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What
better way to truly dramatise a tropical garden than with
big, bold and magnificently coloured hibiscus flowers? Hibiscus
hails from Africa, Australia, China and the Pacific and has
become the horticultural highlight of warm-climate gardens
all over the world.
Their flowers can either be single, semi-double or double
or come in all shades of the spectrum from yellow, orange,
scarlet, burgundy, rose and white, to mauve, plum, cerise
and peach. Some varieties sport contrasting throats, while
others have distinctive veins or ruffled petals. One of their
most attractive features is the prominent pistil and stamens,
which burst from the center of each flower. Generally their
leaves are a glossy, dark green but some varieties produce
variegated or multi-coloured foliage.
There are many different species of hibiscus, ranging from
dwarf shrubs to large trees but all have basically the same
cultural requirements so here are some easy tips for growing
healthy plants.
Hibiscuses thrive in Australia's subtropical and tropical
regions, growing and flowering best in full sun. Most species
are sturdy enough to tolerate moderate wind and cool, but
not severely frosty weather.
Hibiscuses like to be planted into fertile, slightly acid,
well-drained soil. Heavy clay or light sandy soils must be
improved with generous quantities of compost and animal manures
and even reasonably good soils will require the addition of
organic material. Searles® 5 in 1 contains a rich mix of carefully
blended ingredients to give your soil a boost and kick start
your plants into good growth and optimum floral performance.
One of the real tricks for healthy hibiscus is to mulch generously
and water regularly. They are thirsty plants, and respond
well to a constant supply of moisture in the soil. Give them
a deep watering once a week, and conserve the moisture by
covering their roots with a thick layer of Searles® Mulch
Plus.
Well-maintained plants produce masses of flowers over many
months of the year. To promote a succession of beautiful flowers
hibiscus should be fed regularly from spring right through
to winter. For best results, fertilise about once a month
with Searles® Hibiscus Plant Food. Lift the mulch around each
plant, sprinkle the fertiliser evenly on the soil beneath
the canopy, water well in, and replace the mulch.
Hibiscuses respond well to regular shaping and pruning, and
because they bear their flowers at the tips of their branches,
it's important not to let your plants become overgrown and
straggly. After each flush of flowers, just prune each branch
back into the desired shape, and then wait for the next flush
of glorious blooms to appear. |
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So
remember, for stunning hibiscus:
• Choose a site in full sun
• Prepare soil with Searles® 5 in 1
• Mulch with Searles® Mulch Plus and water at least once
a week
• Fertilise with Searles® Hibiscus Plant Food. |
If
you do this, you're guaranteed healthy hibiscus with brilliant
blooms - it's as easy as that.
Happy Gardening with Searles from the Searle family.
© Copyright 2002 JC & AT Searle Pty Ltd
You may make a copy of this Fact Sheet for your personal,
non-commercial use only. Please do not make any other use
of this Fact Sheet without first obtaining our permission. |
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