One of my Hibiscus flowers - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti
Is that easy to grow Hibiscus in a pot, especially when we live in an apartment? I would say yes if you know what you are doing with your Hibiscus, otherwise, your darling Hibiscus won't grow and the ultimate thing is they die sooner. So, what are the easy ways to keep the Hibiscus flowers growing well and healthy?
Take a look at the picture above or the first picture in this article. I have had this "Orange" Hibiscus for about 3 years now. Read the article associated with this particular Hibiscus here https://ichi-garden.blogspot.com/2021/06/how-to-make-hibiscus-bloom-continuously.html You see at first it was dying but we figured out how to make it bloom again, moreover, grow well and healthy. You can say what I am going to write in this article is based on my experiences years, not a day or a month with more fails. It takes some time to understand how my plant grows by observing them. Of course, it isn't easy as we live in an apartment which means more obstacles I would encounter while growing my greenery in my corridor. One example is where the morning sun hits because what kind of flowers and plants I choose will depend on it. The good thing is that the Hibiscus plant works incredibly awesome in my "garden." I am quite delighted about it!🌞
My Hibiscus plants - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti
One day I told one of my neighbors that taking care of Hibiscus is easy and effortless compared to others. She was surprised since for her it needs more maintenance that won't go a piece of cake. She also thought that my Orange Hibiscus with flowers is a new plant that I just bought. Look at the second picture, one of them has grown in a small pot yet has green shiny leaves and big flowers. Seriously, growing potentially become a big plant in a small pot? It sounds unusual and I think that what was going on in my neighbor's mind on how this plant is literally healthy. What have I done to keep them tremendously extraordinary as we concern it has planted in small pot?
Ichi's Garden: my yellow Hibiscus - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti
1. Change the soil if necessary
After buying the Hibiscus plant at a florist or plant & flower shop, check the soil. Because sometimes I find out the red soil has been used in the commercial flowers. Red soil does not provide good support for any plant, at least in my opinion. Therefore, we must change the soil. For me, it doesn't need to contain 100% compost soil, I need to mix it with common soil about 60%, and 30 % compost soil. Interestingly, we can actually use red soil for the base only to cover 10 % since it is heavy in weight compared to compost soil or common soil and I think it is good for the pot support.
Basically, common soil is the same soil in our yard, meanwhile, compost soil is made from plants mainly, that is what I know. Mixing them will create a good environment for the plants and also living things such as worms. Only compost soil, it doesn't work for me because of its texture that can not support my plant and is easy to dry out when the sun hits hard. Moreover, it is too light that makes the plant has a weak root. Additionally, when the wind blows this pot will easy to fall apart. The best way is to mix both common and compost soil.
Ichi's Garden: I call this one Long trunk Creamy Hibiscus - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti
2. Don't overwater
Back then when I lived at my father's house, twice a day; in the morning and evening or late noon to water my father's flowers that had been planted in pots as we considered we were under the scorching sun most of the year. However, I had learned it depends on the position of the plants we place them. For instance, Pigeon orchid, my father planted under the shady and cooling a cotton tree. As result, we only water it once a day. What kind of plant we grow is also able to determine how many times we give it water.
In this case, growing flowers and plants in an apartment are challenging. For decades, I have been trying to understand my circumstances wherever I want to buy flowers. Not only what kind of plants would suit my "garden" but also my watering habits. The reason is that if the sun hits my "garden" badly all day long then I need to water my plant twice. So make sure, once you buy flowers, you know their background. Otherwise, you need to read its flower information while you are trying to grow them.
Specific for Hibiscus, it is definitely a tropical flower. Growing Hibiscus on the ground is soo much easier compared to a pot. We do not need a particular schedule to water them, and we do not have to give it fertilizer either. On the ground, believe me, Hibiscus would be happy without maintenances. However, when in a pot, it comes a different story. Once a day, it's enough to give Hibiscus water. But in the hottest weather, my Hibiscus asks twice a day for water. Once again, this depends on the plant's position.
Ichi's garden: My yellow Hibiscus buds - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti
3. Fertilizer regularly
If you have read my other article (link above) you would easy to figure out how to make Hibiscus happy and as result, they produce more flowers. I mentioned fertilizer for blooms, and I think this is important to encourage Hibiscus blooms. Every two weeks give this plant fertilizer for bloom. Besides treating Hibiscus with bloom fertilizer, every 3 weeks I add organic fertilizer for them so that they grow healthy by showing shinning leaves. Read the instructions on how much fertilizer our plant need. Usually, it depends on how big our plants are.
Ichi's garden: I call this lollypop Hibiscus - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti
4. Trimming
I have done to give it fertilizer, but it is far below the expectation where the Hibiscus only shows off their greeny shine leaves and no flower at all...🤔 It is time to trim the Hibiscus, cut some branches. I would say I keep my Hibiscus short ( not towering) since I grow them in a pot; small pots. This trimming will simulate new leaves, new branches that bring buds! At this time, if we give them the correct amount of fertilizer, the leaves would appear green and shiny, and big as well.
Ichi's Garden: I call this Pinkies Hibiscus flower - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti
Here the thing, Hibiscus flower is typically ground plant where they can grow big and higher. If we want to keep them in a pot (small pot), do not give them what they desire. You change to a bigger pot, a few months later they grow bigger and want a bigger pot than before, again and again...
Now the question is when we know the Hibiscus needs some trimming? After the bloom reaches the peak season, fewer and fewer buds have been produced by our Hibiscus flower. Sometimes we can see a small and abnormal flower, the leaves appear to become small. If you see those signs, be better to trim your Hibiscus.
Ichi's Garden: I call this Long trunk Blood Hibiscus - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti
5. Giving Hibiscus the touch of sun
I have an issue with direct sunlight, especially, morning sunlight. However, the direct sunlight hits some of my plants after midday. In my case, after trimming the Hibiscus, I place them in the spot where direct sunlight touches them even though a noon light. After some time, when they are ready to flower, I move my Hibiscus in a place where only light touches them. If this is not your case, better place them in the morning direct sunlight. Morning direct sunlight is unbeatable to give support for flowers and plants.
Ichi's Garden: I call this one is Pleated Red Hibiscus - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti
6. Do not throw fall leaves
What does it mean? Well, what do you do when you see yellow leaves on the branches, or when the leaves fall? Me, I pluck yellow leaves and pick leaves that have fallen then put them on the potting soil surface. My idea is to give additional nutrients to my plants from organic material that comes from their own. Furthermore, it would create a natural environment where other living things can grow or live such as small snails and of course worms as well.
That's what I have done to my Hibiscus plants. If you see my Hibiscus, you might wonder how come grows in a small pot yet has green big shiny leaves, and big flowers as well. The answer is that I give them the maintenances above.
Of course, during this experiment, I had lost some of my Hibiscus flowers. However, on the bright side, all of that negative events are turn out amazing and I am happy!🤩🌞
Note:
- Written by Acik Mardhiyanti
- Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti
- Do not copy this article without permission
- Do not reuse these photographs anywhere else without permission
