not sure i would prune that one... but it does look like the leaves are coming in - might just need time. some of mine take all summer to re-fill in. Once winter temps of under 40 set in, they stop all growing and hibernate. they can lose all their leaves. it does take quite awhile to get them back to their prior fullness - those new roots are important - that will support the leave growth once its ready.

Mine has to deal with overwintering in my apt. It gets whatever meager sun a Michigan winter provides as it sits in an unobstructed SE exposure window. Winter temps in my apt are upper 60s into mid 70sF and my RH is a horrid 15%. Not at all uncommon for mine to do what yours has done. Once temps warmup enough in the spring, it gets tossed outside on my balcony. I'm a rather abusive his parent I'm afraid -- I don't even try to harden it off during that transition (partly as there is no practical way for me to do so). It does take several weeks or so before it really leafs out fully. Think I've had this plant at least 5-6 yrs now.

HI Al...

Your advice sounds prudent. I pulled the plants out of their pots and they do seem quite root bound despite the fact they have only been in these pots since last summer. The pots are 8" terra cotta. I was thinking of doing a root pruning and pruning back the tops... So it's nice to know I was thinking along the correct lines. I would be interested in reading the web site you refer to. I'd appreciate if you could forward the link you referred to. Thanks again!

This live link will take you to something I wrote about maintaining woody material in containers for the long term.

I hope you find value in it. I always start on plants like hibiscus, datura, brugmansia ..... by sawing off the bottom 1/3-1/2 of the root mass & bare-rooting. Then I correct 'problem' roots (crossing, encircling, girdling, j-hooked roots, and roots growing straight up, down, or back toward the center of the root mass. It's important to keep the roots wet constantly while you work on them. Useful tools for repotting:

Ask, if you have questions after reading the link. Most people have great difficulty keeping a woody plant alive, much less healthy, for more than a few years. Bonsai are kept alive and in good health for generation after generation. The difference is primarily in how the roots are managed.

Al

Hey Al...

just wanted to send a quick "thanks" your way for all the info you provided about my sad looking hibiscus. I took your advice... Repotted, root pruned and pruned back the top and used a fast draining potting mix. I was a bit doubtful at first... They just sort of sat there and did nothing. In the past couple of weeks I have had all kinds of new growth popping out. Looks like they are coming back with a lot of vigor. I'm doubting I will get any flowers this season... But by fall my plants should be nice and full again. Think I'll keep them in a warmer place this coming winter!!

Thanks, Scott. That's probably cut back a little harder than I meant, but no harm done ....... and I don't see why you couldn't have blooms within a couple of weeks.

Keep in mind that your fertilizer RATIO is important for best results. Hibiscus is rather unique among plants in that it wants very little P (so NEVER use a "bloom booster" fertilizer) and more K than N. P should always be the lowest number by a considerable margin, and K the highest number. Even the 1:1:1 ratio fertilizers like the common 20-20-20 supply too much P and not enough K. RATIOs like 3:1:4 or 3:1:5 are very appropriate. A RATIO is different than NPK%s, but NPK %s are what determines the ratio. IOW, 20-20-20 and 7-7-7 are both 1:1:1 RATIOs, while 24-8-16, 12-4-8, and 9-3-6 are all 3:1:2 ratios.

I have always had VERY good results using Foliage-Pro 9-3-6 for all my plants, but since hibiscus likes a 3:1:4 or 5 ratio, I supplement it with Pro-TeKt, which supplies extra K and silicon. Silicon is an element plants use effectively to strengthen cells. It helps prevent diseases, limits predation by sap-sucking insects, and helps plants better tolerate temp extremes and moisture level extremes in the soil. If you decide to use the FP 9-3-6 and don't want to buy the Pro-TeKt, you can always by a bag of potash and add a little to your fertilizer solution every time you water.

A nutritional supplementation program the plant actually LIKES goes a long way toward allowing you to consistently keep your plants healthy & attractive.

Did you make the soil or buy it? If you made it, did you add dolomitic (garden) lime to it (important question)?

Take care.

Al

I have been using the hibiscus fertilizer from HVH.... 18-5-23. I purchased the potting mix from a local garden center that specializes in custom mixes. Not sure if it has dolomitic lime or not. If not, would it be beneficial to add some?

18-5-23 is roughly a 3:1:4 ratio, and consistent with what I'd recommended for hibiscus, so you're fine there. There's no way for me to determine with certainty that your medium included dolomitic lime, but all commercially prepared media worth their salt are pH-adjusted. Based on that, for my own purposes, I'd assume it included lime. Looks like you have things in order. As long as you can water properly (beyond the point of total soil saturation, where at least 15-20% of the total volume of water applied exits the drain hole) w/o having to worry about your soil remaining soggy so long it impedes root function and/or affects root health.

Remember to repot hibiscus annually (includes bare-rooting, root pruning, and a complete change of soil) due to their very vigorous root system, because w/o a healthy/happy root system, a healthy plant isn't possible. This is an important part of their care.

Al

Scott looking good ! with that new branch coming in - you may have blooms forming in a month or so...but yes - by next summer you will see the full effect of the regrowth...all my hibiscus are in miracle gro with added perlite - i don't fertilize for the first 2 months of a fresh repotting ( i found the plants didn't react too well for me) - then i use the HVH fertilizer along with some iron chelate every so often.

If you're using the HVH fertilizer and having Fe deficiency symptoms it's a pH issue, not a case of an inadequate amount of iron in the soil. Also, if iron is not being taken up in adequate amounts it's a sure bet the plant is having difficulty taking up other of the minor elements as well, because their solubility is also largely a function of pH. Adding enough white vinegar or citric acid (store that sells beer/wine-making supplies) to bring the pH of water (that's been allowed to sit in an open container for a day so CO2 gasses off, down to 5.2-5.5 will resolve the Fe deficiency w/o the excess Fe, which carries with it the potential to cause an antagonistic deficiency of (primarily) Mn, but several other minor elements as well.

Most hobby growers equate a vibrantly green plant with good health, but an excess of either Fe or Mg has the potential to make the plant green at the same time the imbalances caused by adding them in quantities beyond what the plant needs limit the plant from realizing as much of its genetic potential as possible. Simply put, an excess has the same limiting potential as a deficiency.

Al

its entirely possible - i don't test the ph of my soil - have to get a kit one of these days.

;-) It's much more than entirely possible. If you call HVH and tell them they're not putting enough Fe in their fertilizer and you have to add an Fe chelate, they'll tell you to check and lower the pH of your irrigation water. Soil science 101.

It will serve little purpose to buy a pH test kit if you don't have the chemicals that allow you to adjust pH. Trying to chase the perfect pH levels will drive a hobby grower crazzy because so many things affect pH ....... and it varies significantly even during the course of a day.

Al

which is part of why i don't bother yet - i just change up the growing conditions a bit until plant is happier...its not perfect but works most of the time - any full size hibiscus i have lost so far are due to bad over wintering or neglect on my part.