At least I think it is sparrows...it could be pigeons or grackles. Help!
How do I stop the sparrows from eating the leaves on my Hibiscus plants.?
Mmm... much like various animals and staying away from random scents or sounds... perhaps you could try some sort of topical agent that safe for your plant? For our peach tree I use soapy water... it keeps away the aphids, snails, slugs.. must keep applying though. But I did see in the Garden Center another spray to keep away birds.. something to do with the scent or taste that just drives them away. If you have a garden center or nursery nearby, I think it would be good to give them a call if not stop in and see what advice they have for ya. The staff are usually pretty knowledgeable and can guide you to the proper non-toxic products for your needs. (At least in my experience they have been.)
Good luck to you and your beautiful Hibiscus.
Take care,
miR :)
Reply:get a cat
Reply:Try putting a scarecrow nearby for a few days
Reply:Shoot them. You will not need a large caliber for sparrows. A .22 or pellet gun should suffice.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
How do I winterize hibiscus trees?
I am new to gardening and planted hibiscus trees. I need to know how to winterize them. I live in Ontario
How do I winterize hibiscus trees?
There are two types, one is a tropical hibiscus and you will have
to bring it indoors.
The other is a perennial hibiscus and right after the first frost
cut it back even with the ground and sit a bale of hay on it until spring.
Reply:Bring it inside. Hibiscus are tropical plants and cannot survive the winter.
Reply:make sure to spray it with Insecticidial soap. You'll bring alot of bugs in if you dont!! I learnt the hard way. Spray in a garage or shed, put a garbage bag over it for 24 hrs then do again. Be sure to spray the soil too
deodorizers
How do I winterize hibiscus trees?
There are two types, one is a tropical hibiscus and you will have
to bring it indoors.
The other is a perennial hibiscus and right after the first frost
cut it back even with the ground and sit a bale of hay on it until spring.
Reply:Bring it inside. Hibiscus are tropical plants and cannot survive the winter.
Reply:make sure to spray it with Insecticidial soap. You'll bring alot of bugs in if you dont!! I learnt the hard way. Spray in a garage or shed, put a garbage bag over it for 24 hrs then do again. Be sure to spray the soil too
deodorizers
Why do the leaves on my hibiscus plants feel sticky?
I believe the plants may have a fungus or some kind of insect, but I'm not sure. The leaves are also starting to curl a little. Thanks
Why do the leaves on my hibiscus plants feel sticky?
You more than likely have an aphid or whitefly problem.. The stickiness is caused by the excrement of the insect after sucking the juices from the leaves.. Sometimes this coating will turn black with mold, which is called "sooty mold". You need to treat the plant with some sort of insecticide for aphids and whiteflies.Ortho makes such a product, which is available at any garden center. If you want to go organic, you can mix up a soap and water solution. Make sure you spray the top of the leaf surface as well as the undersides.. This should take care of the problem.. Good Luck!
Reply:Billy Ray is correct.
Just an added note about whiteflies. When you spray they fly off and then come back again. (It drove me crazy). I have found that if you tack a piece of neon bright yellow construction paper to a stake next to the plant, and put double sided clear tape on the surface, you will catch them.
Reply:My Plant went thru this same phase;
and it died.
Reply:Yes, indeed, your plant is likely suffering from an infestation of whitefly or aphids. Fill a plastic atomizer with warm water and then add a couple tablespoons of your dish detergent and gently mix. Take your hibiscus where you can thoroughly wet it, and clean each leaf, one by one, sprayer in one hand, the other rubbing both bottom and top of the leaves clean. Pay attention to the branches as well. If any leaves have dropped off, clean them out of the pot. Let your hibuscus drip dry. Now would also be a good time to give it a treat of bone meal and a good watering, enough that water flows out from the pot, so you know all roots have had a good soaking. Treat again a week later, to catch any recurring insects.
Have fun! Your plant will LUV this TLC!
