Hardy Hibiscus question

I have two hardy hibiscus plants in my garden and was wondering if I should cut them down to the ground or let the leaves drop off and leave the branches as they are?

I just hacked my red one in half yesterday. Was up to 6ft but thin and lanky at the top. Lush, though. It's hiding behind a ficus nitida and I want more of the blooms at the bottom, not the top where I can't see them. Don't know if it's the property time in your climate to do that, though.

Yeah just cut it...That seems to work really well for me. A little mulch wouldn't hurt either. They are aptly named 'hardy". I was amazed how much it loves to bloom..

Debnes

Depends on if you will remember where they are next spring. I keep mine there so I dont try to plant something in the same spot. The "sticks" help me to remember. That is what is typically recommended for those in the lower zones.

Here in Minnesota I cut my hardy hibs to about 2 feet. If I left them any taller, I fear our snow and wind might snap them off. At 2 or 3 feet they stand up to just about anything.

The stalks help hold the mulch around the base of the plant and let me know where they are until they sprout in the spring. Hardy hibs emerge quite late here, so without the stalks to remind me, I might be tramping all over them as I pull mulch away from plants in the spring.

Jeannine

I agree with Jeannine. If you get a bunch of snow, cut to about 2 to 3 feet. We typically don't get a lot of snow, so I can keep mine at the 5 feet.

When I cut mine back I usually leave about 2 inches left so I know where to watch for new growth next spring. Then when new growth appears the old stump usually rots away. I have never mulched.