Jethro said:

I want to garage/save a tropical Hibiscus this winter

Where are you located? If zone 9 or lower, is the garage insulated/heated?
Does it have a lot of windows? Some tropical Hibiscus like a lot of light.
Room in the house may be a better choice to over-winter. A sunny window
will most likely keep it blooming throughout the winter, which is always a
plus.

A good drenching with a systemic pesticide, suitable for HOUSEPLANTS (Read
the *ENTIRE* label. If it doesn't say houseplant on it, find a different
product.) would also be wise. Whiteflies, among others, LOVE Hibiscus, and
when they finish with it, they'll find your other houseplants.

- should I prune it first?

Is it out-of-control large?


If so, how extreme?

It will branch out where you prune it, so it would depend on how you'd like
it to branch out, as well as whether you'd like it to be a shrub or tree
shape. They do well as both.

"Tropical Hibiscus" covers a whole range of plants. Some can tolerate lower
light levels better than others. None actually go dormant. Keep that in
mind over the winter. Most people are told not to feed plants in the
wintertime, but since Hibiscus don't go dormant, they'll still need *some*
nourishment. If they're in a darker place than they like, you may only have
to feed them half as much as normal.

I know you wanted a more straightforward answer, but your question was a
bit more vague than it probably should have been. Knowing things such as
your location and the cultivar you're speaking of, helps tremendously. Try
doing a search on over-wintering tropical hibiscus. If you're not sure what
cultivar you have, you could try the Plant Files, at
http://www.davesgarden.com . They've a pretty vast database of plants, as
well as their care.

HTH
--

Eggs

Did Noah keep his bees in archives?