How to grow Chinese hibiscus? A detailed guide to Chinese hibiscus planting methods

In the methods for growing Chinese hibiscus in pots, growing Chinese hibiscus is not difficult, and Chinese hibiscus is also highly adaptable; when grown in pots it can quickly establish. Below is a detailed introduction to the methods for growing Chinese hibiscus in pots.

Daily care of Chinese hibiscus

1. Repotting and pruning

For potted plants, use loose, fertile sandy loam soil, and repot every year in early spring in April before moving them outdoors.

When repotting, do 3 things:

First, replace with fresh growing soil;

Second, cut away some of the overly dense, curled fibrous roots;

Third, apply sufficient base fertilizer, adding a little phosphate fertilizer at the bottom of the pot.

To keep the tree shape attractive and the flower count high, because Chinese hibiscus has a strong ability to send out branches and shoots, pruning and shaping can be done around early spring before and after moving it out. Leave 2-3 buds at the base of each branch and cut off everything above; pruning can promote new branches, make growth more vigorous, and also make the plant shape more beautiful. After pruning, because the aboveground part consumes less, water and fertilizer should be appropriately restricted.

Chinese hibiscus growing methods and precautions:

1. Soil: It can adapt to various soils, but fertile, loose, slightly acidic soil is best.

2. Temperature: The suitable growth temperature for Chinese hibiscus is 15-25°C, and from October to March of the following year it is 13-18°C. In winter the temperature must not be lower than 5°C, otherwise the leaves turn yellow and drop. Below 0°C it is prone to freeze damage, but it can still grow normally at high temperatures above 30°C.

3. Sunlight: Chinese hibiscus is a strongly sun-loving plant. During the growing period it needs sufficient light to grow and bloom normally. If light is insufficient, flower buds easily drop, flowers are small, and flower color is dull; but when sunlight is too strong, the plant will suffer sunburn, so appropriate shading protection should be provided.

Propagation of potted Chinese hibiscus

Home cultivation of Chinese hibiscus generally uses cutting propagation. Select two-year-old robust branches or current-year semi-lignified branches for cuttings, cut 10 cm, keep the top leaves, make the cut smooth, and insert into a sand bed to a depth of 4-5 cm (the sand bed should be covered with 15-20 cm of sand). After inserting, water thoroughly once immediately, then cover with plastic sheeting; the cutting bed should be sprayed with water frequently to increase humidity. After 1 week, it can gradually receive sunlight, and at 18-25°C it will root in about 20 days.

About one month after cutting, the cuttings already have a strong root system, and at this time they should be potted promptly. The pot size can be determined according to the size of the plant being planted. Generally, surviving small seedlings can use a pot with a diameter of 12-15 cm. The potting soil ratio is prepared by volume at 10:1:2 of garden soil, cake fertilizer, and sand. When planting, try to damage the root system as little as possible and provide appropriate shading to reduce harm to the seedlings and help the seedlings resume growth as early as possible.