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How To Grow The Hibiscus Plant From Cutting – Step-By-Step Guide

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Hibiscus is one of the best ornamental flowers because of its elongated trumpet-shaped receptacles, spread-out soft red or pink petals, prominent pollen tube, and delicate smell.

It flowers all year long and requires very little upkeep. If you are planning to grow the Hibiscus plant, this article being a step-by-step guide on how to grow the Hibiscus plant from cutting, is surely going to help.

Whether tropical or hardy, Hibiscus can easily be propagated in the home garden, and both cultivars can be propagated via the same method.

Compared to tropical Hibiscus, Hardy hibiscus can be propagated easily, but don’t panic; you can grow any type effectively with a little understanding of how to propagate Hibiscus.

How To Grow The Hibiscus Plant From Cutting
via Reddit

It also contains a lot of therapeutic properties, and when consumed as a tea, it provides a lot of health benefits. It’s also used to cure hair loss.

You’ll need a mother Hibiscus plant, a secateur or a robust scissor, and a container to place the cuttings in this straightforward step-by-step method to propagate Hibiscus. It is a straightforward and time-saving procedure.

Why not ask friends for cuttings instead of buying hibiscus plants? Starting hibiscus cuttings is so straightforward that there’s no reason to hire a nursery to do it for you.

Take some cuttings, place them in the ground, and wait a few months – and voilà! You’ll have your hibiscus plant.

Things You Will Need

  • Utility knife
  • 4-inch plastic nursery pot
  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Perlite
  • Rooting hormone powder (optional)
  • Coarse sand
  • Wooden skewers
  • 1-gallon plastic bag
  • Plant mister

Before gathering hibiscus cuttings, make sure you have all of the necessary equipment. To sanitize a utility knife’s blade, wipe it down with rubbing alcohol and place it on a clean paper towel while prepping the rooting container.

Fill a 4-inch plastic nursery pot halfway with perlite and with coarse sand to create a porous, moisture-retaining rooting media. The medium should be moistened moderately but not waterlogged. To keep on hand, gather a 1-gallon plastic bag and two or three wooden skewers.

How To Grow The Hibiscus Plant From Cutting

The best and simplest way to grow Hibiscus is via cuttings. Cuttings are used to grow both tropical and hardy Hibiscus. Cuttings of Hibiscus are usually the favored propagation method because a cutting will develop into a replica of the parent plant.

How To Grow The Hibiscus Plant From Cutting 2
via Reddit

Step 1: Take your hibiscus cuttings first

  • Because the plants are most hydrated in the cold, wet early hours of the day, mornings are the best time to collect cuttings.
  • Look for a mother plant that appears to be in good health.
  • Choose one with flowers you like because the cuttings will grow into exact copies of the mother plant.
  • Cut off from softwood or new growth.
  • Each cutting should be around four to six inches long.
  • Make a 45-degree angle cut just below the node to enhance the surface area for water absorption.
  • Scratch the outer layer (bark) at the bottom of the cutting to expose the cambium, which will aid in the growth of new roots.
  • Only scratch one or two edges and keep it to 1-2 inches.
  • Prepare around 4-5 cuts.

Step 2: Get Your Hibiscus Cuttings Ready

  • Except for the top one, remove all of the leaves.
  • The bottom of the cutting should then be dipped in rooting hormone powder or liquid.
  • RootTone powder, which you can get at your local nursery center, is to be used.
  • Although the rooting hormone is not required to root a hibiscus cutting effectively, it can improve the chances of success.

Step 3: Construct a Mini-Greenhouse

  • Fill the pot 3/4 full of water, submerge the stems, and place it in partial shade.
  • Using a clear or white plastic bag, cover the pot.
  • New roots should begin to emerge in 4-7 days.
  • To support the cuttings, place a pole in the center of the pot.
  • After 5 days, change the water to prevent the roots from decaying and to promote their growth.

Step 4: Put the Cutting in the Potting Soil

  • It’s time to put the cutting into a pot after 9-10 days.
  • Hibiscus cuttings require bright, indirect light and soil temperatures of around 70°F to root.
  • Use a potting soil that drains effectively (50 percent garden soil, 20% fine sand soil, and 30% organic compost), or It’s best to use a 50-50 combination of potting soil and perlite.
  • Place the cutting in the potting mix approximately 2-2.5 inches deep and gently press the dirt around the stem to give it support.
  • Maintain a semi-shaded location for the pot and keep the soil moist and thoroughly water the soil.
  • After they’ve been rooted for a few months, you can separate them into different pots.
  • You can plant them in the garden once they reach a height of a foot or two.

How to Care for your Hibiscus Plant

When growing in a container, hibiscus plants appreciate a snug fit. This implies they should be little root bound in the pot, and if you wish to repot them, only give them a little additional area. Always ensure that your hibiscus plant is well-drained when it is developing.

Temperatures for Hibiscus Planting

  • When caring for a hibiscus, keep in mind that it blooms best in temperatures ranging from 60 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit (16 to 32 degrees Celsius) and cannot handle temperatures below 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 C.).
  • Your hibiscus plant can be left outside in the summer, but once the temperature drops below freezing, it’s time to bring it inside.

Hibiscus Watering

  • The Hibiscus blooming stage demands a large amount of water.
  • In warmer weather, your Hibiscus will need to be watered daily.
  • When the weather cools, your Hibiscus, on the other hand, needs substantially less water, and too much water can kill it.
  • In the winter, water your Hibiscus only when the soil seems dry to the touch.

>> Related Post: What Causes Hibiscus Leaves To Turn Yellow?

Hibiscus Fertilizer

  • To bloom successfully, a growing hibiscus plant needs a lot of nutrients.
  • Use a potassium-rich fertilizer in the summer.
  • You can fertilize once a week with a diluted liquid fertilizer, once a month with a slow-release fertilizer, or once a month with a high potassium compost.
  • You don’t need to fertilize at all in the winter.

Final Remarks

Hibiscus propagation is pretty straightforward. You can take cuttings of Hibiscus at any time of the year, but the best time to do so is during the winter months when it’s cold and wet outside.

If you can’t be bothered to wait for the plant to die down, you can also take cuttings while the flower is still blooming.

Just know that it’s important to choose a strong stem with some lateral branches on it. If your hibiscus plant gets too tall or outgrows its pot, transplant it into a larger pot.

There’s no need to repot from year to year as long as it’s been planted in an appropriate container with good drainage.

Once your hibiscus plant reaches the desired height, flowering can last for more than four months. To ensure that your Hibiscus looks its best and stays healthy, plant it in an area with six hours of daily sunlight and fertilize it every month.

The soil should be well-drained and moist but not soggy. You can tell that your Hibiscus needs watering when the leaves begin to droop.