Why do the leaves on my hibiscus plants feel sticky?
You more than likely have an aphid or whitefly problem.. The stickiness is caused by the excrement of the insect after sucking the juices from the leaves.. Sometimes this coating will turn black with mold, which is called "sooty mold". You need to treat the plant with some sort of insecticide for aphids and whiteflies.Ortho makes such a product, which is available at any garden center. If you want to go organic, you can mix up a soap and water solution. Make sure you spray the top of the leaf surface as well as the undersides.. This should take care of the problem.. Good Luck!
Reply:Billy Ray is correct.
Just an added note about whiteflies. When you spray they fly off and then come back again. (It drove me crazy). I have found that if you tack a piece of neon bright yellow construction paper to a stake next to the plant, and put double sided clear tape on the surface, you will catch them.
Reply:My Plant went thru this same phase;
and it died.
Reply:Yes, indeed, your plant is likely suffering from an infestation of whitefly or aphids. Fill a plastic atomizer with warm water and then add a couple tablespoons of your dish detergent and gently mix. Take your hibiscus where you can thoroughly wet it, and clean each leaf, one by one, sprayer in one hand, the other rubbing both bottom and top of the leaves clean. Pay attention to the branches as well. If any leaves have dropped off, clean them out of the pot. Let your hibuscus drip dry. Now would also be a good time to give it a treat of bone meal and a good watering, enough that water flows out from the pot, so you know all roots have had a good soaking. Treat again a week later, to catch any recurring insects.
Have fun! Your plant will LUV this TLC!
How do I divide a "hardy" hibiscus to start a new part(s) inside and leave the rest where it is?
i don't want to dig up the whole thing, but start new ones to grow inside over the winter.
How do I divide a "hardy" hibiscus to start a new part(s) inside and leave the rest where it is?
Take six inch cuttings from a non-bloomng stem, strip the leaves off the lower half, then stick in a mix of potting soil.
Keep it moist. If the cuttings wilt, cut off half of each leaf.
You can also dig and divide the hibiscus root ball in fall or early spring if it is large enough. This will not kill the plant but it will make it grow smaller.
Reply:Well, there are only three ways I know of to propagate the perennial hibiscus and that is either through cuttings, division of the roots or by starting new plants from seed. Personally, I've found division to be easiest. However, since you don't want to dig up your plant then you will need to propagate through cuttings or seed. To take a cutting you'll need to locate a stem from new growth. It should be about as thick as a pencil and about 6 inches long. Remove the lower leaves and dip the end into a rooting hormone(optional) and place the stem into a mixture of 3 parts sand and 1 part peat. In about 4-5 weeks you should start to see roots and then you can move them to a more permanent location.
Decent makeup brands
How do I divide a "hardy" hibiscus to start a new part(s) inside and leave the rest where it is?
Take six inch cuttings from a non-bloomng stem, strip the leaves off the lower half, then stick in a mix of potting soil.
Keep it moist. If the cuttings wilt, cut off half of each leaf.
You can also dig and divide the hibiscus root ball in fall or early spring if it is large enough. This will not kill the plant but it will make it grow smaller.
Reply:Well, there are only three ways I know of to propagate the perennial hibiscus and that is either through cuttings, division of the roots or by starting new plants from seed. Personally, I've found division to be easiest. However, since you don't want to dig up your plant then you will need to propagate through cuttings or seed. To take a cutting you'll need to locate a stem from new growth. It should be about as thick as a pencil and about 6 inches long. Remove the lower leaves and dip the end into a rooting hormone(optional) and place the stem into a mixture of 3 parts sand and 1 part peat. In about 4-5 weeks you should start to see roots and then you can move them to a more permanent location.
Decent makeup brands
Why are the leaves on my hibiscus turning yellow?
