How Often to Water Hibiscus Indoors Properly

Are you a beginner who just started growing hibiscus and want to know about how to care it? This post will focus on watering the plant indoors with some information about the other things that you need to take note to take care of it.

In its productive time, hibiscus indoor should be watered as soon as the soil is dry. Hat can be as often as every 4 days or as infrequently as every 2 weeks. Everything depends on a few aspects, including the growing conditions, the size of the pot and the size of the plant. Do not wait for the leaves to wilt to water the plant. While it is true that the plant will recover, it will lose more leaves and more flower buds whenever it wilts. If the hibiscus is often wilting, the best thing that you can do is to get a new larger pot and move it there as the chance of seriously root bound is high.

When the hibiscus is on semi dormancy, it is better to keep it much drier. However, it still needs to be watered a bit just to not make it dry entirely.

Aside from watering, there are a few other things that you need to keep in mind to grow the Hibiscus indoors. Just like any other plants, the care for indoors is different than the one for outdoors. Before reading the information below, prepare your note so that you can check it out in case you forget something. If you have something to ask, the best thing that you can do is to reach out the professionals, including the gardeners.

• Light

Hibiscus is the type of plant that requires a lot of sunlight to show its full potential. In the winter, it is needed for you to put it in the place that has the best sunlight. The best one is usually near a south facing window. In the spring, when the sun starts to get more intense, it might be better to move it back from the window. It is especially needed at the hottest hours of the day.

If it is impossible to get the best sunlight, the alternative is to give the artificial lighting. One of the examples is a 4 tube fluorescent light. For your information, the plant needs about 16 hours of light each day, so please try your best to provide the good amount of light. Providing a light to hibiscus is not easy since it is quite large and it is even harder when using the artificial lighting. Some parts of the plant might get good amount of light while some other ones might get less. The one that receives the artificial light usually is green and floriferous at the top. As for the lower leaves, it is another way around.

You will have to start taking hibiscus outdoor in the late spring or in the early summer. Basically, the right time is when the night temperatures remain above 50˚C (10˚C). It can be done by placing it under the shade for a couple of days and then move to the partial shade for the next few days before placing it under the full sunlight.

• Temperature

Hibiscus will grow well in the indoor temperatures. While it is true it is able to tolerate the temperatures as low as 30 or even 28˚F (-1 or -2˚C) for very short time, please avoid it. If you want your plant to last long, you will have to put it in the temperatures above 50˚C (10˚C). Sometimes, it is better to place it in the place with cool temperature of about 60˚F/15˚C as it is effective to reduce watering needs. Besides, it is also good to make the pests away from the plant. Take note to not let the plant outdoors in the summer at least until the temperatures is above 50˚C (10˚C) in the night. If the temperatures are too hot (above 90˚F/32˚C), you should rescue it to the shadier and cooler location to prevent it from dropping its flower.

• Humidity

You should keep the hibiscus away from the dry air. Exposing it to the dry air can cause the bud to drop. Not only that, it is also one of the things that makes the leaves turn yellow. Another possibility is that the plant to get attacked by the insects. Unfortunately, air in most homes is really dry in the summer. In this case, you are recommended to use a humidifier or humidity tray to provides the needs of the plant during the winter.

• Fertilizing

Hibiscus needs to be fertilized regularly. However, it is a bit different for the one under the artificial light as the best thing for it is to slow down the process during the winter. In between October and the end of February, please do not give it fertilizer. When the plant is in the growing season, feel free to give any fertilizer that you want. Remember to reduce the rate to a quarter of the dosage that has been recommended.

• Repotting

If you want to see your Hibiscus to bloom well, you can try to make it underpotted. If the plant is less than a year old, it is better for you to delay the repotting to a larger one as the process is needed every 2 to 3 years and the best time to move it to the larger pot is late winter (in the late February or March).

• Pruning

Pruning both has some pros and cons. If you live in a perfect condition for the hibiscus to grow, you can cut back the longest branch or two to about 2/3 of its length. You can do it regularly every 3 months. By doing this, you will get bloom throughout the year on a plant whose height is being kept under control. If you want it to bloom all summer, you can pure it again in the late winter.