Score!

I had a meeting at one of my company's other office locations yesterday, and when I pulled up, the landscapers were there, replacing the beds with fall plantings (e.g, mums and pansies). They do this every couple months, and in the process, a lot of beautiful, healthy, pricey plants get tossed in the trash. I'd just been there on Friday as well, and noticed several beautiful yellow hibs and thought, "any day now, they're gonna end up in the trash." I've managed to save a few elephant ears from certain doom with lucky timing this way, and yesterday, was lucky enough to snag the beautiful yellow hibs they had -- 7 in total. They look a little rough right now because they'd been out of the ground for a couple hours, but I got them home, in potting soil and watered as quickly as I could (even cutting my meeting short to get home to play plant-nurse that much faster).

Any ideas what variety these are? They're all the same, and have yellow blooms on them. They appear tropical vs. hardy.

Another picture of the leaf.

jij072174 its a tropical alright, looks like one I have, can't believe they would throw out such wonderful looking plants, they look really healthy. hope you can save them all.
here's a photo of a yellow one I have, does the blooms look like this when they open.

Wilfred

I'll have to look tonight when I'm home, but I believe it is the same.

Do tropicals set seed much?

Yes they do set seeds, that where all the different colors and sizes come from, you can cross pollinate your yellow hib with a red hib and produce 5 or more seeds which in turn will produce 5 or more hib all with different color combination. Just for you to have an idea, I cross my yellow hib with a pink hib and this is what came out, I named it "Manila".

Wilfred

Ut oh ... looking a little rough. :( Do you hib-pros think these will make it?

Another picture.

I would trim some of the new growth to on them to compensate for some of the roots that might have been damaged and water them well and place them in a bright spot not direct sunlight, this will help it survive until it produces some new roots. You can take some of the cuttings and place them in water to see if they root for you. They were quite healthy when you got them so I think you have a very high chase of saving them.

Wilfred

I would first take all blooms and buds off, to much energy will try to go to the blooms and buds, the roots need that energy. It will look rough until the roots start to grow again. Keep the soil moist and if any branches die or look like they are dying cut them off immediately. I had a friend who dug up a Hib, was going to throw it away but I took it. It had been out of the ground for a few hours roots a mangled mess but I just babied it and it did fine. It will look rough for a while but it will be ok.
I am not an expert but I have had to dig up quite a few Hibs because of volcanic ash and I put them in pots with good medium and good fertilizer (do not use a super bloom at this point) and keep the soil moist not wet; they should be fine.
That looks like the Tropical yellow one I have, when it is health and in good sun the yellow is stunning.

Good Luck
Tina

Wilfred

Do you have a tread on how to pollinate Hibs like you do for DR's?

Your Hibs are as stunning as your DR's, absolutely beautiful.

Would you consider selling your seeds? I would love to buy some Here on Montserrat we have no place to get different plants everyone has the same plants in their gardens. Plus if someone does have something different,you have to beg them for clippings and some of the people here are very selfish. Anyway, I would love to have some of your Hibs.

PS did not get to try your method for pollinating DR's it was to rainy.

Take care
Tina

Thanks much for the suggestions. Would it be better to do the trimming at night or in the morning, or does it not matter?

Hi Tina, I need your mailing address to send you some hib cutting and some Desert Rose seeds, I don't sell the hib seeds since I plant them all and after they bloom a year or more later I post them on this forum and if anyone wants a cutting from it I'll send it to them. That way if more than one person likes it I can send a cutting to them. I was thinking were was Montserrat since I know I herd lots of news from its volcano activity when it first erupted, ashes got all the way to us over here and we still get lots of it though not as thick as you do. It gets here in combination with some of the dust that comes all the way from the deserts of Africa from time to time, just hope it doesn't get worse for you and your people.

BTW Tina, how you know I was on this forum, just got of of the Caudiciforms forum.

Wilfred

Before I forget, you should never use a super bloom fertilizer on your hibs, It can kill them pretty fast before you realize it, just use MG general purpose fertilizer ( 24-8-16) on hibs.

Wilfred

Thank you so much that is so kind of you, and I will pay for the postage (I insist). I will Dmail you my address.

Montserrat is about 150 miles to your southeast, near Antigua. The volcano has been really quiet, hope it stays that way. Keeping my fingers crossed, have not had any ash for a year (very minor) the last major ashing we got was in 2006. My plants would love it if it stayed that way.