I bought a full grown hibicsus plant at the beginning of spring. It sits by my mailbox and gets almost full sun. It has done great the whole summer...beautiful endless blooms. Yesterday it was wilted a little so I watered it as normal. Today when I woke up almost a third of the leaves were yellow. Can anyone tell me what I did wrong;and how I can fix it before loosing the plant?
Why are the leaves on my hibiscus turning yellow?
Don't panic, yellow leaves on hibiscus are normal. They look like something is wrong, but they are usually just a warning, a call for help, and not a sign of impending death.
Hibiscus leaves turn yellow and drop from the plant due to stress. The stress can be of any type, and figuring out what kind of stress is the challenge for the gardener. We cannot tell you exactly what is wrong with the plant without knowing a lot more than you are likely to be able to tell us. YOU have to think about it, and when you are pretty sure you have determined the cause, then you can take action to relieve the stress on your hibiscus. This article is intended to help you figure it out what is wrong.
Stresses that can cause yellow leaves on hibiscus include:
1. Not Enough Water
In warm conditions hibiscus need a lot of water, even every day or more than once a day if it's really hot or windy. Self-watering pots can be an excellent way to avoid this type of stress. A watering system controlled by a timer is another way for gardens with large numbers of plants.
2. Too Much Water
Yes, hibiscus can also be given too much water when the weather is cool or overcast. Hibiscus like to be moist but not sopping wet and if they don't need the water due to cold or dark conditions then too much will stress the root system.
3. Too Hot
This is related to water but please take note on super hot summer days that hibiscus will need lots of water to keep all the big lush leaves well supplied. If they don't get enough they react by dropping leaves (that turn yellow first) so that they don't need as much water.
4. Too Cold
Hibiscus are tropical plants that thrive in the same temperatures that people like - 65 to 85F. Like us, they will survive, but they will not like temperatures down to freezing and up to 110F. If they get too cold or are placed in a cold drafty window, they can react with yellow leaves.
5. Too Much Direct Sunlight
Hibiscus like sunlight but just as most people like moderate amounts of it so do hibiscus. Too much sun places stress on hibiscus that are not used to it and they can react with yellow leaves or big white spots on leaves. The white spots are similar to sunburn on us. They won't kill the plant but will cause it to shed leaves.
6. Too Little Sunlight
Light is the source of life for plants such as hibiscus. If they do not get enough to support all the big lush leaves they will drop some of their leaves (which turn yellow first) so that they don't need to support so many. However, that means that there is less green chlorophyll left to support the needs of the rest of the plant so it may continue to decline until there are only a few leaves left on the plant.
7. Insects, Particularly Spider Mites
Spider mites are tiny spiders that look like little crabs under magnification. Usually you cannot see spider mites with the naked eye but do they ever leave a mark on hibiscus leaves! First you may see mottling of the leaves which begin to look dirty and then tired. The underside of leaves will show marks made when the mites suck the juices from the leaves. As the infestation gets worse you will see small spider webs under the leaves and at the top of stems. Leaves will yellow and fall off the plant and the entire plant will look stressed. If left untreated, spider mites can cause every leaf on the plant to fall. It takes hibiscus weeks to recover from a bad spider mite infestation so it is best to take action as soon as the signs are present. This can involve washing the entire plant in water or better yet, in water with horticultural oil and soap, such as our Clean Leaf Spray.
8. Too Windy
Most of us do not realize the stress that wind places on plants. Wind dries them out and the result is yellow leaves.
9. Improper Nutrition or pH
This is a different category and the yellow is a different yellow. The leaves will remain partly green and partly yellow when there is a nutrition problem. Leaves almost always fall off the plant after turning solid yellow. If they do not turn completely yellow nor fall off then it is likely that the problem is a lack of essential nutrients. This can be due to no fertilizer applied or due to a pH level of the soil that is too high or too low. The leaves do not turn a bright yellow all over if this is the case nor do they drop off. Such problems can be corrected by using fertilizer and/or amending the soil with substances that will neutralize the pH. Consult a nursery professional at a local garden center if this is the case.
