Bring a bit of the tropics to your garden with some dramatic, bold and colourful hibiscus!
Choose a Variety
Choosing a variety is not just a case of picking a flower colour; there are single, semi-double and double blooms in a wide variety of shades from soft yellow and burnt orange, red and burgundy to mauve, peach and hot pink. There is also plenty of choice when it comes to size as well, as Hibiscus are available in dwarf shrub form through to large trees.
Where to Plant
Choosing a position with at least six – eight hours a day of sunshine is the key to productive flowering. Hibiscus thrive in subtropical and tropical regions, where the conditions are to their liking. They can tolerate some cooler climates, but the location needs to be frost-free. A full sun position is best, out of any strong winds.
TIP: Dig in some composted poultry manure into the soil when planting. Super Booster Pellets are ideal.
Your hibiscus will perform best in well-drained, slightly acidic soil. If your soil type is heavy clay or light sandy, you will need to improve the soil before planting. Adding in a large amount of compost and well-rotted animal manure will boost organic matter and create the right mix for your new plants. Super Booster, being based on composted manure and rich in organic carbon is ideal for this.
Hibiscus also do well in containers, just ensure the potting mix includes plenty of composted material and doesn’t dry out easily.
Watering
Hibiscus love water and respond really well to be watered regularly, especially during the growing season. Keep the soil moist, but not soggy with a weekly watering and plenty of mulch. If the weather is particularly hot and dry you may need to increase watering. Take care not to water the foliage, as this can encourage mildew.
TIP: Hibiscus plants love water with infrequent deep watering being the most beneficial.
Mulching
Regular mulching will keep the roots moist and cool, especially during hot weather. Keep mulch away from the stem.
Fertilising
A good balanced fertiliser like Katek Rose & Flower will help produce healthy colourful blooms and keep the plants in great condition. Because hibiscus bloom on new growth, it is important to feed the plant regularly. Applications of Rose & Flower every 4-6 weeks during Spring and through to Winter will provide your hibiscus with the nutrients it needs to produce masses of flowers.
Regular applications of a seaweed concentrate like Katek Neptune or Super Growth Liquid Fertiliser will also benefit plant growth and health.
TIP: Composted poultry manure is full of live beneficial microbes and rich in plant available, slow release nutrients.
Pruning
The start of the growing season (August, September) is the best time to give your hibiscus a good prune back. Remove any weak or dead branches by pruning above a bud. Throughout the growing season, regular pruning and shaping will result in a flush of new growth and blooms.
TIP: Pruning regularly will encourage more blooms
Happy Growing!
