring to bring the depth back to the five centimetres I started with. I also find that adding fresh mulch every spring just tidies the bed up and makes it more appealing. Plus, that lovely cedar smell comes back as well.
When applying the cedar mulch around flowers and shrubs, leave a space of approximately five centimetres near the base of the plant that is free of mulch. This space will keep any rot problems from developing on the base of the plant. I also do not use a landscape fabric with my mulch, I simply add it right on top of the soil.
There are a wide variety of mulches available to the home gardener. Since you are looking for an esthetically pleasing and low-maintenance mulch the cedar bark would definitely be the first choice.