Herb hibiscus is a frost-resistant plant common in temperate regions. This hybrid plant is the result of breeding. The ancestors are the North American varieties - red, pink and spiny. The main difference from other flowers is in the annual natural die-off of the upper part of the plant in the fall.
Nutrients from the ground part enter the root system. Roots are thickened shoots that resemble tubers. This makes it possible to save the flower from freezing. Herb hibiscus can withstand temperatures of -30 degrees. Besides this, there are still some features of flower care.
How to care at home?
Herb Hibiscus is considered an unpretentious plant. But still you should know some rules to avoid problems in growing.
Temperature
Herb hibiscus is a heat-loving plant, but it can also withstand thirty degrees of frost. The ideal temperature for growing is 20-25 degrees.
Watering
The flower requires abundant and regular watering, especially during the period of active growth.. After flowering, watering should be reduced. Water in the soil should not stagnate. After abundant watering, it is necessary to loosen the ground each time. Water for irrigation should be settled, not chlorinated, rain water will do.
Shine
Hibiscus important good lighting. He is not afraid of direct sunlight. The only exception is the first days after landing. During this period, young plants need to pritenyat.
Pruning
Pruning is needed hibiscus to maintain the decorativeness and getting rid of weak, lifeless shoots. After planting a young plant, branched branches should be shortened to the level of 2-3 buds.
In February, all branched shoots are pruned. But only on one branch after shortening 5-6 buds should remain. The rest of the shoots are cut to one bud. As soon as the hibiscus grows to the required height, you can experiment with the shape of the crown, namely, cutting off the top and unnecessary greens. In the presence of weak and painful branches, they should be removed so that the plant is easier to gain strength and grow.
Important: For abundant flowering, it is necessary to carry out a special pruning every spring. Shorten one-third gain. Thus, the number of flower buds will increase.
Hibiscus may not grow properly, one-sided, in this case it is necessary not to trim for some time. Over time, the flower will grow a new crown, it will be possible to remove old, obsolete shoots, and shorten young ones by a third, this will give the plant an additional impetus for growth.
Priming
Grassy hibiscus does not need special soil. For the cultivation of this plant will fit any soil. For a strong and healthy flower you can take care of the soil mixture. Flower shops sell land for growing hibiscus herbaceous. The advantages of the finished soil: the balance of all nutrients and minerals, optimal acidity. If you still want to prepare the soil yourself, you need to carefully consider its composition.
You will need to mix:
- 4 pieces of peat;
- 2 parts of turf, leaf and coniferous land;
- 1 part of sand;
- charcoal;
- humus.
In the resulting mixture is to add well-rotted spruce or pine needles. This will reduce the acidity of the soil. You should also think about drainage. Before planting at the bottom of the prepared pit, you can lay wood bark and twigs. Brick dust may be suitable as drainage.
Top dressing
Organic fertilizer:- manure - suitable stale manure, and which has already lain down and become stale;
- peat tablet.
- Mineral fertilizers:
- you can use bone meal to replenish phosphorus;
- urea is suitable as nitrogen.
Organic fertilizer:Organic and potassium phosphate fertilizers should be applied in spring. During the period of growth once a month it is necessary to feed only nitrogen fertilizers. Fertilize the plant should be in the evening, then it absorbs nutrients faster. Before feeding, in about 2 hours, the ground should be poured abundantly.
Board: During the resting period, hibiscus must be fed once in the period from October to March.
Transfer
Hibiscus can be transplanted in spring and autumn. Young plants need to be transplanted annually. Adults should be transplanted once every four years.
Hibiscus transplantation is reduced to transshipment, because it has a very sensitive root system. The plant must be carefully removed from the pot. If the container is plastic, then to facilitate the process, it is recommended to knock on its sides. Before transplanting, check the condition of the roots. They must be firm, free from rot and vermin.
Put a drain on the bottom of the new pot. Pour the soil over the drainage. Dip the plant in a pot and sprinkle with earth. You can tamp the soil slightly in the process of adding.
For hibiscus, you must choose a cramped pot. Only in such conditions it will bloom. For growing suitable pots made of plastic or clay.
We recommend to watch a video about hibiscus transplantation:
Wintering
Prepare for the winter should be in advance. From the second half of the summer, it is necessary to stop feeding with nitrogen fertilizers. With the first autumn frosts hibiscus ends flowering, begins to prepare for winter. There is no need to cut the ground part of the plant, it should dry on its own. During this period, hibiscus gives the roots nutrient reserves. At this time, you need to pick a flower and add sand to the ground.
As soon as the plant dries, its stems must be cut. With the arrival of sustainable frosts hibiscus need to be warmed. To do this, pour on top of loose vegetable insulation (sawdust, straw, dry leaves). The bump should be covered with a non-woven material; on top you should create a frame of poles. Such a design is necessary so that in harsh frosts you can cover up the hibiscus.
What to do after purchase?
After buying grassy hibiscus is desirable to transplant within three weeks. After transplantation should give the plant a few days of rest.
How to care after planting in the open field?
- Herb hibiscus should be under sunlight for at least 6 hours. Therefore, the place for its cultivation should be well lit.
- The grassy hibiscus is afraid of drafts, so you should choose a landing site such as to be protected from the winds.
- The soil at the hibiscus planting site should be loose, moisture permeable and have good drainage.
A photo
Below you can see a photo of healthy hibiscus, which is properly looked after.
Breeding
Reproduction of grassy hibiscus does not pose any problems.. You can propagate:
- seeds;
- cuttings.
Seeds
Seed propagation can be attributed to the experiments. Seeds collected from hybrid varieties when grown can give an unexpected result. They may differ in color, size and shape of leaves and flowers. The reason for this is the cross-pollination and splitting. In this way, the breeding cannot preserve the parental qualities of plants.
Instruction:
- Training. Seeds need to soak overnight in epine. In the morning, the solution should be drained and covered with a plastic bag or film. After 3-5 days, the seeds will germinate.
- Landing. Planting seeds is recommended to begin in January-March. They are planted in a pot filled with a mixture of peat and sand, and covered with foil. The required temperature is 25-26 degrees. Seedlings need to be regularly ventilated.
- Top dressing. As soon as a grassy hibiscus has 3 leaves, it can be fed. The dose of fertilizer should be 4 times less than indicated on the package. At this time, the plant can be transplanted into the soil.
We recommend to watch a video about growing grassy hibiscus from seeds:
Cuttings
Reproduction by cuttings begins in June. Consider the entire stage in detail:
The cuttings should be cut with a sharp disinfected knife of 10-15 cm. Each cutting must have 2-3 leaves. The lower cut is performed at an angle of 45 degrees, and the upper cut is perpendicular.- The top pair of leaves must be cut in half to reduce the evaporation of moisture through the leaves. The bottom pair of leaves is carefully cut off.
- The stalk should be planted in plastic cups with a loose peat substrate. Hibiscus must provide a greenhouse, wearing a package on top.
- After rooting, the cuttings must be placed in a cool place. It will be possible to land only next year.
The cuttings should be cut with a sharp disinfected knife of 10-15 cm. Each cutting must have 2-3 leaves. The lower cut is performed at an angle of 45 degrees, and the upper cut is perpendicular.We recommend to watch a video about the reproduction of grassy hibiscus cuttings:
Conclusion
Caring for grassy hibiscus does not require serious knowledge and skills in growing plants. Therefore, he was so fond of many flower growers. Having planted it once, you can enjoy the handsome for a long time and forget about the constant troubles and worries.
