Posted by Earl on August 17, 19101 at 23:08:12:
In Reply to: hybiscus tree posted by Loes Sebesta on August 17, 19101 at 10:30:50:
: I have a hybiscus tree, red double bloom.
It is not winter hardy, so I keep it as a houseplant.
I have this tree now for 10 years, never bloomed a lot,
but some. Last year I got some kind of bugs in it.
They were small white little things, when you touch them
they would jump or fly away. I sprayed it with everything
I could find in the store, without any success. My
last resort was to put the tree outside in the spring for
the summer and then to take it back in for the winter.
It lost all of its leaves (which I wanted)no more bugs, pruned it
and hoped for the best. It turned out to be the best thing
I could have done. Although the leaves that came back
on it were much thicker and smaller than the ones inside the
house, but I got more budds and blooms that I ever had
in the ten years I owned this tree. However a lot of
budds are falling off the tree before they even get a
chance to bloom and I have no idea why.
We did have a drought here for the summer, like no rain for
2 months, but I water the tree faithfully every day.
Any idea's why I am loosing all these budds. And will I
get those little bugs back, once I bring the tree back
inside for the winter?
Loes, Sounds like you are doing a lot right and yes, you will likely get the bugs back unless you spray the tree before you take in inside and keep a close eye on it for bugs later.
The tree may be lacking some trace elements that is causing the buds to drop. Try feeding it with a balance liquid fertilizer every time you water during the time it is outside. Cut the fertilizer back to once a month during the winter but double the strength. Let us know how this works. Earl