A few hibiscus from our garden this year

Creole Lady - She changes her color to a lighter shade as summer heats up. This was in early spring.

Creole Lady - in summer, after a few days of rain when the temperatures are a bit cooler.

Creole Lady - In the heat of summer. See how faded her colors are!

Orange Cappuccino - Love that dazzling orange. From Matt Martindale's nursery.

City Slicker - The first bloom of this plant. It was in the high nineties and the colors are little less dazzling than the ones I have seen when the temperatures are a little cooler. He is really a slick one.

Cajun Sunset - Sunset colors from the Duponts.

Stolen Kiss - Taken after it spent a day in the South Louisiana Summer, it fades.

Mrs. Jimmy Spangler, in Spring - Love that red and yellow combo.

Mrs. Jimmy Spangler blossoming during the hot humid South Louisiana Summer. It has lost its color and looks like an entirely different cultivar!

Seminole Pink - She is a very floriferous but does slow down a wee little bit during the hot summer months.

What a lovely display this must be. I keep fighting whitefiles on my "File Gumbo".

plantsforpeg, thank you for your kind words.

My suggestion is to get rid of them using some chemicals used in low dosage, and then you top dress your soil with an inch or so of worm castings. The chitin in the castings supposedly is absorbed by the plants and that in turn makes them deadly/inedible to the pests.

Good luck.

I am ready for chemicals since I have sprayed for 2 months with soaps and no luck. Had no idea about the Worm Castings. Are they ordered on line or found at the local nursery? I usually shop at LA Nursery in Baton Rouge.

I have 1 plumeria with the same problem. Have you ever tried the castings on Plumeria?

Next, we will talk about "mealy bugs" on other plants. Seems as though you are skilled in organic gardening which I lack.

I am not so sure about my expertise, it is all that I have read over the internet, so be careful. I try to read reliable sites and then use common sense. I buy my worm castings from Laughing Buddha Nursery on Clearview Parkway in Metairie. I think 5lbs for $5 or something like that. Online it becomes too expensive because of mailing costs.

I actually am trying rubbing alcohol (70% Isopropyl) with soap (not anti bacterial, don't want it to kill the good guys in the soil) in water. I use about 1:5 alcohol to water ratio with soap just added till I think it is right! A nursery owner from St. Francisville told me about this for most bugs/insects. You will have to spray once a week for at least 3 weeks to see any visible results. Of course do it early morning or late afternoon to prevent sun burn.

Please remember, these bugs may not go away 100% with these, but will be manageable! It is better than spraying chemicals. I consider chemicals to be the last resort.

I do not have any experience with spraying these or worm castings on plumerias, but the theory (if it works) should work for them. The theory about worm castings is something I read in a research paper published by Dr. Scott Subler ( I think that is the correct name, but I am not sure.)
Good luck.

Thanks for your ideas. I'll have to try that starting today.

They are beautiful MajiA. I appreciate you showing us how they change colors with
the temperatures too. Very interesting. So what month is La. do you end up getting the
prettiest blooms, typically anyway? I love your photos :)

Thank you Passionflowerz for your kind words. Our best colors come in late Fall (October, early November) and then early Spring (March &April).

Thanks again.

Woke up to this today. It's a NOID.

What has happened to my Cajun Hibiscus Gumbo File?
Two branches in the same pot. One is dying. I have been using a weak solution of drench in both pots of hibs which seems to help with the white flies. The are on the same stand and treated exactly the same.

plantsforpeg,

That is a nice bloom.

As for the one dying, it may be something serious. I think you should prune the dying branch immediately and make sure that there are no pests in or on the plant, or in the soil itself. Pour weak Hydrogen Peroxide solution in the pot to kill some of the pathogens. Some people use bleach, but I am scared to use it. Then start drenching it with seaweed solution every day and keep your fingers crossed.

Good luck.

Thanks. I can do the hydrogen peroxide today. Will have to look for seawood solution though since I've never tried it.

I have never repotted either of my Hibs since I bought them this spring. Should I repot them or wait until I know more about the dying stem.

This message was edited Aug 17, 2011 12:47 PM

Try repotting... maybe when you take it out of the pot, you can see the condition of the roots. Check this link, it looks like dieback disease, but I am no expert.

http://www.hiddenvalleyhibiscus.com/care/dieback.htm

Good luck.

I did water and spray with HP last night and found my 2 hibs a little perky this morning. The one stem was cut about 4-5", but looks like a gonner right now.

Thanks for your suggestions.

I think MajiA has hit upon something there Peg. I think she's right about repotting too. Use more perlite this time around. The hydrogen peroxide added
oxygen to the soil for the roots. If it perked up, your soil may be too heavy. I looked at the pic and it looks like you could use
more perlite in your mixture, JMO. Good luck with the plants.
MajiA, is the link your site? I love it, good information too. The reason I ask, is you have so many lovely hibs it made me think it could be yours ;)

This message was edited Aug 19, 2011 6:20 AM

This message was edited Aug 19, 2011 6:21 AM

This morning I have another stem that looks like it has die back. Will see what it look like this afternoon.

Both hibs are in their original pots from when I purchased them in May.

The Cajun Hibiscus is originally from Dupont's Wholesale Nursery in La. I bought "Gumbo File" at our Master Gardeners sale.

I think both of your are right. Try to repot this afternoon. I have vermiculite, perilite and peatmoss. Guess I mix some of each.

The link is not to my website, but to a vendor site with great info on hibs.

Thanks.

Tried the method of Forsythe to propagate bleeding heart. It definitely makes a difference. The leaves I left on the stems didn't wilt. They look very good.