Hibiscus: Texas Star Hib winter Question, 1 by JLD_II

JLD_II wrote:
Here is a collage of some of the Hardy Hibiscus.
Our oldest Hibiscus have been in the ground for 8 years and grows 6-8 foot tall and every bit as wide. We build cages from 4 foot tall fence around the bigger ones about 2-3 foot in diameter. This helps them grow taller and keeps them off the ground. We've also learned to prune them back 2-3 times by early to mid June otherwise they will grow too lanky and stretchy. When I say prune, it's just wacking them way back. When they get 1 foot tall, my wife snaps every stem in half. We will repeat that process a minimum of twice to three times. The end result is usually atleast 25 individual stems growing from the ground and just multiply over and over all summer. These are all the giant varieties with flowers as big or bigger than dinner plates. They are amazing "bushes", the only problems I ever have is an annual white fly infestation come August. That is usually under control with 1 application of a systemic or Safer's insecticidal soap.
We make sure to cover them with grass clippings and leaves that I run through my leaf blower/vac/mulcher/pulverizer. It's a weed eater brand blower/vac that can turn 10 bags of whole leaves into a single bag of super fine mulch like stuff. We build a mound on top of most all of our perinnials with this stuff and this alone can make a full months difference in spring. The plants will grow out of these mounds atleast 1 month ahead of other plants with nothing on them.
Well that's enough babbling on, I better shut up as I've created yet another "marathon" post.
I'll take a little more time to find more pictures for a more complete collage of our collection, I know I left a hand full of them out.
Thanks, JD