It's time to get tropical hibiscus ready for winter

Q: I bought two small tropical hibiscus plants early this past spring and was told by my neighbor that they need to come in for the winter months. I thought they’d just lose their leaves and go dormant, but come back next year. Who’s right? They’ve grown well for me and I have repotted them into 12-inch pots. — N.K., Albuquerque

A: Please, for the sake of these two, listen to your neighbor and know they do need to come in for the winter.

First thing you’ll want to do for them, and soon, is spray them with an all-purpose ready to use insecticidal spray. If you own a hose end sprayer that you have used to apply other insecticides, then you could use it. But if you’ve used that sprayer for weed control, then no, you must invest in a sprayer that will be used for insecticides only. A hand held pump sprayer will work well for small jobs too. So be sure to use the proper sprayer.

Then you’ll want to apply a pesticide containing insecticidal soap or pyrethrin. Either of these pesticides will detoxify quite quickly so you won’t have to worry about bringing strong pesticide residuals into your home. Just know you need to apply the pesticide spraying to the whole plant, top side of the leaves and concentrate on the underneath too. The whole plant needs to get soaked to dripping wet by the spray. Be sure to spray the soil too.

Once you’re done with the spraying, go ahead and water the soil with plain water to wash the pesticide application through it. That way, you’ll get a good hunt of any soil dwelling pests. I’ll recommend two sprayings, seven to 10 days apart, to rest assured that there are no living pests on the hibiscus before you bring them in.

Now you’ll need to watch the weather. If the nighttime temps drop to the cool mid to low 40s, I’d be moving these tropical plants indoors rapidly. Not ready to get them indoors? They’d forgive you a night, maybe two, in a closed garage, but they won’t stay healthy for long. You need to get cracking.

Now indoors, they will continue to grow well when offered as much bright light as you can. Monitor the spaces you set them to be sure they aren’t being cooked by gobs of direct sunlight through a window pane. Lots of light equals a great environment.

Watch for heater vents blowing directly on the plants. That will make them truly unhappy quite quickly. Just be vigilant after you’ve brought in these treasures and you can make the transition easier for them. Also, if you have any dish cactus or other tender plants like bougainvillea, you should consider bringing them in too.

Spray the hibiscus thoroughly and remember to spray the soil and wash it thoroughly so you can move the plants indoors without the worry of bringing in a whole host of pests. It’s the time of year, for sure.

Happy Diggin’ In!

Tracey Fitzgibbon is a certified nurseryman. Send garden-related questions to Digging In, Albuquerque Journal, 7777 Jefferson NE, Albuquerque, N.M. 87109, or to features@abqjournal.com.