10. Pesticide Use
This is not a common problem but overuse of pesticide or using the wrong pesticide or too strong a pesticide or spraying in the hot sun of mid day can also cause leaf problems. If you have applied pesticide recently this may be the problem but if you used the same type at the same strength and done so in morning or evening then it is most likely one of the other stress problems above.
Once you have reviewed all the possible problems and decided on a likely source of the stress the cure is to remove the stress. Sometimes it is already done, as when you have watered thoroughly after neglecting to do so during a heat wave. There is no saving the yellow leaves that WILL fall off but the good news is that hibiscus will quickly grow back new green leaves when the stress is removed. Sometimes it becomes necessary to prune back a stem that has lost all of its leaves except for a few at the top. Pruning causes a cascade of plant growth hormones to enter the bare stem and stimulates new growth on the remaining part of the stem after pruning. This is a final solution if all else fails but it is best to remove the cause of stress first and to feed and water the plant well since that may be all it will take to get new growth on your hibiscus.
Reply:You didn't say where you live - so I may not have all the info you need. I live where hibiscus grow outside all year long. It is not uncommon for them to drop some leaves this time of the year. Also hibiscus can drop leaves just because they feel like it. But it does sound like you may have let it dry out a little to much. But it may only to short term. If you live where its cold in the winter, I am not sure of the winter treatment.
Reply:THEY NEED ALOT OF WATER. I LIKE TO PUT THEM NEAR A SPOT WHERE WATER MIGHT SIT AFTER IT RAINS. I WOULD ALSO CHECK THE LEAVES FOR SOME KIND OF INSECT. SOME INSECTS ONLY SHOW UP AFTER DARK. SO, CHECK DURING THE DAY AND NIGHT.
Reply:Are you feeding the plant? MIracle grow can help here. Are you over watering or underwatering the plant. The soil should be damp, not wet or dry.
Reply:You may be like me....... I over water or underwater; seems I just can't get it right. So, I am ordering a 12" "soil probe." When you insert it into the soil, then twist it, gently withdraw it and then check to see if there is any soil on the stem thingy, that lets you know if it needs to be watered or not. This "soil probe" does not require a battery. You can go to http://soilsleuth.com/soil_sleuth.html to order one for $7.75. There is also a phone number if needed. Mine will be here in four days. The probe can be used in your flower beds or in house plants. I think everyone should have one of those gadgets; whether you have a green thumb or not.
Reply:If it wilts, the leaves that it doesn't need die. Keep it moist and give it some plant food.
Reply:'tis time for us to say goodbye to our hibiscus. It happens every fall as the nights turn cool. I'll be cutting all of mine down to the soil line the next day or so. I sure hate to see summer go, don't you all?
Why are the leaves on my hibiscus turning yellow?
Don't panic, yellow leaves on hibiscus are normal. They look like something is wrong, but they are usually just a warning, a call for help, and not a sign of impending death.
Hibiscus leaves turn yellow and drop from the plant due to stress. The stress can be of any type, and figuring out what kind of stress is the challenge for the gardener. We cannot tell you exactly what is wrong with the plant without knowing a lot more than you are likely to be able to tell us. YOU have to think about it, and when you are pretty sure you have determined the cause, then you can take action to relieve the stress on your hibiscus. This article is intended to help you figure it out what is wrong.
Stresses that can cause yellow leaves on hibiscus include:
1. Not Enough Water
In warm conditions hibiscus need a lot of water, even every day or more than once a day if it's really hot or windy. Self-watering pots can be an excellent way to avoid this type of stress. A watering system controlled by a timer is another way for gardens with large numbers of plants.
2. Too Much Water
Yes, hibiscus can also be given too much water when the weather is cool or overcast. Hibiscus like to be moist but not sopping wet and if they don't need the water due to cold or dark conditions then too much will stress the root system.
