Marsh hibiscus: planting and care in the open ground and at home, growing from seeds, propagation by cuttings, photo

Swamp hibiscus - is very popular among amateur gardeners and those involved in the cultivation of such plants.

If you want to grow marsh hibiscus at home, it is recommended that you first familiarize yourself with the plant's requirements for soil, lighting, moisture and many other nuances. The article will also provide detailed instructions for growing hibiscus in open ground.

How to grow and maintain a culture?

In order to ensure good development of hibiscus and subsequently enjoy its flowering both at home and in the open ground, the shrub needs to provide all the necessary conditions for this.

Temperature

The optimal temperature regime for hibiscus is 18-24 degrees (for spring and summer seasons). In the autumn, the temperature is gradually reduced. In winter, the temperature should be an average of 15 degrees.

Watering

When watering hibiscus are guided by the condition of the soil, it must always be moist, regardless of whether the flower grows in the open ground or at home in a pot. With the onset of autumn, the volume of water for irrigation begins to gradually reduce. In winter, they are watered moderately, that is, after the top layer of the soil has dried.

Shine

The plant needs good lighting. At home, hibiscus is lightened up, providing daylight hours of 10-12 hours, using incandescent lamps. In the summer season, you need to ensure that the plant does not overheat, and the temperature is not more than 30 degrees.

Hibiscus grows well in diffuse lighting or in light shade. As for seedlings, it is required to grow it in a sunny place and not allow it to be in the shade.

Pruning

Hibiscus pruning should be done annually. For the first time, the plant is pruned after reaching a height of 60-70 cm. The process occurs as follows:

Having prepared the desired tool (secateurs), inspect the plant.
First of all, they start trimming weak, broken shoots or those with signs of disease.
Next, thin out the crown, if necessary. It is necessary to remove such a number of shoots in which each tier of the plant will be well lit so that the upper shoots do not cast a shadow on the lower.
Cut the remaining branches to a length of 30 -40 cm.

The pruning exercise should be carried out until the swelling of the kidneys and the beginning of sap flow.

Priming

It is preferable to use a ready-made soil intended for ornamental shrubs for growing hibiscus. The advantage of such a soil is its good water permeability and high nutrient content.

However, there is a drawback. You can purchase a poor-quality substrate, which does not allow water to pass through well and when watering a plant, not all of the soil will be moist. Check the quality of the purchased finished substrate can only be experienced.

If you want to prepare the soil for hibiscus on your own, then you need turf soil leaves, pine, humus, sand and peat. All parts are mixed in equal proportions. Additionally, a small amount of charcoal can be added.

Soil acidity should be between 5.5-7.8. The ideal acidity is 6. If the soil PH is above or below the specified limits, then it will be difficult for the plant to absorb nutrients from the substrate. Growing hibiscus in a pot, it is required to provide a drainage layer 4-5 cm thick.

Top dressing

Fertilizer application is carried out for the first time after 2 weeks after the purchase of the plant. In the spring-summer period, mineral fertilizers with a high nitrogen content are used. In autumn, potassium and phosphorus should prevail in fertilizer mineral complexes. You can use any mineral fertilizers for ornamental shrubs.

It is recommended to alternate top dressing: mineral and organic. Frequency of top dressing - once every 10-15 days. In winter, you need to fertilize the plant every 1.5 months.

Transfer

A transplant of young plants should be carried out once a year, in the spring. Adult plants are transplanted as needed when the capacity in which the hibiscus grows becomes too small for it.

A hibiscus transplant at home is as follows:

a larger pot is selected than the previous one 3-5 cm in diameter;
at the bottom of the pot, fill the drainage layer;
they take the plant out of the previous capacity without damaging the root system and without destroying the lump of earth;
transfer the bush to a new pot and fill in the missing soil;
After this, the plant must be abundantly watered.

If hibiscus has grown very impressive in size and it has become difficult to transplant it, then you can periodically remove the top layer of soil and replace it with a new one.

Pot for planting

As for the size of the pot for planting hibiscus, you need to focus on the volume of the root system of the plant. It is worth choosing a pot, taking into account the fact that the root system will grow. It is necessary for the plant to ensure free "stay" in the container in which it is planted.