Someone on another forum gave me the link to your "How to pollinate DR's" in that thread you talked alot about the Hibiscus forum so I decided to check it out. Any found you in this thread. Also I saw a few of your threads that show the Hibs that you have and they are gorgeous, you not only seem to have a green thumb but green fingers too. LOL

I had so many Hib's when I was in Texas, around 80 to 100 different ones. I was able to bring some with me but the Dome collapse of 2006, the ash killed them. They had not established their roots so they did not make it. I had a few still in pots at the time and they survived so I want to start pollinating them to get different colors but I do not know how. Any hints?

I do not use super bloom on any of my plants, but I know alot of people do so I threw that in there just in case, as a warning not to. I have friends bring me Viagro when they come to visit, it is what I used in Texas and my Hibs did really well with it, the DR's I have here seem to like it too. So I use what I know works.

I really appreciate all the information and advice you give out (I am sure everyone else does too). I have learned a lot from you already.

Take Care
Tina

I would trim it in the morning, that way it would have all day for the cuts to heal before night came on. My reasoning for this is moister on the trimmed areas has a better chance of attracting a fungus at night where as during the day the moister will dry off. I do not know if this is the case and I could be wrong but better safe then sorry.

Good Luck keep us posted on how they are doing.

Tina

PS: Something I forgot to mention earlier. They "MAY" drop all their leaves. Do get upset and think you lost them. It will depend on how much damage the roots took and how much energy they need to heal.

Tina

Hi jlj, wondering how the hibs are doing now? i think they may have lsot their leaves too & would like to see them now. I have had some just come back to life though, so you never know.

I had no idea they threw the plants away, they must get paid a good deal of money for the job they do, to be able to afford disposable tropicals.

Tina, so nice to see you posting & thanks for the tips on where Wilfred is posting his pollination secrets. Great advice you give, thanks for the info, I've learned a thing or two already from you.

davis1676; Thanks, I am glad that I could help. Just trying to pass on what others have taught me.

jij: How are the hibs doing?

Tina

Hey Debbie, post a photo so we can see how your adopted babies are doing.

BTW, this Friday the 9th is the best day to plant cutting since its a forth quarter moon faze Friday. Try it you'll like it, good luck to all.

Wilfred

I'll get a pic of them later today Wilfred, just warning though, you're not gonna be impressed. I have a hard time with seeds (I didn't get my heat mat out for them, think that's the problem?). :-(

Don't worry, it happens to all off use once in a while, just curious to see them, maybe I can help you better on the next round coming soon to you.

Forgot to mention earlier to jlj072174, how are the saved hib doing, have they recover from their ordeal yet, you haven't posted an update on how there doing, hope they all lived and doing well for you.

BTW, Hope this doesn't bother you, but can you tell us your name if its OK with you, I rather wright referring to a person's name rather than some letters and numbers.

Wilfred

Apologies for the delay, but my daughter and I have been hit with the flu, so I"m just now getting online (first time all week). They hibs still look a little rough, and unfortunately, with me feeling as bad as I do, I can't get out there to do much. I wasn't fully over pneumonia when I got the flu. :(

I wish I had better news to report. I'm still holding out hope, though.

Hope you and your daughter get well soon, I was wondering what happen to the hibs but if you say they still look a little rough that mean their still alive so I think they will bounce back to healthy plants with time and bloom really nice for you. As soon as you feel better and up to it take some photos of the hib plants to show us.

Take Care, really mean it, Take Care of your self and daughter first,
Your Friend Wilfred

jljo

I am so sorry you are not feeling well. I hope both you and your daughter get well soon. Just take it easy and rest, remember plenty of liquids and plenty of sleep.

If the hibs are still hanging in there then I am sure the will bounce back.

Take Care of yourself
Tina

Here they are, today. :( Not looking so hot, huh? I did manage to keep them watered (not overwatered; just moist) and in light/part sun since I brought them home. I'm guessing they were uprooted for too long from the time they took them out of the ground to the time I got them home and planted (probably a total of 5 hours). Thoughts anyone? I don't want to watch them suffer if it's everyone's collective thought that they won't make it.

Take a scissor and cut all the dead dry leaves off them and than cut back to have the size they are, this will help them recuperate from the lost off some off the roots that miet have died, root system can't handle the size off the plant right now but if you cut them back they'll have enough root to bounce back very quickly and produce new roots and leaves.

Wilfred

So cut stems/branches, too, correct?

You can treat them with a week solution of fertilizer MG 24-8-16 to help them out also. what ever you cut off the plants you can try and root them in a moist potting soil mix, maybe some one else can help with something I've miet have missed.

