I got this new lovely hibiscus which blooms quite well but the flowers fall off the next day and so does the calyx. It doesn't inflate and form seeds.
I tried hand pollinating the stigma pads with pollen dust collected on a cotton bud but didn't work so far. Is there a technique that I need to follow, am I doing something wrong? Whats the best time to do this, after the pollen has dried or while it is still in the pollen sacs?
The only thing I can think of with flower drop is the soil is way too dry and maybe the night temps are too cool.
To test for dry soil, stick your finger into the soil and if down about an inch under the surface it is dry, you need to soak the pot in a basin of water and allow the soil to soak up the water (the soil whould change colour when soaked) maybe have to add more water to the basin if the top of the pot has not shown a different colour of soil, when satisfied the soil is completely wet, remove the pot, set over a sink to drain, when all the drips have stopped place the pot back onto a saucer and put in good light BUT not direct hot blazing sun,
IF the plant is outside in a garden bed / Border, do the same soil test BUT instead of puting the plant in a basin, you need to break up the surface of the top soil, slowly pour as much water as you can into the root area, after you THINK there is enough water, use a trowel and scrape away some soil, look and see IF under the surface the soil is wet, but I feel sure it will be dry.
IF this is a shrub type, dig a hole beside the roots and place a plastic juice bottle into this hole, remove the bottom and the cap /top, sink the bottle into the hole beside the roots, back fill the soil, then when you water, fill the hole up a couple of times, this makes sure the water is going down to the roots where it is most needed, it is also a good way to give a liquid feed if required without disturbing the roots.
Hope this helps you out a bit.
Good luck and kindest Regards.
WeeNel.
Thanks Weenel,
I think the flower drop is something I may be unable to control (below reply), I'm wondering why the calyx does not seed despite pollination of the stigma.
Q. My flowers only last a day then drop off!
A. The hibiscus flower only lasts a day, although many new hybrids have been bred which now last longer, even up to three days. Do not think of this as a disadvantage; remember that many plants bloom but once a year for only about two to three weeks and although their flowers may last longer, they are often damaged by wind, rain and insects and one has to wait another year for a repeat performance. With hibiscus a new flower replaces the old one the next day; a guarantee of fresh flowers all the time over seven or more months a year,'
But I have still watered the plant heavily today to see if it helps with the seeding.
One more thing I find different is that the flowers always look downwards rather than standing up straight. Will keep my fingers crossed for improvement. Thanks!
It would be of MORE help Vanits IF you could give the name / Variety of the Hibiscus as you are correct when you say there are several different / new types of these small shrubs / plants on the market and yes there are some that flower differently from the older ones, BUT IF you want the type that will flower over longer blooming periods per flower, then you would have to be growing one that has that genetic growing system, IF you want ones that each flower or bloom lasts longer NATURALLY, then you need to search for a type that has that in it's genes so Im a little confuse by all the info your looking for IF your NOT growing the type of hibiscus that has been bread to perform to the lest of needs you ask for.
Hope this helps a little, maybe go to the forum on Daves that is for growers of Hibiscus plants as they may have the knowledge that I lack, and will be able to help you better.
Good luck.
WeeNel.
Hi Weenel,
Firstly sorry for the double posts, I meant to post it once but somehow due to an internet error, my query wasn't showing and then it appeared twice. It's also posted in the beginners flower forum where Diana has identified the type (I am myself confused about the species due to the different stem color).
I understand what you mean about the variety but unfortunately, the place I bought this plant from did not have much info on the same and they don't sell too many varieties there (this is all I see in all shops - rosa-sinensis or China Rose as they call it). It's got red flowers which can be self pollinated and I have been transferring the pollen dust on to the stigma pads regularly but the calyx falls off before inflating for fruit formation (that is my main query).
I'm still learning about this new species in my collection so every bit of information is useful and hence you see too many questions.
Thanks for your help anyways.
