Hibiscus Propagation Methods: How to Prune the Branches and Leaves of Hibiscus
The hibiscus has beautiful flower shapes and bright colors, and is very pretty, so many people like it and it has high ornamental value. Although it is very beautiful, its growth habits make it not very easy to propagate. So let's take a look below at exactly how it is propagated and which method is generally most commonly used.
Hibiscus Propagation Methods
Hibiscus propagation mostly uses cuttings. For outdoor-grown hibiscus, cuttings taken in May-June are most suitable. Choose one-year-old, semi-lignified, sturdy branches, 8-l0 long, keep only part of the upper leaves, insert them into coarse sand to 1/3 of their length, then water thoroughly, with a plant-to-row spacing of 100pxx100px. To maintain air temperature, cover with plastic film. After 20 days most will have rooted, and after growing for more than a month they can be potted up.
Indoor cuttings are generally taken in early spring in January-February, using sand as the substrate, with good results. In cold places, manual intervention is needed to keep the temperature at 20-25°C. Fill a pot with sand, insert the cuttings into the pot, spray water 1-3 times a day, and they will root in just over 40 days and be potted up in 60 days, with a survival rate of more than half.
How to Prune the Branches and Leaves of Hibiscus
1. Dormant-period pruning: After winter begins comes the hibiscus dormancy period, when a shaping and pruning can be done together with repotting. Its purpose is to adjust the plant structure, encourage new flowering branches, and lay the foundation for forming a crown shape covered in blossoms.
2. Pruning of large hibiscus: For large potted hibiscus, the aim is to shape a naturally graceful form with a large crown and abundant flowers. First, sort out the branching hierarchy, identify and cultivate the framework branches at all levels, and, borrowing the tree-structure model used in fruit-tree pruning, train it into a trunk-based open-tier form or another form.
3. Early-spring pruning: To keep the tree shape graceful and the flower count high, based on the hibiscus's strong ability to send out branches and suckers, pruning and shaping are generally done around the time it is moved outdoors in early spring. Shape it according to the plant's form. For plants with a relatively good growth form, only some unreasonably growing branches and diseased or pest-damaged branches need to be removed, along with crossing branches, overlapping branches, and so on, to facilitate ventilation and light and promote robust plant growth. For plants with a poor growth form (such as bare areas appearing on the lower part of the crown) or plants that have grown too tall, heavy pruning should be done during the dormant period. Generally, 2 to 3 side branches or buds can be kept at the base of each side branch, and the top branches cut off, so as to dwarf the plant and stimulate vigorous new branches, forming a graceful crown.
Before pruning, observe carefully and consider according to the plant's vigor in order to decide what to keep or remove, and do not rush to cut. If pruning is too heavy, not only will the crown fail to expand quickly, but flowering will also be delayed. When working, be meticulous; the cut should be flush with the base where the branch forks, to prevent damaging other branches. For retained buds, generally choose outer-side buds rather than inner-side buds, and the top of the cut should be 0.2 to 0.3 cm above the retained bud.
What to Do When Hibiscus Leaves Turn Yellow
1. Improper watering: Both lack of water and overwatering will adversely affect hibiscus growth. Hibiscus likes water but is not tolerant of waterlogging, and is afraid of drought. Whether waterlogged or drought-stressed, it will cause leaves to turn yellow and drop. If watered too much, the potting soil stays moist, which causes root rot and leads to leaf drop and bud drop.
2. Lack of necessary nutrients: Hibiscus growth requires a lot of nutrients, so fertilizer must be applied adequately.
3. Lack of light: Hibiscus likes sunlight and requires a growing environment with ample sunlight. If kept long-term in an environment without light, insufficient light will cause yellowing leaves and leaf drop.
4. Suffering pest damage: If hibiscus suffers from pests or diseases, it will cause leaves to turn yellow and fall off, such as red spider mites, whiteflies, and scale insects.
Hibiscus Winter Care
1. Control fertilizer: Starting in October, stop fertilizing, to avoid excessive vegetative growth and excessive flowering, which are unfavorable for physiological dormancy.
2. Control water: During the winter when the hibiscus is kept indoors, the potting soil should be on the dry side and avoid being wet, so watering must be controlled, only keeping the potting soil slightly moist. Generally, water once every 5 to 7 days, and the amount should not be too much, to prevent root rot and death caused by low temperature and high humidity.
3. Control temperature: The suitable dormancy temperature for hibiscus is 5°C to 15°C. If it is above 15°C, the hibiscus cannot get sufficient dormancy, which will inevitably affect next year's flowering. If it is below 5°C, it is prone to frost damage and overwintering will fail.
It seems that growing hibiscus is really not an easy task. Not only must its branches and leaves be pruned frequently, but its common problems must also be solved, and in particular it must be able to get through the winter safely, otherwise next year's flowering will be affected. These processes are like passing through checkpoints; as long as you get through these difficulties step by step, you will get the desired result.