# Hibiscus leaves turning yellow



## hunterk997 (Aug 22, 2013)

My hibiscus plant keeps getting yellow leaves. Today was really bad. I pulled them off. I thought it might be aphids, but my parents said aphids are visible, and I don't see any. Could it be spider mites? The plant is a pink hibiscus if it helps. I water it when the first few inches of soil are dry. 


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## ascott (Aug 22, 2013)

It is hard to be sure? When you water it do you spray the plant off as well (in case there are critters you will help wash some off each time you spray it) and are you keeping it watered enough? I mean, here it has been so very dry the last couple of years that this year I am seeing that in the plants ---I am watering alot more and it seems as though it is keeping the plants all going but they just don't look the same ....

Maybe someone with knowledge on this will be along....


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## yagyujubei (Aug 22, 2013)

Could it be that winter is coming?


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## SANDRA_MEISSNEST (Aug 22, 2013)

my hibiscus needs lots lots of water so probably if it doesn't get enough water it's usually when it gets yellow leaf

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## RosieRedfoot (Aug 22, 2013)

I spray down my hibiscus with diluted vinegar and dish soap and water mix every once in a while to keep down bugs. I then rinse it off. It's non toxic so torts can still eat it after rinsing. Yellowing could be from too little light or water. Mine often yellows on the side that's shaded and sheltered from rain.


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## Tom (Aug 22, 2013)

I found a particular "fertilizer" that is made by miracle grow for Azaleas and other plants that need a more acidic soil. It works great for hibiscus. It solved my yellow leaf issues right quick. It did not save my hibiscus form freezing in the winter and cooking in the summer though...


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## Arnold_rules (Aug 22, 2013)

It could just need fertilizer. Hibicus needs acidic soil. Just check with a nursery and see.


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## hunterk997 (Aug 22, 2013)

It gets enough light everyday, direct sun for around five hours. And I watered it two days ago, and now there are tons of yellow leaves. When before it was one or two every few days. Maybe I'm overwatering? I don't spray it often. I did once though. And I thought fertilizers can't be used if tortoises are going to eat them because of toxins?


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## Teodora'sDAD (Aug 22, 2013)

If you show me a pic I could help you.


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## Team Gomberg (Aug 22, 2013)

Is it still in the pot or planted in the ground?
I have 2 different hibiscus in the ground and have to keep both well watered. If they aren't watered either daily or drenched every other day then some leaves turn yellow.

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## thatrebecca (Aug 22, 2013)

Where do you live and how long ago did you plant it? I live in the hot, sunny San Fernando Valley of SoCal and the last couple weeks have been so warm and dry here I've been watering my hibiscus nearly every day. Mine are just getting started and man, are they thirsty.


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## Jtort (Aug 22, 2013)

Most likely it's due to under watering. I have two. One is in the ground, the other is in a pot. The one in the pot tends to dry out faster and if I don't water it often enough the leaves start turning yellow.


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## Tom (Aug 22, 2013)

hunterk997 said:


> It gets enough light everyday, direct sun for around five hours. And I watered it two days ago, and now there are tons of yellow leaves. When before it was one or two every few days. Maybe I'm overwatering? I don't spray it often. I did once though. And I thought fertilizers can't be used if tortoises are going to eat them because of toxins?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPod touch using TortForum mobile app



You don't want your tortoise eating actual fertilizer, like something sprayed on the leaves, or access to something spread around the base of the plant inside an enclosure. Using fertilizers away from the reach of the tortoises and then feeding the plants that grew as a result is perfectly fine. The leaves assimilate the nutrients in the way they should and all is good. Now systemic pesticides, or "Weed and Feed" type products are another story. But the stuff I mentioned above is perfectly fine. It gives the plant what it needs to grow, and helps amend the soil to suit these types of plants.


