Pruning Perennial Hibiscus - A Guide To Hardy Hibiscus Pruning

Cut any dead stems or branches down to about 8 to 12 inches (20-30 cm.) in fall, just before applying a protective cover of mulch. Remove the mulch in spring, when you're sure there's no danger of hard freezes. If any branches froze during the winter, cut these to the ground.

When should I cut back my perennial hibiscus?

Cut the perennial hibiscus back in late winter or early spring. Leave 6 inches of stem intact to mark its location and protect this late to emerge plant from accidental digging. The Rose of Sharon is also a hibiscus (Hibiscus syriacus) hardy in zones 4 or 5 through 8 or 9. This is a shrub that blooms in late summer.

How far back can you trim a hibiscus?

When pruning hibiscus plants, they should be cut about a third of the way back, leaving at least two to three nodes on the branches for new growth to emerge. These cuts should be made just above the nodes, leaving about a quarter inch. Remove any weak, diseased, or dead growth, as well as crossing or leggy branches.

How do you take care of perennial hibiscus?

Hardy hibiscus like moist soils, so keep plants well watered and mulched with bark mulch to prevent weeds from crowding them and maintain the soil moisture. Fertilize in spring with a layer of compost. Hardy hibiscus is slow to emerge in spring in cold areas so be patient. They may not pop out of the ground until June.

Should you deadhead perennial hibiscus?

Deadheading, the process of removing fading flowers, can improve the appearance of the plant and prevent reseeding. According to information about hibiscus flowers, deadheading hibiscus is not a necessary part of hibiscus flower care.

Is Miracle Grow good for hibiscus?

Beginning a month after planting, feed hibiscus regularly with Miracle-Gro® Water Soluble Bloom Booster® Flower Food, which was specially developed to encourage lots of colorful blooms. Using the Miracle-Gro® Garden Feeder makes feeding super-easy, but you can also mix the food in a watering can instead if you prefer.

How do you prune a perennial hibiscus?

Cut any dead stems or branches down to about 8 to 12 inches (20-30 cm.) in fall, just before applying a protective cover of mulch. Remove the mulch in spring, when you're sure there's no danger of hard freezes. If any branches froze during the winter, cut these to the ground.

How do you stop hardy hibiscus from growing so tall?

Cut hardy hibiscus stems back by half, cutting to just above a node in the same way as tropical hibiscus in Step 3, when the plant is 16 inches tall. This encourages additional stems to develop, giving the plant bushier growth with more flowers.

How do I know if my hibiscus is hardy or tropical?

Another way to check is if the flowers are salmon, peach, orange, or yellow, or double flowered, then you probably have a TROPICAL hibiscus. Hardy hibiscus do not come in these colors or in doubles! Many tropical hibiscus flowers have more than one color in a bloom either in bands or as spots.

How do you shape a hibiscus?

When pruning hibiscus, always cut with the pruning shears held at a 45-degree angle so that the thick bottom blade is against the limb to be cut and the cutting blade is lilted toward the plant. Cuts should be made 1/4 inch above an outward pointing node or bud, says Hidden Valley Hibiscus.

How do you winterize perennial hibiscus?

Hardy hibiscus are considered a perennial plant, not a shrub, so they will die down to the ground each winter. To help them survive the cold, cover the plants with a thick (8- to 12 inch) layer of mulch. Chopped leaves or pine needles are great choices. This will help protect the root ball through winter.

Can I leave my hibiscus outside in winter?

Even without ideal conditions, you can keep your hibiscus alive through the winter. ... However, the plant should survive the winter and will leaf out in spring when temperatures warm and you can place it outdoors again. Be sure the overwintering location you choose will not fall below 50 degrees.

Do hibiscus plants come back every year?

Hardy hibiscus come back every year and flower all summer. Tropical hibiscus have big, flamboyant blooms in a wide range of colors and can be kept as houseplants over the winter.

How do you winterize hibiscus?

Bring the perennial hibiscus inside, placing it in a warm, sunny spot before you get any frost. Get the plant ready to be overwintered outdoors by wrapping it with a heavy cloth or tarp. The covering should stand up to frost, offering the plant protection on any nights when temperatures dip below freezing.

Do hibiscus plants spread?

In early stages, the shrubs may look petite and compact, but as it matures, hibiscus spreads and grows. Gardeners must plan for the eventual height and spread of hibiscus plants to avoid a painstaking transplantation process.

How long do hibiscus plants last?

How long do tropical hibiscus plants live? A. Some of the older garden varieties have been known to live for 50 years or more. Some of the newer hybrids may have lifespans of 5-10 years.

Are used coffee grounds good for hibiscus plants?

Hibiscus plants may benefit from coffee grounds being used as fertilizer. ... These elements or nutrients are beneficial to a plant's growth. Used coffee grounds are really best if added to compost, where they can break down further and then be dug into your beds.

What is the best fertilizer for hibiscus plants?

Hibiscus plants need a fertilizer with a medium to high amount of nitrogen (N), a low amount of phosphorous or phosphate (P), and a high amount of potash (K) – such as 7-1-2 or 12-4-8.

Is Epsom salt good for hibiscus?

A good fertilizer ratio for hibiscus is 12-4-18 or a “high bloom” water-soluble fertilizer. Slow-release granular fertilizers, like Osmocote, can be used in combination with water soluble fertilizer when irrigating. Magnesium sulfate, also called Epsom salt, gives hibiscus foliage a good dark green color.

How do you deadhead a hardy hibiscus?

After grasping the stem of the flower behind the swollen base, pinch off the old bloom. If you want to use a tool, you can snip off the old bloom with a shears. You might have quite a number of old blooms to deal with, since hibiscus seems to flower in abundant flushes.

How do I keep my hibiscus blooming?

How to Keep My Hibiscus Blooming

Re-pot your hibiscus in January or February of every other year. ...
Cut the plant back by 1/3 to 1/2 in very early spring. ...
Place the plant outdoors in late April in a location that receives full sun all day or at least for six hours. ...
Fertilize the hibiscus every two weeks.