Disclaimer: Some links found on this page might be affiliate links. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, I might earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Hibiscus plants are wildly popular because of just how beautiful they look in a garden setting. Buying some hibiscus plants and putting them in your garden could give your property more of a tropical aesthetic.
The hibiscus is certainly a visually dazzling plant to behold, and you might be looking into planting more in your gardens soon enough. These are great plants to care for, but you’re going to want to ensure that you learn the basics.
To have a good experience caring for hibiscus plants, you’re going to need to keep certain things in mind. Knowing what you’re doing will ensure that the hibiscus plants will thrive.
Keep reading to learn about important hibiscus care tips that can help you to get optimal results. Once you’ve read through all of the tips, you’ll be ready to start growing hibiscus plants to the best of your ability.
There Are Different Types of Hibiscus Plants
One of the first things to know is that there are actually different types of hibiscus plants that you can choose from. You’ll be able to buy tropical hibiscus plants, but there are also hardy hibiscus plants.
The basic thing to know about tropical hibiscus varieties is that they don’t deal with the cold well and prefer warm, humid environments. These hibiscus plants are some of the most well-loved due to how colorful and vibrant they are.
They can keep their leaves and stick around all year long so long as they’re kept in the right temperatures. Otherwise, it’s possible to treat tropical hibiscus plants like an annual, assuming that you don’t wish to overwinter them.
Hardy hibiscus plants can live throughout the winter, but you’ll need to prune them down before winter starts. You cut these plants back to around six inches above the ground.
These hibiscus plants aren’t as vibrant as the tropical ones, but they’re still quite appealing as they come in red, pink, and white colors. There are quite a few varieties of hardy hibiscus plants, and they’re good for people who want to keep hibiscus plants outside even during the winter months.
Which plant you will want to choose might depend on where you live. If you’re living in a warmer climate, then a tropical plant might make sense, but choosing a hardy hibiscus plant is wise if you live in a cooler area.
Consider Growing Hibiscus Plants in Containers
It might be good to consider growing hibiscus plants in containers. Lots of people go this route because it makes it easier to transport the plants when necessary.
You see, there are going to be certain times of the year when hibiscus plants will love being outside. When the winter months come, you might need to move your hibiscus plants somewhere safe to keep them going.
Aside from worrying about the time of the year, containers make it easy to move your hibiscus plants in and out of direct sunlight. Generally, you’re going to want to ensure that hibiscus plants get six hours of good sunlight each day.
You can move them out of the sun when they’ve had enough so that you don’t have to deal with any issues such as them getting burned. It’s actually really smart to place hibiscus plants in the shade when it’s particularly hot and sunny so that you won’t have problems.
Hibiscus plants do love humid and warm conditions, but you’ll be able to move them as necessary when they’re in containers. It isn’t completely necessary to do this, but it might give you a better experience overall.
When you’re growing hibiscus plants in a container this way, you’re going to want to try to put them in containers where they will fit snugly. You don’t want to leave too much room because they won’t do as well with the excess space.
The hibiscus plants will actually look slightly rootbound when being grown in this fashion, but that’s perfectly okay. You will need to repot eventually, but you still won’t want to give them a lot more room.
The Best Temperatures for Hibiscus Plants
Hibiscus plants are going to thrive at certain temperatures and do terribly in others. If you want your hibiscus plants to do well, then you should try to keep them in temperatures that are between 60 degrees Fahrenheit and 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
This means that during the spring and summer months, your hibiscus plants will be able to go outside if the weather is suitable. If you live in an area that has colder weather during the spring, then you might want to wait to take the hibiscus plants outside until the temperatures are regularly above 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperatures that are too hot can be a bit problematic for hibiscus plants. If you’re regularly seeing 100 degrees Fahrenheit temperatures, then you might want to take your hibiscus plants back inside.
It’s also important to understand that hibiscus plants cannot tolerate freezing temperatures at all. If you leave your plants out when it’s set to dip below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, then they’re likely going to die.
That’s why it’s so good to plant hibiscus plants in containers because you can move them as necessary. You can transfer them outside when it’s time for them to be outdoors and bring them in when the weather isn’t suitable.
Hibiscus Watering Tips
Watering is going to be an important part of the process no matter what type of plants you’re caring for. When you’re caring for hibiscus plants, you’re going to need to give them a lot of water when they’re in the blooming stage.
During the blooming stage, hibiscus plants require much more water than usual. Just keep this in mind when the hibiscus plants are blooming so that you can check on them and water them more often.
It’s also true that it’s necessary to water hibiscus plants more when the weather is warmer. Hotter weather will necessitate more frequent watering sessions.
Generally, you’re going to be watering your hibiscus plants twice weekly when they’re planted in the ground. Hibiscus plants that are being grown in containers will need to be watered between three and four times a week in the summer depending on various factors.