Hi vanita, please never worry about the amount of questions you are asking, after all, this is a gardening site with Forums on all sorts or gardening questions, ideas, plant ID, veg and goodness knows what other forums.
I never intended to give the impression you were asking too many questions, I was really trying to ask you for further info re the Hibiscus you are trying to pollinate. why the flowers were dropping off etc.
Sometimes on the site some of us only know a little about the type of plants in question and I'm on that list as I grow my Hibiscus in my greenhouse for heat and protection after trying 2-3 years of trying outside growing.
I think you should find the Forum for growers of Hibiscus, if you go to the opening page, look under Forums, then alphabetical H for Hibiscus and there will be others who grow these type of plants and will maybe able to help you out better than I can. they probably grow these self same plants that you have and maybe more ably to identify the problems your experiencing and speed up the proper remedy for any problem solving.
Like I said there are simple things to try like giving water and altering the light to more or give less, altering soil IF that's a problem but growers of a specific type of plant by far have more knowledge. Hope you can find the real problem and I will keep an eye on the thread to learn the outcome and what the real problem was.
Kindest regards.
WeeNel.
Thanks a lot, I found the hibiscus forum and am going through the posts, there are many hibiscus related problems there some of which may describe problems similar to what I'm facing.
This is the first time I'm growing hibiscus and its not that I misunderstood your words (excuse me if I seem a little nervous sometimes) I'm a bit worried because I'm a loss on whats happening with my plant, in-spite of reading so much about it on various websites and forums. I discover new problems every week.
I'll surely keep you posted on what I learn. This is what I learned so far.
I've got three plants in a pot and I have explained other problems here on this post. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1378455/
The plant I talked about here seems to be the healthy one, blooming constantly that does not seem to have any other problem besides the pollination (calyx falls off without inflating and forming seeds).
I suspect it is either younger and stronger or disease resistant to some extent.
Now the other plants in the same pot seem to be affected by various problems explained in above post.
I seem to see many symptoms but the attackers are just non-existent. I have examined fallen buds but see no thrips, I see leaf cuts and holes like this (picture attached) but no earwigs or slugs or catepillars or hibiscus beetles (just ants and some flying insects like shore flies or some gnats probably), so I'm really at a loss on what all could be happening. Any ideas what could be eating it?
I've discouraged the ants to a certain extent by squishing the ones I see putting chemical poisons and small baits around the pots, no chemicals go into the pot as I love hibiscus tea (and we don't get it here) plus I also like to use the healthy leaves for my hair treatment (its quite amazing what a hibiscus paste hair mask can do for your hair) http://www.hiddenvalleyhibiscus.com/care/ants.htm
And I don't see aphids but I've got a tomato leaf spray ready for spraying as a precautionary measure.
I have drenched my pot a few times so if excess nitrogen is the problem, it could drain out.
I've used neem oil spray (quite slow but I don't see many of the flies around now so it must be working). I've used chilli garlic spray this week and if this does not work, I am planning to drench the soil with detergent before next week (I just wonder if the plant will be safe to use for tea after this).
Here is an interesting site (I found on one of the hibiscus forums) that lists out all the problems:
http://www.hiddenvalleyhibiscus.com/care/pests.htm
I do believe the plants 3X1 pot are not able to grow, root wise and other ways too, Unless you have a very large pot, they will be competing with each other for soil, water, nutrients etc not to mention space.
There plants grow to 5-6 feet wide and tall so 3 of those plants in a pot are Not the way I would want to go.
Be better IF you were able to get a good soil mix that suits the plants, good nutrient enriched garden soil is fine IF you add some humus to help the soil retain moisture as these plants need quite a bit of water BUT NOT left sitting in water.
Pot the plants up individually into this and use maybe a 10-12 inch pot per plant to allow root development, keep well waterd and try avoid blazing sunshine as it can burn the foliage as well as the flowers drop IF allowed to be too dry.
