Hi I am new to hibiscus and I purchased a lovely red flowering one a few weeks ago because I read they are a favorite with hummingbirds. It has had only a few flowers so far but it has more large buds and the leaves are glossy except there always seem to be 2 or 3 turning yellow. Bright, deep yellow, not mottled. Until recently the night temperatures were cold and it was in a windy spot. Except for the yellow leaves I would think it is doing okay. Usually when my plants have yellow leaves it is more than just a couple at a time and the rest of the plant doesn't look so good. I am wondering if this is normal for hibiscus. I have also read they need extra potassium and planned to supplement with banana peels but I would have thought this is too early in the summer for it to be nutritional. The other thing is I am away a lot and I read they like moist soil so I planted a disposable baby diaper near the bottom of the pot to keep it from drying out too much. That is why I am a little worried I did something wrong but again most of the plant looks okay. Thank you!
How many yellow hibiscus leaves are a problem?
I repotted the hibiscus and removed the diaper and added more compost. Since then I have observed almost no yellowing leaves and lots of buds and flowers. I don't know if this is due to the extra compost or getting rid of the wet diaper but I am glad I didn't ignore the yellowing leaves signal that something wasn't right.