posted
I have a balcony garden. For the past few days I have noticed that some of the edges of one of my plants have turned brown. A hibiscus plant that I bought recently gets about 4-5 new buds every fortnight but they are not flowering. They just stay on the plant & die without opening into flowers. Help! Bombay is very hot & humid at this time of the year, Temps range between 30 - 35 deg C. I water every morning before 7 to avoid the heat. I prefer not to use pesticides & use Neem Oil for any pest infestation problems.
Plants: 1 | From: Mumbai, India | Registered: May 2004
| Seeded: 203.115.79.58
posted
Hi from So. California! I think you may be the first gardener from India to join us. Welcome!
I have a large hibiscus in a 16" pot on my patio that has done this same thing in the past. On your hibiscus, are you noticing any bugs at all? Any yellowing leaves? Whiteflies tend to like hibiscus and tend to cluster on the flowers. I've used a mixture of dish soap and water to get rid of the whiteflies in the past but the neem oil works a lot better (at least in my experience). You can also use sticky traps, they tend to be drawn to yellow sticky cards.
When I've had yellowing leaves it usually meant either it wasn't getting enough water or it needed some food, usually a combination of both. Since you are keeping it in a pot you have to give it some type of fertilizer every once in a while. I recently mixed in chicken manure on the top inch or two and that made mine much happier. Its blooming like crazy right now.
Good luck and let us know how its going. Perhaps one of our forum hostesses (ooohhh, Weeeeezzzie...) can move this to a different topic. You might have more people see it and get some more attention. Some of our visitors tend to stick to the topics they know best and not necessarily check all of the forum.
Happy gardening!
* * * * Women and cats will do as they please. Men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. Plants: 766 | From: The real OC in sunny So. Cal. | Registered: Aug 2003
| Seeded: 216.114.206.2
quote:Originally posted by gardengal: Hi from So. California! I think you may be the first gardener from India to join us. Welcome!
Actually, Shilpi is our 11th member to join us from India... Welcome to The Gardener's Forum, Shilpi! We're glad to have you here. Plants: 11227 | From: Cedar Hill Washington | Registered: Aug 2002
| Seeded: 165.121.29.201
posted
Wow...11 people from India. Its amazing how our little forum is found around the world. Such an amazing thing that you have created Bill! Thank you!
Welcome again Shilpi! Do come back to chat and let us know what gardening is like in your part of the world.
* * * * Women and cats will do as they please. Men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. Plants: 766 | From: The real OC in sunny So. Cal. | Registered: Aug 2003
| Seeded: 216.114.206.2
Will Creed
guest
posted
Shilpi,
I think the very high temperatures are causing the leaf damage. There is not much you can do about that except to be sure that the soil never gets dry. Avoid spraying ANYTHING on the leaves in that kind of heat, although you didn't indicate any signs of pests.
Seeded: 24.215.243.99
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![[wayey]](graemlins/wavey.gif)
I think you may be the first gardener from India to join us. Welcome! 
![[shocked]](graemlins/shock.gif)
Its amazing how our little forum is found around the world. Such an amazing thing that you have created Bill! Thank you! ![[kissies]](graemlins/kissies.gif)
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