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Garden hibiscus: shelter for plants for the winter. Video
Many novice flower growers associate hibiscus with an exotic houseplant, the so-called “Chinese rose”. Meanwhile, there are a huge number of varieties of these magnificent flowers, and among them there are many garden varieties. Some take root well in the middle zone of the Russian Federation and can winter in the open field. However, if the plant is not frost-resistant, it is necessary to cover the hibiscus for the winter.
Shelter of plants for the winter
Hibiscus cultivars: is winter shelter necessary?
In order for flower beds to delight with their lush flowering for a long time, it is necessary to cover exactly the hibiscus that really needs it before the beginning of winter. It is important to study well the characteristics of the varieties used. So, hybrid and herbaceous hibiscus are distinguished by good frost resistance, therefore, in a less severe climate (for example, in Kazakhstan or Voronezh), it is not at all necessary to cover them. More delicate Syrian varieties (especially terry!) Winter insulation will be necessary. Usually, when the hibiscus reaches a large size, its resistance to cold increases.
Many experienced gardeners do not cover herbaceous hibiscus before cold weather, but only cut off its stems in the fall at a distance of about 10 cm from the ground level and lightly sprinkle them with soil or sprinkle with foliage. If winter with frosts down to -30 ° C is expected, it is recommended to cover all flowers, even winter-hardy ones. Especially capricious exotics must be dug out of the open ground, carefully moved into a suitable container along with an earthen lump and put into the basement for the winter or brought into the house.
Do not use a lot of foliage to cover your plants. On hardwood frames and when hilling during thaws, a rotted layer is often created, which can lead to rotting of the hibiscus
In harsh climates, it is important to immediately select frost-resistant garden varieties for cultivation in the open field, so you should always carefully monitor the quality of the planting material. It is necessary to buy cuttings in nurseries with a reliable reputation, making sure that the seedlings have developed roots that are absolutely intact during transportation. Poor-quality hibiscus can die even with proper shelter, since negligent sellers use too many growth stimulants and mineral fertilizers in their production.
When breeding hibiscus, cuttings that have given roots in a bowl of water must be transplanted into a pot with a mixture of garden soil and peat (optimal proportions – 3: 1) and brought into the house for the winter. In the spring they can be planted in the garden.
So, the following varieties of hibiscus can be called relatively frost-resistant:
– hybrid hibiscus (Hibiscus hybridus) – the result of crossing holly, pink and bright red varieties (a plant with bright, large flowers and wedge-shaped leaves); – among hybrids, red hibiscus tolerates frosts well (height – 3 m, finger leaves, flowers – red-carmine, similar to funnels up to 17 cm in diameter); – pink hybrids (height – up to 2 m, sharp three-lobed leaves, flowers up to 23 cm in diameter, saturated pink color with wide-open petals); – light pink hybrids (height – up to 2 m; the leaves look like pink hybrid hibiscus; with giant flowers, the diameter of which is sometimes about 30 cm); – herbaceous or northern hibiscus, triple (Hibiscus trionum) – up to 75 cm high, with single rounded flowers located in the axils of the leaves; – sometimes – elderly Syrian hibiscus, which have reached a large size.
Hibiscus shelter: basic rules
The optimal period for preparing exotic flowers for wintering is considered to be the second decade of November, when the air temperature is set no more than -5 ° C and not less than -10 ° C. Experienced breeders advise against covering hibiscus earlier, because the plants should be a little hardened in the fresh air. According to experts, they will not be afraid of small night frosts.
An experiment in the botanical garden at Moscow State University showed that under the shelter of spruce branches the temperature remained no lower than -5 ° C at an air temperature of -30 ° C. When it was -5оС outside, then in a coniferous hut it did not exceed -3оС
Cover hibiscus for the winter
To protect hibiscus from autumn and spring frosts, as well as in areas where there is no frost below -15 ° C, flower growers often use special frames covered with non-woven material – spunbond, lutrasil, agrotex. In severe frosts, it is strongly discouraged to use it, since the covering material does not release heat back, which is why the plants underneath are vomited.
The best protective material for hibiscus wintering is spruce branches, which accumulate snow on itself, and this is a great shelter from any frost. At the same time, the plants do not overheat, since the temperature under the coniferous shelter is usually only a degree higher than outside the cover. It is recommended to cover the plants in 3 layers in the form of a hut with a lapnik, having previously tied the branches and wrapped them with burlap.
If after “hibernation” hibiscus does not wake up for a long time, do not get upset ahead of time. Some varieties of these flowers, for example, Syrian, dissolve deciduous buds quite late.
Horticultural practice shows that rodents are often taken into warm huts from coniferous branches. Vole mice can gnaw the bark around the stalks of the hibiscus in a ring, causing the plant to die. To get rid of the animals, it is recommended to put special mousetraps around the flower bed or put wheat treated with anti-rodent poison under the coniferous shelter (sold in trade departments for gardeners, hardware stores).