caring for my mother's hibiscus collection

[inkeys]

hello. my mother has recently passed away from cancer and i am now left with a very large collection of plants (mostly hibiscus) to care for. it is very important to me that the plants stay healthy and alive as they are part of my mother.

she has a very large collection of plants, especially hibiscus. i am particularly attached to one very old hibiscus (which is 30 years of age) and my father is insisting that because it is so old it requires special care which i am not sure what that entails.

her other hibiscus are much smaller and younger. i would say around 3 to 5 years old. they are all in pots as we live in ontario, canada.

some of her hibiscus she takes outside and brings indoors in winter (such as the large 30 year old one i am most concerned about) and other she leaves inside. i am trying imitate everything i can remember her doing to the plant.

what are some things i can do to ensure we have these plants to enjoy for many more years to come. i would be devastated to lose some of these plants she has had for decades and i feel they are a part of her. i am not as much of  a green thumb as my mother was, but i have had some success with other plants. any advice you can give me to ensure the best results would be very much appreciated.

[Charlie]

Welcome, Inkeys. I'm sure you will find some suggestions here on the forum to help with your new responsibility. Also, this month the free HVH Newsletter will have an article that summarizes how to get the most out of your hibiscus this summer. It's not too late to sign up for it, just look at the top left corner of any page on the HVH website and you will see a window to enter your email address. The Newsletter will be sent to you free once a month. The next issue should go out tomorrow.

Charlie

[inkeys]

thank you charlie i have subscribed to your news letter. i find this site very helpful

[blupit007]

Hi Inkeys,

  I had somewhat of a green thumb a year ago... I came across this website and it blew my mind!  I didn't know anything about these tropical hibiscus, so I read the entire site.  Just clicking on one page after another after another after.... well.  I learned a ton.  Then I discovered this forum.  I quickly ordered some hibiscus, now I have a collection of over 40.  When I have a problem, I take a photo, load it onto this site and describe what the problem is along with what I have done to it to make it have the problem.  Charlie and all my friends on this forum have walked me through this year with only one casualty.  It is quite an important tool to have when you don't really know what you are doing.  Good luck, and don't hesitate to ask any questions.  And above all, get real comfortable with your camera, as it will be so helpful for us to help you.
Sorry to hear about your mother.

~Kristen