Caring for hibiscus: expert tips for perfect care

The hibiscus should convince in your own garden with its wonderful flowers. In order for this to succeed, proper care should be taken.

the hibiscus (Hibiscus) has no special requirements for its care. However, to ensure optimal youth development and flowering, you should pay attention to a few things. We explain how best to care for your hibiscus.

Water and fertilize hibiscus

The hibiscus needs sufficient water, especially when young, so that it can grow well. Therefore, water it regularly so that the soil is always kept moist. However, make sure to avoid waterlogging - your hibiscus does not like this at all! By avoiding waterlogging, you also prevent rot on the main shoot and roots. In spring, the hibiscus can be fed regularly with primarily organic fertilizers such as our Plantura

Organic flower fertilizer be taken care of. This promotes soil life, provides long-term nutrients and is also environmentally friendly. Regular fertilizing will pay off in lush blooms.

The most important thing about proper hibiscus care in brief:

• Water generously (nevertheless avoid waterlogging!)
• keep soil moist
• Regular fertilization before flowering

Cut the hibiscus properly

There are several ways to cut the hibiscus. A distinction is made between maintenance, rejuvenation and care cuts. The best time to cut the hibiscus is between the beginning and middle of February, i.e. before the start of the actual vegetation phase. Above all, the lower shoot tips are cut off in order to obtain a denser growth pattern in the crown. The upper shoots are also shortened by a few centimeters to get better branching. You can find more precise tips and tricks for cutting hibiscus in our special article on the subject here.

Overwintering hibiscus successfully

The garden hibiscus (Hibiscus syriacus) is quite hardy and, under certain conditions, also manages to overwinter outdoors. This makes it the only species capable of doing so in our latitudes. If you have planted your garden hibiscus in a bucket, you can put it in a warm place as a precaution when extremely cold conditions are announced. If your garden hibiscus is planted in the bed, you can protect it from severe ground frost with a generous layer of bark mulch around the main shoot.

tip: Only plant your garden hibiscus out of the tub and into the bed after a year. The adaptation phase allows the hibiscus to become robust and increases the chance that it will survive cold winters. The rose hibiscus, on the other hand, can only be planted in tubs, as it cannot withstand temperatures below 10°C for long periods of time.

The most important things about overwintering hibiscus in brief:

• The garden hibiscus can overwinter outdoors
• Support it with a thick layer of bark mulch at the bottom
• A one-year period of getting used to it in the bucket does no harm

More to Overwintering Hibiscus find out in this article.

Protect hibiscus from pests and diseases

The hibiscus is mainly used as a houseplant aphids haunted. These attack the leaves and suck the phloem (plant sap) there. They secrete a sugary secretion from their abdominal glands that sticks together the entire leaf surface. If the infestation is severe, the leaves will turn yellow and die. Regular rinsing or treatment with organic pesticides helps against aphids.

the spider mite is another common pest that leaves small webs on the underside of leaves. The damage is similar to that of aphids. The spider mites can be easily combated with organic pesticides.

Non-animal pathogens, such as the leaf spot fungus, can also infest the hibiscus. You can recognize the affected areas by their brown discoloration. Remove affected leaves, no further treatment is necessary.

The most important things about pests and diseases of hibiscus in brief:

• Aphids and spider mites are common pests
• Control by flushing
• Regularly remove infested and dead plant parts