The pea material can be any, but it is worth considering such a feature of hibiscus as a large water absorption. Given that the earth in the pot should be constantly moist, it is best to purchase pots made of plastic. Such a material prevents the rapid evaporation of moisture from the soil, which cannot be said about ceramic or clay. But, if you control the watering regime of plants, it doesn’t matter what material the pot will be made of.

Wintering

Before the onset of winter, they reduce watering and cease to fertilize. Watering the plant in winter is necessary as the topsoil dries. The plant does not require special care measures at this time of the year.

Culture photo

The following is a photo of the marsh hibiscus:

Care after purchase

It is recommended to leave hibiscus for 1-2 weeks to adapt to new conditions and not disturb it. After that, you can start transplanting into a new pot and take out fertilizer. The only thing hibiscus needs right after purchase is regular watering.

Features of outdoor care

To ensure proper care of the plant, it is recommended to adhere to the following rules:

In the spring-autumn period, feeding of the bush is required. Use mineral fertilizers containing more nitrogen.
At the end of the growing season, you need to mulch the soil. To do this, you can use sawdust, straw, compost or grass, sprinkling them under the plants. This technique allows you to protect hibiscus in the winter and reduce the number of weeds on the site.
Fertilizer should be applied under the bush strictly in a certain amount, in accordance with the instructions that are attached to each fertilizer. If you spend abundant dressing, then flowering can not wait.
Treatment of the insecticide is required in case of signs of damage by aphids or ticks.
In addition to insecticide treatment, when injuries by insects are detected, plants are not only treated with special preparations, but also transplanted to another place.
Watering is carried out regularly, constant soil moisture is maintained on the site.
The first top dressing is carried out 2 weeks after planting plants in the ground.
Before the onset of the winter period, in the month of December they prepare. The first thing to do is to mulch using fir spruce branches, leaf compost or a special non-woven covering material (lutrasil).
When the snow falls, by the way shrubs you can pour more snow. This technique is able to save the soil from freezing and, accordingly, the hibiscus root system from damage and death.

Breeding

Hibiscus propagation is carried out in several ways. You can grow a plant from seeds, cuttings, so use the method of dividing the bush if the flower grows in open ground.

Seeds

If you want to grow hibiscus seeds from your bush, then you need to collect them at the end of spring. Seed pods should be dry and hard. The material for sowing is freed from the pod and the largest seeds are selected and they begin preparations for sowing.

If the seed material for planting hibiscus is purchased in a store or on the market, then it is worth giving preference to trusted companies. For convenience, you can first read reviews about the supplier of seeds. When buying, you need to know in detail the characteristics of the variety and choose the most suitable.

The whole process of growing hibiscus seedlings from seeds at home is the following algorithm of actions:

Each seed was initially rubbed lightly with sandpaper or a nail file on one side.
On the other hand, the seed must be punctured with a needle or cut with a knife.
The seed material is placed in warm water with aloe juice (1 tsp) and incubated for two to three hours, after which it is dried on a paper towel.
Prepare containers for growing seedlings. Soil can be used purchased for seedlings of ornamental plants.
Dried seeds are placed in containers to a depth of 0.5 cm and slightly sprinkled with earth.
Pots are covered with plastic wrap and left in a well-lit place.
After 10-14 days, hibiscus seedlings will appear.

Soil in the process of seedling growth should be wet all the time. After 2 months, young plants begin to harden, leave them daily in fresh air, starting with a 15-minute period. After 3 months, plants can be planted in open ground.

We offer you to watch a video on how to propagate marsh hibiscus by seeds:

Cuttings

To propagate by cuttings, you will need to do the following:

Using a sharp knife, select the juiciest, young shoots and cut them.
Treat with drugs that stimulate root formation. To do this, you can use Kornevin or Zircon.
Cuttings are placed in small containers filled with sand and peat.
Tanks are covered with plastic wrap.
After 1.5-2 months, the film is removed.
For the good development of hibiscus and its rooting, it is required to observe the temperature regime in the range of 23-28 degrees.
In the month of June, young plants can be planted in open ground.

Video about the propagation of bog hibiscus by cuttings:

It’s easy to look after marsh hibiscus. Adhering to the above recommendations, there will be no problems with the plant. Flowering shrubs will delight their master for several months in a row.