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Care of plants
The do's and don'ts when caring for a sick plant
Despite our best care, hibiscus is sometimes stressed by life and circ*mstances. Pests attack them, and after we remove the pests, the plant is left in a somewhat stressed state. Unexpected or extreme heat, cold, drought or flooding stress plants. Any move to a new location stresses a plant, and this also applies to the plants we ship. Shipping stress falls squarely into this category, as does transplantation. Holidays with less than ideal plant sitters cause stress for plants. Ambitious puppies, cute little wild bunnies, quirky neighborhood kids' bikes... a million and one things can suddenly cause unexpected stress to your hibiscus plants. We all need to know how to deal with a stressed plant and unfortunately there are many myths in the gardening world about what to do in such a case. So let's look at the DOs and DONs in helping a stressed hibiscus.
First, do no harm: DONTs. . .
Do not remove green leaves:
A stressed hibiscus plant ~ What should we do to help it?
Even if the leaves are wilted and look dead, do not remove them while they are green. The plant will eventually shed them naturally, and any living cells still present in the leaves can still photosynthesize. A wilted plant needs all the photosynthesis it can get, so you don't want to do anything to reduce it. Withered leaves can sometimes grow back up, even if only partially. So give the plant all the time it needs to recover what it can. The wilted leaves can sometimes remain there for weeks until the plant can grow new leaves to replace them. Just stay calm and leave it all alone.
Do not transplant:
Never plant a stressed plant! Never! For some reason, gardeners are often told that transplanting will save a sick plant, but the opposite is true. Transplanting adds a lot more stress to an already stressed plant. Even the most careful transplant will damage at least some roots, and the last thing a stressed plant needs is more damage of any kind. In addition, transplanting means new soil and often a new location, which means that the plant has to spend energy getting used to this new environment, at a time when it needs all its energy to cope with what it has already experienced. Simply leave the plant in the pot or in its spot in the ground and disturb it as little as possible.
Do not fertilize:
A sick or stressed plant needs a break from handling fertilizer, even if only for a few weeks. Let it rest, cool and treat it only with completely harmless clear water. Nitrogen is good for plants, but if a plant's system is not working properly, it is stressful for the plant. So stop fertilizing until you see fresh, green leaves and new growth.
Do not prune unless you have tested it and know there is rotten wood:
If you don't know how to test for rotten wood, scroll to the bottom of oursCrop pageand follow the directions very carefully to test each part of your hibiscus. Only cut away the rotten wood. Cut as little as possible. If there is no dead or rotten wood present, do not prune! Pruning is stressful for a plant and you don't want to put any additional stress on your plant at this time. Wait until it is fully grown and healthy in a few months before pruning.
Help your plant recover: DO IT. . .
To remove yellow leaves:
Yellow leaves have lost all their chlorophyll and are no longer useful to the plant. Plus, they can harbor pests! So go ahead and remove all the yellow leaves. Dispose of them in a sealed plastic bag and place the bag in the outside trash can if there is anything that could contaminate your other plants.
It is normal for several leaves to continue to turn yellow for 2-3 days. It may take a few days for damage to become apparent, so continue to remove leaves as they turn yellow.
Move potted plants out of the sun:
If your plants are in pots, keep them out of the sun. Find a spot with light shade – no direct sunlight at all, but close to the edge of the shade so there is plenty of indirect light nearby. Direct sunlight forces a plant to work to produce sugars, and a sick plant needs to take some time off work to rest and recover, just as a human takes a sick day to recover from an illness. Taking a houseplant out of the sun gives him a kind of relaxing break from work.
If your diseased plant is in the ground, try to give it some shade if you can: a large potted shrub or object on the sunny side to shade it, or a piece of shade cloth draped over it. It may not always be possible, but if you can figure something out, you'll help your plant recover faster.
Mist or spray your plants gently often:
To provide your plants with extra hydration and moisture, mist them daily with a gentle mist if possible. Simply fill a spray bottle with water and spray the plant thoroughly on all sides of all leaves, stems and branches. If you have a lot of plants in the garden and watering is not possible, use your garden hose or bug blaster and gently spray them every other day to thoroughly wet all parts of the plant. This accomplishes two things: 1) It helps hydrate the entire top growth of the plants, reducing the need for the roots to work so hard to supply all the hydration the plants need, and 2) It helps opportunistic prevent pests, which provide an easier hold if your plant is sick.
Use Growth Enhancer or Houseplant Formula:
Both products are designed with growth hormones and extra minerals to give stressed plants a boost and ensure that your plant comes out of stress faster. Only use one of these products; they both contain some of the same ingredients, so you don't need both. But it is safe to use one every time you water your plants. These products often work when nothing else works and give your hibiscus the best chance to recover from any kind of stress.
If you don't have one of these products, use plain water. Do not use other types of fertilizer. The higher nitrogen levels will stress a sick plant.
How long should I do this?
Continue all these strategies for your plants until you see your plant blossoming and creating new green leaves. Resist the temptation to stop all your recovery activities at the first sign of new growth. Hang in there and continue giving all this support until the new growth shows true small branches with more green leaves.
At this point you can gradually return to normal.
Slowly and gradually begin moving your plant back into the sun. Take 2-3 weeks to slowly bring it back into full sun if you want it in full sun.
Start by giving small doses of fertilizer and booster, gradually increasing over a period of 2-3 weeks until you return to your normal, full fertilization regimen.
To be on the safe side, continue misting or showering, but slowly reduce the number of times you do this per week. It's actually best for hibiscus to be misted or showered once a week, even when they're healthy, so if this creates a healthy new habit, your hibiscus will love it!
Do not transplant or prune for long periods of time. Your hibiscus may be recovering well, but this is not the time to add extra stress. At this point, wait as long as possible before pruning or transplanting!
Healthy hibiscus plants with lots of shiny, green leaves and flowers
