HVH special blend

[Nievesgirl]

Charlie,

I just bought some new HVH fertilizer and I notice the directions are different from my old container. The old container says 1 tsp per gallon the new one say 1/2 tsp per gallon. I want to know can I use the newer batch like the old one ? I had good results using 1tsp per gallon along with one 1tsp of supernova.  I been following the directions on this website for 1/2tsp special blend and 1/2 booster. I add 1tsp supernova with it. This was my first batch I made in months so I know the plants should be loving it.  I freaked out because I mixed 2 quarts of 1/2tsp of booster and 1/2tsp of special blend ... I was remembering 1tsp so I figure I just cut it in half.

[Charlie]

Hibiscus have wide tolerances for fertilizer levels. The new directions are overly cautious since they have to apply to all sorts of different situations that people have. Some have water that is very hard or very hot temperatures, etc, that call for less fertilizer at each application. In southern CA you should be just fine using what you described. Too much fertilizer will show as leaf edge burn or other leaf problems.

Charlie

[farmer d]

Charlie, could you expand on what leaf issues occur when over-fertilizing.

Last season I was using 3 teaspoons of special blend with 2 gallons of water one to two times a week.  Since I am newer at hibiscus I wonder if I was over doing it.  I do recall lots of burned leaf edges at times.

Maybe there are other clues I didn't know of at the time.

Now it's daily watering with 1 teaspoon of special blend and 1 of SN with 2 gallons of water.

Farmer D

[Charlie]

Darren, the other sign of over fertilizing is hard to describe. The leaf develops a "wet" look that one you've seen it you recognize it again easily. It goes from that to turning yellow or brown and falling off. I doubt that the amount you were using would cause this symptom but its something to watch out for. Your current program sounds excellent.

Charlie

[farmer d]

Thank you very much for answering my question.

Since my plants are outside 365 and it was their first year I am just trying to figure out if the reason a majority of my plants lost all their leaves during winter was just a natural reaction or did I contribute to it by over watering/fertilizing.

Even if I don't really know the exact answer what matters is that they all survived and I have a good program now.

Just trying to come down that learning curve as fast as I can.

Farmer D

[Charlie]

Darren, although it is possible to overwater or even overfertilze hibiscus I'm pretty sure losing leaves during the winter is due to the cold and short days. Most of the problems seem to be cumulative with the worst showing late in winter rather than earlier, unless we have some unusual freezes early in winter. The short day length does not cause leaf loss directly but means that it is colder longer on the shortest days of the year.

Look at Lou's plants in his very well heated greenhouse. Despite the very short days and lots of overcast and very cold temps outdoors, his plants inside do not defoliate during winter (unless mites get to them). Same for my hibiscus in our commercial greenhouse. No defoliation but our outdoor garden 2 miles away sees plenty by the end of winter. But, they do come back for the most part and mid summer sees lots of blooms happening.

Charlie

[farmer d]

Thank you so much Charlie for the great info. 

My mistake was during Jan we had about 3 weeks of warm temps and no rain and like a total rookie I started fertilizing the plants even more than in summer thinking I had to make up for all the bad weather in Dec.  I was fertilizing 3 to 4 times a week and once the rainy weather came back the plants all seem to lose their leaves quickly.  Not the result I had in mind...

At first I was confused but re-read your sections on fertilizing and realized my mistake.  I was scared I had done much more damage than what the regular winter conditions do on their own.  Especially since this was the first winter for all my plants. 

Except for Rainbow Sherbet which hasn't woke up yet (I did move it once during winter - ouch) all the plants are now in grow mode.

Now I see that as a woody shrub these plants will pretty much replace all their leaves at the end of each winter when living outdoors.  So I am not panicking and instead carefully pruning the leaves that are turning yellow and will be shed eventually.