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## hunterk997 (Aug 22, 2013)

Okay. I was reading that hibiscus needed feetilizers but I was under the impression any type of fertilizer or pesticide ot chemicals was bad. I'll pick up some fertilizer then. Are there any specific ones you recommend?


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## Carol S (Aug 22, 2013)

I use Miracle Grow fertilizer that is made for vegetables. I use the kind that I mix in a bucket of water and then water the plant around the base. After it soaks into the ground I water the ground real well. At the beginning of Spring I use an acidic additive.


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## Tom (Aug 22, 2013)

Yes. The one I mentioned above that is made for Azaleas, Camellias, Rhododendron, and hibiscus. Its made by Miracle-Gro. Its these wet crystals that you mix with water and water your plants with. Its great stuff.

It used to be called something else. "Acid..." something or other... I can't remember the name. Its for plants that need more acidic soil. You should easily find it at any garden center.


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## sunshine_hugs (Aug 22, 2013)

I have 6 hibiscus plants in pots right now, and one in the ground....I seem to need to water them daily (well, the red ones are a little more tolerant, but my others are picky). If they aren't watered daily, they seem to get yellow leaves. 

As others have said, it could need something to help make the soil more acidic. I have never used any fertilizers on mine, but I have used some of our kitchen compost. 

Good luck!


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## SANDRA_MEISSNEST (Aug 22, 2013)

Fish fertilizer is very good or the worm poop one

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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Aug 22, 2013)

Hibiscus love acidic soil but rather than get chemical fertilizers, give it coffee grounds. Most coffee places will give them to you for free if you ask and strike a "pretty please for my garden" pose. Excellent soil amendment which breaks down and gives your hibiscus what it needs through the soil. Everything we grow begins in the soil. Yellow leaves can be under or over watering. Make sure your soil in the pot is potting soil and not heavier planting soil which will not allow for oxygen and faster drainage and in time you get root rot. If you do have potting soil, you may want to add some rocks as mulch to the top. This keeps the soil from splattering when you water and keeps the water from evaporating too fast. You want to avoid the wet dry wet dry which can stress plants and stress will also do the yellow leaves. I also sprinkle chicken manure occasionally. For me, in So Cal, chicken manure also builds up the soil and for whatever dynamic reason, it keeps my hibiscus from getting white fly. I guess once the chicken manure (compost it first or buy the bags at the HD) breaks down it makes the hibiscus not as yummy and the white flies leave my garden and go find a hibiscus in the neighborhood which is not as well armed. : 0


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## thatrebecca (Aug 22, 2013)

I have three hibiscus plants right in my DT enclosure. Is there anything I can use to amend soil within an enclosure that won't hurt the torts? Kitchen compost sounds promising...


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Aug 22, 2013)

The Home Depots in our area have a new bag-o-stuff called EcoScraps and it is compost from veggies and fruits that go bad at the grocery stores. I would use that. If you use kitchen scraps before they have been composted be sure to bury and let nature take its course that way. Same with the coffee because you are amending IN the enclosure. Mix the grounds with soil first and then bury near the plant roots but also in a place where your tortoises may not burrow. Maybe add a brick or rock on top to be sure your tortoises do not dig in there for a few months while things break down.


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## thatrebecca (Aug 22, 2013)

BeeBee*BeeLeaves said:


> The Home Depots in our area have a new bag-o-stuff called EcoScraps and it is compost from veggies and fruits that go bad at the grocery stores. I would use that. If you use kitchen scraps before they have been composted be sure to bury and let nature take its course that way. Same with the coffee because you are amending IN the enclosure. Mix the grounds with soil first and then bury near the plant roots but also in a place where your tortoises may not burrow. Maybe add a brick or rock on top to be sure your tortoises do not dig in there for a few months while things break down.



Great idea, thanks. I wonder how late in the fall it's worthwhile to do. For instance, if I wait until the torts are brumating, is the soil amendment too late to be of any value for the plant? (There's no frost where I live in LA).


