Hibiscus

A lot has been said and written about Hibiscus! Even I had written about this plant almost three years back! Click here to read the old article. (it’s really fascinating to see myself evolve as a blogger!) You must be wondering what new can I add to this post that you aren’t aware about! Well I have tried to write about all the common problems that Hibiscus Plant Parents face so that you’re all set to have this plant in your Garden. Not to mention that as usual I’ll be talking about all the care and maintenance this plant requires.

Let us just enjoy the beauty of this plant! It is a must have if your #garden receives good amount of sunlight (at least 4 hours).

One question I often get asked about Hibiscus is that, why does the plant get affected by pests so often? Yes it is true that hibiscus is prone to pest attacks. So I often tell my Gardening Course and Workshop participants to use organic Neem Pesticide (which is actually a pest repellant) as a preventive measure once every fortnight rather than using it as a curative measure.

In case of a pest attack, what you can do is, cut off the affected area and apply the organic neem pesticide on rest of the plant. Below is the instruction on how to use pesticides.

• It blooms throughout the year.
• Every part of this plant is useful for cosmetic purposes – may it be flowers or leaves or stems.
• It’s one the most beautiful flowers.
• Available in variety of colors. Though primarily available in shades of red, orange & yellow.
• Opt for Single Petal flower plants. They are stronger and even look better.

If you’re looking to know in detail about the single and double petal flower you can click here and learn more about it.

Now that we have dealt with the pest issue, another common problem hibiscus plant parents face is that the plant is growing very tall vertically and is not bushy. Well, if that the case with your plant as well, here’s what you should do. Pinching (often called as pruning) is the answer. Cut off the plant 2-3 inches below the top node so that the plant bifurcates and develops new branches. Here’s more on pruning:

Now its time for general care and maintenance tips, for those who are new to this plant, here’s how you can manage this plant. But before that, let me address a few frequently asked question about this plant.

Precautions while buying Hibiscus – Always go for indigenous varieties. Never buy them just before season change. Buy them after the season has changed. It is highly advisable that you pot your hibiscus plant rather than getting a potted one.