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08-28-2016 12:49 PM
I have a gorgeous tropical hibiscus tree that I am going to bring in house over the winter. I read somewhere to spray a mixture of soap and water all over it, rinse and that kills the bugs but what about those living in the soil?
Has anyone done this and how did you do it? Thank you for your help!
08-28-2016 01:17 PM
I have no idea but found this info online. Hope this helps.
Getting Tropical Hibiscus Ready to Come Inside in the Fall/Overwintering Indoors
If you want to keep your hibiscus and grow them again the next season, you will need to bring them indoors before the night temps drop much below 40° F. They will need a bright or sunny area, or under fluorescent lights. The optimum temperatures indoors seem to be between 55 and 70. The cooler end of that temperature range will produce far fewer insect problems later in the winter. If they are kept in a greenhouse, keep them cool (55-65) and water when they are dry.
Ideally if you want to bring your hibiscus indoors to over winter them, they should be grown in pots outside all season, not planted directly in the ground. The problem with planting in the ground is that when you dig them up in the fall, they are weakened by yanking them out of the ground and many times they will rot before they produce new roots in a pot. They should be kept in relatively small pots for years (10-14" in diameter is fine). You can even sink the potted plants in the ground in summer and then just pull them up , pot and all in the fall, wash off the pot and bring it inside easily with no shock to the plant in fall.
08-28-2016 01:27 PM
I have very few bug problems if I wait until the nights drop into the mid to upper forties and then bring the plants in. Most of the bugs will have headed elsewhere in the cold. If you bring them in while things are still quite warm you bring in active bugs and that's more of a problem.
08-28-2016 01:53 PM - edited 08-28-2016 01:55 PM
@Nightowlz Thank you for this. : ) This applies to tropical hibiscus plants and not trees but the rinsing info is what I was looking for. I've done just what they've said EXCEPT I don't trim back the plants and OMG they are GORGEOUS come next spring (nor did I rinse them but there were no bugs issues and they were kept in a basement under florescent lights).
I'm dealing with a 7 foot tree, however. It's in a pot and I don't think you're supposed to trim them back (the plants are actually a bush and can be trimmed way back if you choose).
Funny how it says the ones from big box stores tend to not bloom again; mine ALL come from Lowes and Costco and always have (first time with the trees). Garden centers have been the WORSE!
I'll try it and see what happens!
08-28-2016 01:56 PM
@gardenman My issues are ants. Those little sugar ants. I'm wondering what to put into the pot (soil) to kill the ones in there.
08-28-2016 02:50 PM
@SahmIam, I have always had great success with diatomaceous earth. Sprinkle it on the soil around the entire pot and keep it dry for at least 24 (preferably 48-72) hours.
This article might be of help for using boric acid or an ant bait. http://www.ehow.com/how_7319831_kill-ants-spiders-potted-plants.html
Good luck with your tree.
08-28-2016 02:58 PM
@SahmIam wrote:@gardenman My issues are ants. Those little sugar ants. I'm wondering what to put into the pot (soil) to kill the ones in there.
I love the Terro ant baits. They're safe (corn syrup and borax) effective and easy to use.
08-28-2016 04:44 PM
Thank you, Everyone!!! : )
08-30-2016 11:20 AM
I've had a bumper crop of those tiny ants this summer. I sprayed the soil with ant killer. It works & didn't harm the plant. I don't think the ingredients are strong enough, but just enough to kill the ants.
I've used DE also.
@SahmIam wrote:@gardenman My issues are ants. Those little sugar ants. I'm wondering what to put into the pot (soil) to kill the ones in there.
09-12-2016 08:11 AM
@SahmIam wrote:@gardenman My issues are ants. Those little sugar ants. I'm wondering what to put into the pot (soil) to kill the ones in there.
I have them as well. I started putting that Bug B Gone granules in the pots now and watering it in. I also have been sprying the pots with any spray and it seems to be working.
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