A First and Important Question to Ask: Do you have a Tropical Hibiscus or a Hardy Hibiscus?

Tropical Hibiscus will typically have shiny dark green leaves that are 3-6″, double or single flowers that are red, pink, orange, yellow, salmon, peach, lavender, or white. Tropical hibiscus may also have more than one color in a bloom. Your tropical hibiscus will only tolerate a night or two of light freezes. One hard freeze could kill them. They are native to sunny, warm humid tropical places. You may want to bring them indoors before temperatures drop below 40 degrees. Tropical hibiscus will typically live up to 5 years in a pot.

Hardy perennial Hibiscus will typically have a dull lighter green heart shaped leaves with white, pink or red flowers that can range from a petite 3 or 4 inches to dinner plate size, 8 to 12 inches in diameter with huge 2-4″ in length buds. Hardy hibiscus will need very little care in winter. Their roots are hardy to about zone 5 (click here to learn about hardiness zones) and they will die to the ground each year.

Before you bring your tropical hibiscus inside you will need to cut it back to about 4-5 inches from the main stems. You will need to make clean cuts with a sharp pruning shears. This will help to eliminate the insects and bugs that are on the tips of the branches. Remove all the dead leaves, old flowers that are on you plant or in the pot.

Wash the plant carefully with water making sure to wash the stems and under leaves for any insects and bugs. Let the plant dry thoroughly before bringing inside. You may see some of the leaves turn yellow and fall off once you bring your plant inside, this is normal. Let the soil become dry before watering and don’t let any water sit and collect under the plant in the tray. You may want to mist the leaves daily to help with the low humidity.

Once you bring your tropical hibiscus indoors you will need a bright sunny area or fluorescent lights. Tropical hibiscus will do well with indoor temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees. If your tropical hibiscus is planted in the ground you will need to dig them up and plant them in a pot. But be aware that this may put your hibiscus in shock because they will not generate new roots easily at this time of year and may develop root rot.

When fall nights start to dip down toward a frost, gardeners know that the vegetable growing season is coming to an end.

Preparing your vegetable garden in the fall will help make your gardening chores easier for next seasons spring plantings.

Fall is the time to prepare perennial vegetables for winters cold temperatures. Remove dead stems and foliage to prevent the spread of disease and insects. Cover with mulch to prevent root damage.

If you will be tilling your garden before winter, leave plants in the soil and till the beds under with organic matter, like leaves and grass clippings.  Diseased plants should not be tilled in the garden. Toss them in the trash.

Leaves and plants that are tilled into the garden in the fall season will have time to compost and release valuable nutrients to the soil as well as improving soil structure.

Tilling your garden in the fall will not only add valuable nutrients to the soil but will also expose many insects, larvae and pupae to the winters cold conditions ending their life cycle. Covering your tilled garden with mulch will help prevent the soil from washing away and will keep down the winter weeds.

If you will not be tilling your garden until spring, remove all plants and put them in your compost pile. Any diseased plants should be tossed in the trash.

Wait until spring planting time to apply fertilizer to your garden. Applying fertilizer in the fall will only wash away before it’s time to plant your garden.