3. Too Hot
This is related to water but please take note on super hot summer days that hibiscus will need lots of water to keep all the big lush leaves well supplied. If they don't get enough they react by dropping leaves (that turn yellow first) so that they don't need as much water.
4. Too Cold
Hibiscus are tropical plants that thrive in the same temperatures that people like - 65 to 85F. Like us, they will survive, but they will not like temperatures down to freezing and up to 110F. If they get too cold or are placed in a cold drafty window, they can react with yellow leaves.
5. Too Much Direct Sunlight
Hibiscus like sunlight but just as most people like moderate amounts of it so do hibiscus. Too much sun places stress on hibiscus that are not used to it and they can react with yellow leaves or big white spots on leaves. The white spots are similar to sunburn on us. They won't kill the plant but will cause it to shed leaves.
6. Too Little Sunlight
Light is the source of life for plants such as hibiscus. If they do not get enough to support all the big lush leaves they will drop some of their leaves (which turn yellow first) so that they don't need to support so many. However, that means that there is less green chlorophyll left to support the needs of the rest of the plant so it may continue to decline until there are only a few leaves left on the plant.
7. Insects, Particularly Spider Mites
Spider mites are tiny spiders that look like little crabs under magnification. Usually you cannot see spider mites with the naked eye but do they ever leave a mark on hibiscus leaves! First you may see mottling of the leaves which begin to look dirty and then tired. The underside of leaves will show marks made when the mites suck the juices from the leaves. As the infestation gets worse you will see small spider webs under the leaves and at the top of stems. Leaves will yellow and fall off the plant and the entire plant will look stressed. If left untreated, spider mites can cause every leaf on the plant to fall. It takes hibiscus weeks to recover from a bad spider mite infestation so it is best to take action as soon as the signs are present. This can involve washing the entire plant in water or better yet, in water with horticultural oil and soap, such as our Clean Leaf Spray.
8. Too Windy
Most of us do not realize the stress that wind places on plants. Wind dries them out and the result is yellow leaves.
9. Improper Nutrition or pH
This is a different category and the yellow is a different yellow. The leaves will remain partly green and partly yellow when there is a nutrition problem. Leaves almost always fall off the plant after turning solid yellow. If they do not turn completely yellow nor fall off then it is likely that the problem is a lack of essential nutrients. This can be due to no fertilizer applied or due to a pH level of the soil that is too high or too low. The leaves do not turn a bright yellow all over if this is the case nor do they drop off. Such problems can be corrected by using fertilizer and/or amending the soil with substances that will neutralize the pH. Consult a nursery professional at a local garden center if this is the case.
10. Pesticide Use
This is not a common problem but overuse of pesticide or using the wrong pesticide or too strong a pesticide or spraying in the hot sun of mid day can also cause leaf problems. If you have applied pesticide recently this may be the problem but if you used the same type at the same strength and done so in morning or evening then it is most likely one of the other stress problems above.
Once you have reviewed all the possible problems and decided on a likely source of the stress the cure is to remove the stress. Sometimes it is already done, as when you have watered thoroughly after neglecting to do so during a heat wave. There is no saving the yellow leaves that WILL fall off but the good news is that hibiscus will quickly grow back new green leaves when the stress is removed. Sometimes it becomes necessary to prune back a stem that has lost all of its leaves except for a few at the top. Pruning causes a cascade of plant growth hormones to enter the bare stem and stimulates new growth on the remaining part of the stem after pruning. This is a final solution if all else fails but it is best to remove the cause of stress first and to feed and water the plant well since that may be all it will take to get new growth on your hibiscus.
Reply:You didn't say where you live - so I may not have all the info you need. I live where hibiscus grow outside all year long. It is not uncommon for them to drop some leaves this time of the year. Also hibiscus can drop leaves just because they feel like it. But it does sound like you may have let it dry out a little to much. But it may only to short term. If you live where its cold in the winter, I am not sure of the winter treatment.
