winter care

I have a downstairs (semi-basement) room where i am keeping my brugs and hibiscus during the winter. We are experiencing our first cold spell which will last a few days. My question is the room seems to stay a little warm, about 68. I have 2 two bulb shoplights hanging from the ceiling. The hibiscus are mostly in front of an east facing window: I want the hibs and the brugs to go dormant. I have just turned off the shop light. Should I cover the window with black plastic to make the room dark? Will that be enough for dormancy? With what should i spray them to prevent insect infestation? Should I give all of them a last watering before cutting way down on the watering- some seem pretty dry? I surely would appreciate any advice on this.

I would think you need alot cooler weather than 68 for the brugs to go dormant. I'm no expert, but I have about l5 brugs in the garage and the temps will get down to close to freezing, but not freezing and they are already dormant, not showing any more growth, and I don't water them, but maybe once a month and not much. Just enough so they don't dry out. New to hibiscus so I'm not sure on them.

I hope someone comes along and helps you a little more, cause i'm not sure if just the darkness will cause them to go dormant .

kathy

do they have to grow dormant?

do the brugmansias have to go dormant? is that what your asking? Is a good thing for them to have some down time yes. even if it's for only a month or so. makes for better blooms next season too when they have some dormancy time.

kathy

Keep in mind I know nothing since nothing here really goes truly dormant because it does not get cold enough. But I would think they will just go dead if you do not give them much water and keep them at 68 degrees. 68 is not enough to slow their metabolism way down I wouldn't think. At 68 they will need water and light to keep them alive.

You might want to add shoplights if you can't make it colder and just keep them alive but not growing. That is what mine do here outside. They are alive with all leaves are on, but no growth.

PS that is all about brugs, I know nothing about getting hibiscus to go dormant. My hibiscus hate winter here, too cold and too wet for them. I struggle to keep them from getting a bad fungus.

Kell, what temps do your winter go down to? You have such a pretty yard, it's hard to imagine it without flowers.

Crystal

Hi Crystal. So nice of you to say that. I usually have something in flower. The temps stay about 50 to low 60s in the day but can be high 30s and in the 40s at night. Very rarely we get down to 32 for short periods.

We are still having sun and warm days here. But the rainy season is starting. We will have storms too which we never do until November to March.