Wilfred

Yes, cut stems and branches too, only cut to have the size, if plant is three feet tall, trim it down to one and a half feet tall. do this as soon as you can since plant is under stress right now trying to support itself with less roots than it had, by cutting it to half size you'll balance the size of the root to be equal to the size of the top part of the plant. no more stress for it to deal with just growth

Wilfred

I just went out and cut them all back to half-size like you said. Time will tell. I'll keep you posted. Thanks much for the advice!

jljo

I would do like Wilfred suggested.
From the picture, I think they will be ok. The branches look health and the stems are green it is just the leaves and blooms that look rough. After you cut them back they should start to get new leaves within a few weeks. Make sure when you cut them back that there is no blooms are buds on them. A plant will give all energy to blooms and buds which means it is taking away from the roots that need it most.

I have had to dig up a few hibs and that is what they looked like before I cut them back. they are now health and green. It took a few months but they came back, yours will too.

How are you feeling? And your daughter? I hope you are both a lot better.

Tina

Thanks Tina! I'm not sure I have a few weeks to wait, though. In my area, the night temps are showing in the high 40s in the coming week. I have a greenhouse to put them in, but not sure if they will bounce back in time for it to make much difference.

Thanks for the well-wishes. We're doing a lot better now. I'd started the Tamiflu because I'd just had pneumonia in September and was home for two weeks so my immune system was already pretty low. That definitely helped mitigate the symptoms. She's doing much better now, too, as the fever has broken. I hope that we can both be good come next week for work and school.

jljo

Just as good, when I lived in Texas I had to dig up my hibs every year. I would cut them down pot them up and put them in the GH. They did ok so yours should too. As long as the get a few leaves through the winter, they will be ok. Just keep checking the stems to make sure they are not dying.

Glad to here ya'll are doing better.

Tina

TB -- Was your greenhouse heated? Mine is not, though our winters are not harsh here. I'm working on ideas now for way to heat it naturally for the tropical hibs.

Hey guys, I'm wondering what things you keep in your greenhouse over the winter, if it's not heated? I'm struggling to figure out what I need & don't need in a greenhouse, wonder if you could help? What kind of GH do ya'll have (kit, hoop house, etc)? What do you do for ventilation & if it's not heated are you using the dbl poly to help insulate? anything else, maybe insulate the floor?

Sorry about asking about this in the hib forum, but right now I need some quick advice or I'll lose this builder too.

I have a Rion Silverline 6x8, aluminum, single-wall polycarbonate. It's not heated (yet), but I'm toying with ideas for how to naturally heat it (e.g., bins of potting soil on bottom shelves all around to retain heat at night.) I'm not a good one to ask about what to put in vs. not, bc this is my first winter with mine. Time will tell ...

Jljo

My GH was not heated..I used sand & small gravel on the floor and also used bricks to place my pots on. I did have a space heater (one I got at Costco) it blew hot air & the outside of it did not get hot, I only used it a few times on really cold night and the days that were really cloudy and cold. If during the day the GH is warm enough the sand and gravel will retain heat, so will the bricks. It worked for me. I lived in North Texas so winters got pretty cold.

Tina

thanks jlj, it's getting so frustrating for me. I can't seem to get any help on the heating issue & I figure there must be quite a few folks with GH's here on Daves. Maybe I'm not asking the right people or the right questions. Thanks for responding, I know we'll figure this out. ;-)

Thanks for the suggestion, Tina!

I also thought -- instead of soil -- about using mulch. I happen to have about 2 cubic yards left from a load I had delivered in the spring, so I might use that to put in the bins, then just set the plants on top of the bins or put the bins on the bottom shelves and let them collect heat during the day. Mulch tends to retain heat pretty good, but I don't want to introduce any mold problems to the GH either. Thoughts anyone?

jljo

Don't know to much about how well mulch does, I never used it in my GH. Someone told me that it would harbor bugs and such so I never took the chance. The sand and gravel was left over from the pond we had built so I used it. Good drainage and it stayed warm.

Davis..I had a 12X12 aluminum frame and glass GH. What ever type you get, keep it simple. Mine had a small exhaust fan at the top and I also had a small oscillating fan for circulation. We did have a air cooler when we first got it but it was more trouble then it was worth. As I said the floor was a mixture of sand and gravel which worked well for me. I did add a mistier after which really helped during the summer.

Tina

The first yellow one that you salvaged looks like Butterfly. Here's a pic of mine