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Aug 22, 2013)

We are So Cal girls ... you can do it, year round because we have year round gardening weather pretty much! Neener-neener.  
And of course, brumation time. Excellent time to do so. Best time actually.


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## thatrebecca (Aug 22, 2013)

BeeBee*BeeLeaves said:


> We are So Cal girls ... you can do it, year round because we have year round gardening weather pretty much! Neener-neener.
> And of course, brumation time. Excellent time to do so. Best time actually.



Ah thank you! I am new to SoCal gardening and thus new to being able to neener neener all year long. It's pretty great.


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## Tom (Aug 22, 2013)

The stuff I recommended is mixed with water and absorbs right into the dirt. Perfectly fine to use around the tortoises.


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## thatrebecca (Aug 22, 2013)

Tom said:


> The stuff I recommended is mixed with water and absorbs right into the dirt. Perfectly fine to use around the tortoises.



Awesome, thanks!


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## Teodora'sDAD (Aug 24, 2013)

Tom said:


> Yes. The one I mentioned above that is made for Azaleas, Camellias, Rhododendron, and hibiscus. Its made by Miracle-Gro. Its these wet crystals that you mix with water and water your plants with. Its great stuff.
> 
> It used to be called something else. "Acid..." something or other... I can't remember the name. Its for plants that need more acidic soil. You should easily find it at any garden center.



Tom its called â€œMiracidâ€


Miracle Grow is made up from chemically derived phosphorous, nitrogen, and potassium. It's actually much cleaner (and more pleasant) to use then many of those other natural or "organic" types. If you want to feed your plants inside your tortoise enclosures, best way to go would have to be just regular ol' COMPOST.


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## hunterk997 (Aug 25, 2013)

Teodora said:


> Tom said:
> 
> 
> > Yes. The one I mentioned above that is made for Azaleas, Camellias, Rhododendron, and hibiscus. Its made by Miracle-Gro. Its these wet crystals that you mix with water and water your plants with. Its great stuff.
> ...





Okay. But the hibiscus won't be safe to feed until next year, so I have it in a pot. So would it matter if I did compost or feertilizers?


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## Tom (Aug 25, 2013)

If its in a pot and the tortoises can't reach it then either one is perfectly safe and fine to use.


Luke, thank you for the assist with that name. When I first heard of this product a year ago, I went looking for "Miracid". Someone here on the forum recommended it because my hibiscus leaves were turning yellow and dying despite soil that was damp all the time. I couldn't find it because they had changed the name. They don't call it "Miracid" here any more. It's just called "Miracle-Gro for Azaleas, Camellias, and Rhododendron." Within days of using it no more leaves turned yellow and the plant started thriving again.


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## Teodora'sDAD (Aug 25, 2013)

Tom said:


> If its in a pot and the tortoises can't reach it then either one is perfectly safe and fine to use.
> 
> 
> Luke, thank you for the assist with that name. When I first heard of this product a year ago, I went looking for "Miracid". Someone here on the forum recommended it because my hibiscus leaves were turning yellow and dying despite soil that was damp all the time. I couldn't find it because they had changed the name. They don't call it "Miracid" here any more. It's just called "Miracle-Gro for Azaleas, Camellias, and Rhododendron." Within days of using it no more leaves turned yellow and the plant started thriving again.




Anytime  

I have some (tropical) hibiscus trees that I keep and found that Iron does a good job too. Great stress reducer for them as I know they would rather like to be in the ground to stretch their feet.


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## ksanchez (Aug 25, 2013)

I water my hibiscus plants/trees a little bit daily. Are your leaves wilting between watering? Is it getting enough sun?
I occasionally, not very often, get one yellow leaf, but never more than two on any of my plants/trees. Maybe you need to water it more often. Just a suggestion. It works well for me. I live in the Inland Empire (Southern Ca).


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## hunterk997 (Aug 25, 2013)

I'll start watering daily. Should I use the miracle grow everyday when I get it? And at what strength?


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