To increase the number of hibiscus flowers, make sure the hibiscus is in full sun in the spring and water liberally while the flower buds are developing. Hibiscus displays its blooms on new growth, so always prune hibiscus in early spring, which encourages new growth and results in more blooms on hibiscus.
Read on for the 6 most important methods to increase the number of hibiscus flowers and ensure that the flowers last as long as possible…
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1. Use the right fertilizer to get more flowers (avoid “bloom boosters”)
Hibiscuses are quite unusual plants because they are particularly sensitive to high phosphorus levels in the soilwhich can not only prevent the hibiscus from blooming, but also negatively affect the overall health of the hibiscus.
It is not common for garden soils to naturally contain so much phosphorus that a hibiscus is significantly affected.
However, high phosphorus levels can occur due to the use of “bloomboster” fertilizers, which ironically backfires in the case of flowering hibiscus, as excess phosphorus makes it difficult to grow. absorption of other nutrients by hibiscus.
Keep in mind that tomato foods also contain a higher proportion of phosphorus than regular fertilizers to promote fruit development, so avoid using this type of fertilizer near your hibiscus plants.
Use a well-balanced fertilizer with equal parts NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) to increase hibiscus flower count and prolong flowering.
If the fertilizer is well balanced, the phosphorus content is not an issue in preventing flowering. (Hibiscus needs some phosphorus, but can’t tolerate high concentrations of the nutrient.)
A fertilizer like Wonder-gro Universal Fertilizer contains all the nutrients hibiscus needs in the right concentration to support flowering.
Personally, I prefer a granular fertilizer (rather than liquid fertilizers) because slowly releases nutrientsduring the peak flowering season to support longer blooms, while liquid fertilizers are water soluble and can wash off in heavy rains.
High levels of phosphorus in the soil can be a cause of yellowing hibiscus leaves and hibiscus dieback. If your hibiscus looks bad, read my article, How to revive a dying hibiscus for the solution
of them. Prune the hibiscus in early spring for more flowers.
Hibiscus flowers with new growth, so the key to encouraging flowering is to prune it lightly in early spring (March or April) as this will help encourage new growth whose flowers are ready to peak.
Like you cut too late in season (end of spring or summer) it is possible delay flowering for several weeks, which can cause peak bloom (which should be summer) to fall too close to fall or winter. The cooler fall weather can cause flower buds to drop before they open.
To increase flowering, hibiscus responds well to a light size, eliminating the growth of long legs and maintaining the desired shape. Prune each growth about an inch above a node to encourage new growth that can display more flowers.
Ideally, there should be several nodes on a branch, all of which can produce new growth and therefore more flowers.
You can prune hibiscus in late summer or fall, but this will not encourage new growth from which flowers appear to the same extent as light pruning in early spring.
3. Consistently moist soil promotes more hibiscus flowers.
Hibiscus blooms much easier and much longer when grown in consistently moist soil.
Some established hibiscus plants rarely need supplemental water due to their extensive roots, but for smaller hibiscus, newly planted hibiscus or potted hibiscus it is best practice to ensure soil is evenly moist, especially in spring.
Early spring is when hibiscus flower buds develop, and if the soil dries out at this time, the buds will sometimes drop or fail to open due to drought stress.
To prevent bud drop and increase flower display, water your hibiscus generously in early spring and apply a 1-inch layer of mulch around the base of your hibiscus, which will help keep the soil moist and l prevent it from blooming. Bake the soil dry and evaporate the moisture from the soil around the root system of the hibiscus.
A layer of compost and leaf mold fertilizer are good options for mulch which should not only conserve moisture but also provide additional nutrients to the hibiscus and encourage soil ecology.
Mulch also helps keep hibiscus roots cool during the height of summer, creating optimal conditions for displaying the most flowers.
Water the hibiscus generously, ideally before drought prolongs the life of the flowers.
Drought stress is one of the reasons hibiscus leaves turn yellow. read my article, Why are my hibiscus leaves turning yellow? learn the other reasons and save the hibiscus.
Four. Avoid nitrogen fertilizers to promote more flowers.
A flat hibiscus with lots of lush foliage but few flowers usually indicates high nitrogen in the soil because nitrogen promotes growth at the expense of flowers.
Excess nitrogen usually comes from: run away from lawn manure (which is particularly high in nitrogen) too often by using liquid fertilizer or by amending the garden with manure (chicken manure, in particular, is high in nitrogen).
Lawn fertilizers dissolve easily in the rain and can run off lawns to the edges of the garden and affect plants like hibiscus by reducing flowering.
Avoid using manure as a mulch around your hibiscus (compost and leaf form are best), be careful with the use of lawn fertilizer and preferably use a granular fertilizer to support your flowers rather than liquid fertilizers .
5. Hibiscus flower Plus in full sun
The most important factor in increasing the number of hibiscus flowers is making sure the hibiscus is in full sun.
Although hibiscus can thrive in partial shade or filtered light, both varieties of hibiscus are (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) and (Hibiscus spp.) blooms most profusely in full sun.
More sun can also help maintain the desired temperature range during the day. 65°F-75°F, which is the optimum daytime temperature for bud development.
Prune any trees or shrubs that provide shade for your hibiscus or transplant your hibiscus to a sunnier location in early spring or fall if needed.
Transplanting in the spring or fall gives the hibiscus a chance to establish itself and absorb water without having to deal with the intense summer heat.
However, I must point out that in particularly warm climates, hibiscus often thrives best with 6 hours of morning sun followed by afternoon shade.
This is because the hibiscus can take advantage of the morning sun, which is a much cooler time of day.
If the hibiscus is in the afternoon sun with scorching sun and scorching heat, it can damage the hibiscus by increasing evaporation from the soil and transpiration from the leaves, which can lead to stress due to the drought and failure of open flower buds.
Then, water your hibiscus regularly and put a layer of mulch around the base to retain moisture.
If your climate is very hot, consider growing the hibiscus in a pot so that you can shelter it from the sun if necessary if it shows signs of water stress (withered leaves and unopened buds).
6. Increase the number of flowers in a pot of hibiscus
Potted hibiscus can bloom just as well as any other hibiscus, but there are a few best practices to keep in mind for increasing flower counts.
Plant the hibiscus in as large a pot as possible.
Larger pots have a greater capacity for potting soil and therefore a greater ability to retain moisture and a high availability of more nutrients which create the optimal conditions for the hibiscus to thrive.
In smaller pots, hibiscus roots can get stuck and suffer from drought stress or drain available nutrients from the soil.
The great thing about growing hibiscus in containers is that you can. easily move the pot to a sunnier locationwhich is the main factor in increasing the number of hibiscus flowers.
For flowers to display properly, use a potted hibiscus fertilizer diligently in the spring and summer, as potted plants have less access to nutrients than a hibiscus planted in garden soil (a miracle granular fertilizer for everyone is a good option).
If your hibiscus is not blooming and you don’t know why, read my article, Why isn’t my hibiscus blooming? for the answer
Key learning points:
- The single most important factor in increasing flower count and extending flower life on a hibiscus is to plant the hibiscus in full sun. More sun gives the hibiscus more energy to promote flowering.
- To increase the number of hibiscus flowers, the soil must be constantly moist in the spring while the flower buds are developing. Water thoroughly and cover the soil to promote flower bud development and keep hibiscus blooms much longer.
- Hibiscus only blooms from new growth, so prune hibiscus in early spring to encourage greater growth and increase the number of hibiscus flowers. Pruning later in the season delays flowering and may reduce the number of flowers.