[Arid_gardener] Hibiscus

[Dick Gross]

Buds drop, I percieve, when the plant is under any kind of stress. Attempting to survive the trauma, dropping the buds is a self defense mechanism to conserve the energy that would be squandered on blooms that it can't support.

Try watering with a weak solution of an all purpose household fertilizer (Miracle Grow) if you can get it there or an equivalent. Get a plastic gallon jug, mix one fourth teaspoon per gallon and use it every time you water. A technique I like is to set the pot on soil and flush it thoroughly with the fertilizer mix about ever third or fourth irrigation. Contact with the soil wicks, with the help of gravity, excess water through the root system but all surfaces will retain surface wetting  When the pot has drained well, take it back inside. Get it all the sun you can for maximum flowers but continue to use the fertilixer mix for a steady diet..

You might consider pruning a few of the buds off before nature does it for you. That way, the ones you save may thrive on the energy that would have been consumed on those you pruned.

What about the drainage in your pot. Feeder root hairs suffocated by a lack of oxygen in a zone saturated with water can no longer pump nutrient to foliage and, at the same time, support blooms that extract a tremendous energy toll. Unable to flourish with less food, the plant may shed buds and foliage to compensate. Additionally, as a water table flows all the way through the root zone it pulls oxygen in behind it.

The foliage manufactures carbohydrates through photosynthesis and there is a rather delicate balance between all these factors that nature usually handles in stride but, out of their natural habitat, nature needs a little tweeking from us. 

Let me know if you are able to revive your hibiscus.

Dick Gross, Master Gardener Volunteer
University of Arizona Maricopa County
Cooperative Extension
Bcc: Arid Gardener 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Darlene Germaine 
  To: Arid_gardener at Ag.arizona.edu 
  Sent: Monday, November 13, 2006 5:38 PM
  Subject: [Arid_gardener] Hibiscus


  Hi,
  I recently received a lovely hibiscus as a gift and it was covered with buds.  Only one opened the rest just popped off.  I have it in an east window (granted our sun isn't as bright as it is in the summer - Saskatchewan, Canada) but once again it developed buds and one that half opened but it too popped off.  There doesn't appear to be any insects and I have sprayed it with insecticidal soap a couple of times.  I also mist it frequently as our homes are rather dry in the winter.  Have tried letting the soil get quite dry, that didn't help, now I keep it just barely damp.

  Please help me, I love these  plants and dearly want it to show it's happiness.

  Thanks,
  Darlene Germaine
  dargeo2 at sasktel.net


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