Reply:THEY NEED ALOT OF WATER. I LIKE TO PUT THEM NEAR A SPOT WHERE WATER MIGHT SIT AFTER IT RAINS. I WOULD ALSO CHECK THE LEAVES FOR SOME KIND OF INSECT. SOME INSECTS ONLY SHOW UP AFTER DARK. SO, CHECK DURING THE DAY AND NIGHT.
Reply:Are you feeding the plant? MIracle grow can help here. Are you over watering or underwatering the plant. The soil should be damp, not wet or dry.
Reply:You may be like me....... I over water or underwater; seems I just can't get it right. So, I am ordering a 12" "soil probe." When you insert it into the soil, then twist it, gently withdraw it and then check to see if there is any soil on the stem thingy, that lets you know if it needs to be watered or not. This "soil probe" does not require a battery. You can go to http://soilsleuth.com/soil_sleuth.html to order one for $7.75. There is also a phone number if needed. Mine will be here in four days. The probe can be used in your flower beds or in house plants. I think everyone should have one of those gadgets; whether you have a green thumb or not.
Reply:If it wilts, the leaves that it doesn't need die. Keep it moist and give it some plant food.
Reply:'tis time for us to say goodbye to our hibiscus. It happens every fall as the nights turn cool. I'll be cutting all of mine down to the soil line the next day or so. I sure hate to see summer go, don't you all?
How do you spiral a hibiscus tree trunk?
It is a regular Hibbiscus. I have bought one before. All i know is that there is a stake in the middle of the plant........I just dont know how do get the trunk around it. I can use all the help I can get. Thank you!
How do you spiral a hibiscus tree trunk?
Buy a Hibiscus tree since it is easier. Then you can enjoy both since they are beautiful!
Reply:They train it when it's young. Sort of like Chinese Foot-binding. Only different.
Reply:More than one plant in the pot and the trunk is trained. Buy one already done, it will save you years.
How do you spiral a hibiscus tree trunk?
Buy a Hibiscus tree since it is easier. Then you can enjoy both since they are beautiful!
Reply:They train it when it's young. Sort of like Chinese Foot-binding. Only different.
Reply:More than one plant in the pot and the trunk is trained. Buy one already done, it will save you years.
I have a hibiscus under the eve of the house. It has gotten very leggy.?
I live in Central Florida. The Hibiscus has just gone crazy this growing season. I need to know if I can trim it back without doing harm to the plant. I know I will not get as many flowers but I am willing to make this sacrifice.
I have a hibiscus under the eve of the house. It has gotten very leggy.?
If you want your hibiscus to thrive and get a lot of flowers on it, you HAVE TO prune the leggy growth back hard to the second or third set of leaves from the trunk. New branches will grow from the stubs and get flowers.
If you just leave it, he longer the leggy growth gets, the fewer flowers you will have.
Reply:Is it trying to reach more sun? Why not move it rather than trimming it back.
Reply:If you trim it back, you will have MORE flowers, not fewer.
Reply:Go ahead and trim the plant. You will find that you'll get numerous new shoots below the cut, resulting in many more (but, possibly smaller) flowers, and will generally help the health of the plant.
I'm wondering, too, if it needs to be moved away from the eves a bit.
I have a hibiscus under the eve of the house. It has gotten very leggy.?
If you want your hibiscus to thrive and get a lot of flowers on it, you HAVE TO prune the leggy growth back hard to the second or third set of leaves from the trunk. New branches will grow from the stubs and get flowers.
If you just leave it, he longer the leggy growth gets, the fewer flowers you will have.
Reply:Is it trying to reach more sun? Why not move it rather than trimming it back.
Reply:If you trim it back, you will have MORE flowers, not fewer.
Reply:Go ahead and trim the plant. You will find that you'll get numerous new shoots below the cut, resulting in many more (but, possibly smaller) flowers, and will generally help the health of the plant.
I'm wondering, too, if it needs to be moved away from the eves a bit.
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