| We purchased a potted tropical hybiscus. I has bloomed many times over and is quite beautiful. When is the best time to transplant it, or should we keep it in a pot and bring it in the house for the winter. And will it bloom again in the spring? Is this an annual or a perinnial (and what is the difference between the two) Thanks for any help! |
| Your tropical hibiscus will die if left outdoors this winter so plan to take it indoors before the weather gets too cold. Ideally, in mid fall you should check your plant all over for pests (hose them off if you find any) and then gradually begin acclimating it to the lower light levels it will have indoors. Move it gradually to a shadier location but do not leave it outside when temperatures drop below about fifty. Then move it indoors to the sunniest spot you have. Keep it out of drafts and keep the humidity around it high if possible. Expect some yellowing of leaves in protest of the move. Reduce watering and fertilizing as the plant's growth slows. In spring, reverse the process to reacclimate it to the outdoors. When it's outdoors again and growing well, prune it back to promote lots of new growth and lots of new flowers. The difference between annuals and perennials is that annuals grow, flower, set seeds and then die; perennials last for several years. There are herbaceous perennials and woody perennials. Herbaceous perennials die down to ground level after the first frost of the season; woody perennials can lose their leaves after the first frost, but their branches remain throughout the year. Hope this clarifies things for you. |
