Hibiscus (Chinese rose) is a family of malvaceous, widely distributed in the subtropical and tropical zones.
This flower has many varieties: grassy crops, shrubs and trees are found.
Varieties and types of garden hibiscus
In nature, about 300 species of Chinese roses. In the middle zone with a temperate climate, only some of them can grow and bloom:
- Syrian - height 5-6 meters, refers to deciduous shrubs. Egg-shaped leaves with single flowers in different shades.
- Duc de Brabant is a type of Syrian hibiscus that grows up to 2 meters in height, the trunk is light brown in color, the leaves are saturated dark green in color. Blooms in double flowers of purple and red colors all summer.
- Ardens is a deciduous shrub up to 1.5 meters tall with a lush and beautiful crown, leaves are egg-shaped, three-lobed, a green plate. Blooms with terry purple flowers.
- Trinity - grows in Africa, is a highly branched tree. It is called so because of the three-lobed structure of the leaves, yellow buds with a red core are formed among the sinuses.
- Hybrid - a perennial plant with large flowers of various colors.
- Grassy - frost-resistant species of hibiscus, flowering period from August to September. The stems are large, similar to sunflower, the flowers are white or light pink.
- Swamp - a perennial variety with a heart-shaped leaf and lilac, raspberry, red and purple flowers. Withstands frosts down to -30 ° C.
Outdoor landing
Planting in the open ground of a flower is carried out in the spring until frost. You can plant in the autumn, but at the same time the base of the trunk must be covered with pine bark or spruce branches.
A Chinese rose can grow in one place for about 20 years, the main thing is that the garden area is on the sunny side and is closed from wind and drafts. The earth should be nutritious and loose, it must pass air and water well.
Technology of planting hibiscus in open ground:
- A deep landing hole is dug up, which should be twice as large as the shoot, since the roots need a lot of space.
- Drain 4-5 centimeters thick spills out to the bottom, broken brick, expanded clay, foam balls and gravel will do.
- Sand mixed with compost, humus, peat and leaf soil 16-18 cm thick is poured onto the drainage layer.
- A hibiscus seedling descends into the pit and is well rooted, it is necessary that the root neck is level with the ground. It is very important to properly plant the plant in the hole.
- After the hole is filled with soil, the plant is spudded and watered.
Hibiscus is transplanted in spring or early summer before flowering begins. The upper roots are necessarily removed, and the shrub moves to a new place with a lump of earth, so that the root system is not damaged. Before planting, the crown is slightly trimmed so that the plant takes root more quickly in a new area.
Garden Hibiscus Care
Hibiscus develops well on loamy soil and does not tolerate limestone. Mandatory drainage and regular cultivation, as the bush dies in marshy and waterlogged soil. In the spring, the Chinese rose needs to build a greenhouse, since it loves heat and high humidity, in summer the buildings are cleaned.
If a grassy species grows on a site, it should be watered often, especially in the first months after planting. After flowering shrubs to reduce moisture.
When planting in the spring for a successful wintering, it is advisable to mulch the soil at the base of the plant. Cover with fir spruce branches or pine bark. After the bush, water abundantly, loosen the soil at the roots, cut branches and fertilize with fertilizers. With careful care, the plant blooms from August to September.
Watering is carried out as the earth dries at the base of the hibiscus, the water should be at room temperature, in hot weather its amount is doubled. If the plant does not have enough moisture, then it lowers the leaves.
Topping up the bush is necessary in spring and summer, with a frequency of twice a week. Suitable phosphorus fertilizers.
Regular cultivation of the earth helps the root system to breathe and be saturated with nutrients.
It is advisable to prune garden Chinese roses in spring or June, it has a positive effect on flowering, gives a beautiful and neat shape. Trimming Types:
- Thinning, in which weak and old processes are removed;
- Stimulating is carried out in March-April and is necessary for good growth and early flowering;
- Corrective, with its help, the correct and decorative shape is given to the crown of the tree;
- Autumn is carried out after flowering.
A young tree needs proper care before hibernation: it must be cut, watered abundantly and insulated with spruce branches, humus, compost or dry sawdust. After wrapping with a cotton cloth and bending to the ground, you can use a special mini-greenhouse.
Features of hibiscus breeding
Propagation of the plant occurs in three ways.
Seeds
The plant is grown from late January to March. Before sowing the seed, it is necessary to withstand it in a strong solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour, then lower it into the solution with a growth stimulator for a day. After that, planting material is sown in a container with peat and sand, cover with a film or glass. The temperature inside the pot must be at least + 27 ° C. During the day, do not forget to open the polyethylene and ventilate the seedling, as well as water it abundantly and in a timely manner. As soon as the first 3 leaves appear, you need to plant the seedlings in different pots, to provide them with good lighting. Land on the site at the end of May.
Cuttings
Cut the shoots with three internodes and treat the lower cut part of the plant with a growth stimulator. After transplant into a pot with peat filler and put in a greenhouse with a temperature not lower than + 27 ° C. As soon as the shoots take root, they need to be pinched and planted in different containers. Pour turf soil and sand into the pot. As soon as the bush grows, it can be planted on a summer cottage. Flowering will begin in the first year after planting.
Rhizome division
Dig hibiscus from the hole, identify the main root and cut it into two parts. Immediately treat the slice with ash, and bury the new root in the hole with a saw cut down, previously treated with a growth stimulator. Pour with warm water.
The main problems when growing in the garden
Garden hibiscus is affected by pests and is susceptible to diseases:
- The most dangerous insects for a Chinese rose are aphids and ticks. You can save the plant from the attacks of these pests by planting nearby lavender, and for the summer period geranium. This will scare off the aphids and at the same time create a beautiful floral arrangement in the area. If such plants do not want to be planted, then you can treat the plant with insecticides. In the fight against the spider mite, you will have to work hard, since it is difficult to remove, you need to use special tools: Fitoverm, Taurus.
- The main disease of the bush is chlorosis. It starts from a lack of iron and nitrogen. Leaves gradually turn yellow, fall off, young shoots become covered with yellow bloom and bend. To avoid this, you need to regularly feed the hibiscus, if the disease is already progressing, then introduce iron chelate into the soil and additionally spray leaves with it.
- Yellowing of the leaves is possible due to dry soil, watering should be increased, and the problem will go away by itself. Also, this misfortune can occur due to trauma of the root system during transplantation or loosening of the soil. In this case, it is desirable to strengthen the roots of the shrub by placing them in a solution of a growth and root stimulant, for example, Kornevin, and also spray them with leaves.
- The falling of leaves from a plant is characteristic of Syrian hibiscus, since it belongs to deciduous species. For a grassy norm, the death of the entire aerial part before the cold. If it started ahead of schedule and the leaves began to turn yellow, then you need to treat the plant in the same way as with yellowing.
Mr. Dachnik advises: how to prepare hibiscus for the winter?
For good growth and abundant flowering in the coming year, the shrub should be properly prepared for wintering:
- To begin with, determine the hibiscus variety: frost-resistant just cover with lapnik, and heat-loving to transfer to the pot in a warm place for the winter. It must be borne in mind that a tree-like variety throws off leaves for the winter.
- Fertilize the root system with potassium in the autumn, stop feeding with nitrogen fertilizers.
- Water until the first frost 1 time in 2 weeks.
- Warm the soil at the base of the shrub with pine bark, sawdust, compost or humus with a thickness of 10 centimeters.
- Cover the hibiscus with a special material or build a greenhouse.
Growing garden hibiscus (Chinese rose) is a simple matter, if you follow all the rules and recommendations, then the flower will become a real decoration of the garden.
