Learn / Ask The Landscape Professional
I was given a Hibiscus as a gift this year and I planted it outside. Now that cooler weather is approaching, what do I need to do? Mary
Answer
There are a number of different plants that
people enjoy during our summers that are
not perennial in our climate because they
cannot withstand our seasonal changes
in temperature, humidity and daylight
length. All of these need special attention
for the fall and winter. Small shrubs and
vines (Mandevilla, Hibiscus) need different
care than those that grow from bulbs and
rhizomes (Dahlias, Elephant ears, Cannas).
Shrubs and vines can be kept actively
growing indoors or allowed to go dormant.
Make sure you bring them in well before the
first frost (in our area, the first frost
date is October 15). To keep the plant in
active growth, keep it in a sunny place where
it stays between 60-70 degrees during the day
and 50 degrees at night. Don't overwater, but
also be sensitive to winter's lower humidity
levels, especially if you heat with a wood
stove. If you can, try to keep the humidity
in the room at 30%-40%. If you want your plant
to go dormant, keep it in its existing pot and
in a cool place (40-50 degrees) with little to
no sunlight. Keep the soil nearly dry. In
dormancy the plant is using a lot less water
and having the soil too moist can lead to disease
and rot. If you didn't prune your plant before
bringing it inside, the leaves will steadily
turn color and fall off. This doesn't mean the
plant is dying. In dormancy, the roots remain
alive in a "sleep mode" but the plant needs to
reduce its above-ground mass over the winter. In
early spring, re-pot the plant into fresh soil,
prune it if needed and fertilize it with a weak
dose of liquid fertilizer. Expose the plant to
sunlight gradually. Give your plant at least 1
month of indoor growing time before putting it
outside and then protect it from bright sunlight
and wind for at least 1 week.
In the case of bulbs
and rhizomes, they need to be dug up, cleaned and
stored in a dry, cool place. Never let them get
below freezing. It's a good idea to store them in a
container with lightly placed peat moss or wood
shavings with air circulation and check them
frequently for mold. Label your bulb containers
so you remember what they are in the spring!
Take these few simple steps and you will have
wonderful blooms in 2016!
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About Linda Lillie
Linda K. Lillie is the President of Sprigs & Twigs, Inc, the premier
landscape design and maintenance, tree care, lawn care, stonework, and carpentry
service provider in southeastern Connecticut since 1997. She is a graduate of
Connecticut College in Botany, a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national
award winning landscape designer for her landscape design and landscape installation work.
