I have a tropical Hibiscus that I tried to save during the cold
winter, but it did not fare too well. The bush is about 3 feet high
and most of its foliage is brown or gone - probably all dead.
However, I do have some small green 'sprouts' showing on the lower
parts of the 'limbs'. I am feeding it Miracle Grow to try to help it.

My question is - should I let it go? Should I prune it? If so, how
much?

Thanks

On Mon, 19 May 2003 09:34:14 GMT, wrote:

I have a tropical Hibiscus that I tried to save during the cold
winter, but it did not fare too well. The bush is about 3 feet high
and most of its foliage is brown or gone - probably all dead.
However, I do have some small green 'sprouts' showing on the lower
parts of the 'limbs'. I am feeding it Miracle Grow to try to help it.

My question is - should I let it go? Should I prune it? If so, how
much?

Thanks

Cut off the dead parts. Easy with the MG, especially if it is growing
in a container. Hibiscus grow fast. They like water and sun.

On Mon, 19 May 2003 09:34:14 GMT, wrote:

I have a tropical Hibiscus that I tried to save during the cold
winter, but it did not fare too well. The bush is about 3 feet high
and most of its foliage is brown or gone - probably all dead.
However, I do have some small green 'sprouts' showing on the lower
parts of the 'limbs'. I am feeding it Miracle Grow to try to help it.

My question is - should I let it go? Should I prune it? If so, how
much?

Thanks

It helps to know where you're located but from your description I'd
say what you're seeing is fairly typical of tropical Hibiscus.

Winter in many areas tends to kill everything above ground that hasn't
been protected in some manner while the root system remains alive and
intact. The fact that you're seeing growth indicates the root system
is still very much alive. Since this is a TROPOICAL plant and, as
such, desires a "tropical" environment, your Hibiscus may just now be
getting the proper amount of daily warmth it needs to recover from the
harshness of winter.

Prune and eliminate all of the dead wood and let the plant grow. It
will take some time before you see blooms again but it should
eventually return to what is was before winter set in. In the fall
consider protecting the plant from the cold and the wind. The more
growth you are able to keep protected, the more you'll have to start
the following spring. Miracle Grow may not be the best food for your
Hibiscus. Look for something with a mix similar to 18-10-28.

f





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wrote in message . ..
I have a tropical Hibiscus that I tried to save during the cold
winter, but it did not fare too well. The bush is about 3 feet high
and most of its foliage is brown or gone - probably all dead.
However, I do have some small green 'sprouts' showing on the lower
parts of the 'limbs'. I am feeding it Miracle Grow to try to help it.

My question is - should I let it go? Should I prune it? If so, how
much?

Thanks

Hi Yup (all jokes resisted)

I'm not exactly an expert, but I have a hibiscus at home. A couple of
years ago it started behaving very weirdly, dropping leaves and
shrivelling up certain limbs. One day, in a kill or cure frenzy, I
hacked it down to about six inches, keeping only the three stems I
liked the look of best. Since then it has grown slowly but inexorably.
It flowered last year (which made me happy) but I'm still not entirely
satisfied with the shape. I have also found that Hibiscus is
particularly intolerant of central heating, so overwinter it in an
unheated room if you can.

M.

On Mon, 19 May 2003 13:47:05 GMT, lid wrote:

Look for something with a mix similar to 18-10-28.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well - I've tried! I went to three nurseries and couldn't come close.
Even thought of buying nitrogen, phosphate, & potash separately and
mixing it, but finding phosphate proved impossible. I found potash and
dried blood nitrogen.

I'll keep looking. In the meantime I keep watching the plants (I have
3) hoping to see increased green. So far just a little on one, a tiny
bit on the second, and none on the third.

Thanks

t