Once the summer months are over and things are cooling down, you’ll be able to water the hibiscus plants a bit less. You’ll want to be careful not to water the hibiscus too much when things are cooler because you could accidentally kill the plant.
Once the winter months have come around, you should only be watering the hibiscus plant when the soil is dry. Touch the soil with your fingers to see how it is before you decide to give it any water.
Ensure That Hibiscus Plants Have Good Soil with Excellent Drainage
As you might expect, it’s going to be wise to pay attention to the type of soil that you’re using for hibiscus plants. This is going to be true whether you’re planting hibiscus plants in the ground or you’re growing them in containers.
The best type of soil is going to be well-draining because hibiscus plants do terribly in waterlogged conditions. Most hibiscus experts agree that soils that consist of loam and sandy loam do the best for these plants.
It is possible for the soil to become a bit too sandy, though, but this can be fixed. Adding a bit of mulch or even just some organic matter to the soil should do the trick.
Just don’t use dense types of soil that won’t drain well for hibiscus plants. If you do that, then you’re not going to see good results while caring for these plants.
Hibiscus Fertilizing Tips
Using fertilizer on your hibiscus can actually be quite helpful. These are plants that need nutrients to be able to bloom properly, and fertilizer can help your hibiscus to get the nutrients that it needs.
During the summer, it’s recommended to find a fertilizer that is high in potassium that you can give to your hibiscus plants. There are a few methods you can use when determining how to deliver the fertilizer.
Some people prefer to fertilize their hibiscus plants once each week using a liquid fertilizer that has been properly diluted. If you don’t dilute the fertilizer, then it could be too strong for the hibiscus plants and wind up causing issues.
Another option is to use a slow-release fertilizer once a month. The overall results will be very similar to using liquid fertilizer once each week, and this makes it hard to definitively say what the best approach is.
Some people don’t use commercial fertilizer products and instead choose to add compost to the soil. You could use compost that is high in potassium and get very good results when growing hibiscus plants.
Of course, it isn’t even completely necessary to use fertilizer when growing hibiscus plants. It just helps the hibiscus plants to grow better and makes it more likely that the blooms will thrive.
When the winter rolls around, it isn’t going to be necessary to fertilize your hibiscus plants any longer. Overall, it isn’t hard to fertilize hibiscus plants properly, and that’s why you should consider doing it.
Pruning Is Good
Pruning your old hibiscus flowers is actually going to be a good thing. Getting rid of the deadhead will allow the hibiscus flowers to continue to bloom.
To do this, you just need to take the time to remove old flowers before seeds get the chance to form. This isn’t hard to do or anything, but it’ll allow you to enjoy blooms on your hibiscus plants more often.
It’s also true that deadheading your hibiscus plants will help them to look more aesthetically pleasing. You can easily snip the old blooms off with gardening shears.
You can even use pruning as a way to encourage branching if you’re interested in that. To do this, you’ll need to make cuts above buds and leaves.
Just be sure to remove any trimmings from the plant before walking away. Disposing of the trimmings helps to keep pests away and makes it less likely that you’ll have issues with diseases.
Watch Out for Certain Pests
Pests can be a problem for hibiscus plants, and you should endeavor to keep an eye out for them. Check your hibiscus plants semi-regularly to see if there are any signs of pest problems.
Aphids are some of the most common types of pests that hibiscus plants have to deal with, but you also might see whiteflies or thrips. All of these pests can cause damage to the hibiscus plants, and you’re going to want to keep them at bay.
Some people choose to spray hibiscus plants with insecticide to try to keep pests away. You could also try natural organic repellent methods such as using neem oil.
If you use too much pesticide on your plants, then it’s possible that the leaves could turn yellow on your hibiscus plants. Use this information to determine how you want to deal with pests in the safest way.
Final Thoughts
Hibiscus plants are great and you’re going to have an amazing time caring for them. Now that you know about the tips above, it should be pretty easy to get good results when you decide to plant hibiscus plants.
You’ll need to make good choices when choosing which type of hibiscus plant to go with. You might gravitate toward tropical hibiscus plants because of their vibrant colors, but hardy hibiscus plants can also be fantastic to have around.
Some might even find it more practical to care for hardy hibiscus plants depending on the climate situation where they love. So long as you water the plants correctly and take their sunlight requirements into consideration, you should have a good time raising them.
You’ll have to pay attention to the humidity, the temperatures, the soil that you’re using, and many other things. It’ll be worth the effort in the end because of how nice the plants look.
They’ll add a significant amount of beauty to your gardens most definitely. Have a good time with your hibiscus plants and use what you’ve learned to care for them with full confidence.
Lisa Bridenstine
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.