I agree with your thought on constantly finding no cure for the problems you already have BUT, each time you search other places and even more reading, you are finding even more and different problems, Please dont take any offence BUT, this is a plant your talking about NOT a sick child, I would ask you to calm down a bit, try LEAVE the plants alone with regards spraying more and different kinds of stuff onto them, you are in my opinion, overdosing without allowing time in between for the plants to show any sign of recovery, plants unlike us humans take a lot longer for most cures to work, they are NOT instant results because we can take a pill for a headache and within half an hour we feel a little better, plants and there structure require longer as they take most things up either through the foliage or up the roots, water is the easiest substance to give results IF that is what is required to be a pick me up for the plant.
The more info you are trying to get, the more confused it all becomes, I hate to say it Vanita BUT, if you read a medical journal over and over, you can end up thinking you have half a dozen strange symptoms that your imagination is telling you it fits in with all your little aches and pains whereas, what you really have is nothing too serious at all.
My advice for now is to re-pot the plants into good enriches moisture retentive soil that is free draining, make sure the pot is large enough to allow roots to grow, after 3 years, repot each spring before the really hot weather hits them, make sure you give plenty water when required, stick your finger into the pot/soil and check the soil dryness. IF you spray with any substances, make sure you allow at least a full week before you give a different type of product to spray as you have to wait / allow a couple of weeks for signs of recovery. Do remember in hot weather to mist the plants with cool water even the underside of the leaves, once a day or twice in very hot days.
I.m not sure the type of Hibiscus that gives you tea as in a cup of tea, so please check that out I
Know there is a type of tea made from the flowers of the Hibiscus, but not sure IF all types of these plants give the flowers you need.
Hope this helps you out, just try relax a boit more and I'm sure if you can relax, you will give less thought to what's happening to your plants BUT please try find 3 large pots to place them in as individual plants and room to grow. also IF your growing them in the same pot, IF one gets sick, they all will.
Take good care and hope to hear how you are getting on with your lovely Hibiscus.
Best of luck and kind Regards.
WeeNel.
Lol! I think I needed someone to tell me to relax and leave it alone. I seem like I'm in a bit of hurry only because I don't want new pests bothering my other plants.
I think I'll wait a couple of weeks now before trying anything different.
And regarding the re-potting, I have been wondering how three bushy plants live in an 8 & half inch pot and why only one blooms.
Re-potting it was the first thing I wanted to do but the guy who sold it to me asked me to re-pot after six months. And I also read that hibiscus bloom better when a bit root bound, so I think I'll just wait a bit more. I don't know if it will be possible to separate the plants though, what if the roots are all entangled.
Regarding the flower, I have checked the red china rose is the one that gives tea. I don't know about the others.
Vanita, the roots may well be all tangled, that could be part of the problem as well as lack of water.
it's fairly easy to untangle roots by removing all the plants and soil from the pot and place thei over news paper etc, gently tease the plants apart (try NOT to PULL too hard,) use your fingers, A long knitting needle or screw driver to comb the soil free from roots, It's a slow job, but it works,
After you have seperated the plants, stick them into a bucket of water till you can place the new fresh Humus rich soil into the new pot, half fill the larger pots and place the plant into this soil (make sure it's NOT planted deeper than it was in the old soil),
do the same with all the plnts, after tapping the sides of the pots to help get any air pockets out, then water well, make sure the new soil is wet and allow the excess water to drain away.
There after all that, it may be a few small roots will be broken BUT the plant will survive IF treated with good care, (NOT everyday spraying with stuff) BUT keep an eye on the foliage for any signs of bugs or diseases then and only then act to remove the bugs, .
You do need to relax a bit Vanita, and I know it's a worry when your new to gardening, I was the same when I started out, I thought everything would die and every day I thought I discovered a new problem, BUT I was killing more plants with kindness than anything eating them.
Please take head from someone who knows how plants are killed from kindness OR neglect, so relax, be watchful and try enjoy, Nature really wont thank you for trying to OVER hurry growth and seasons.
Kindest Regards.
WeeNel.
