Nota, you said you got your hibs last yr and they came in 2.5 pots? Now they're in 8"..isn't that a big jump from last yr, or did roots take off that quickly?

Whitefly can halt flowering too. When was the last time you saw them? Pruning back in Feb shouldn't make any difference now..Not after all this time.

Nota, I really find Hib food the best around..It's only used for hibs, (no other plant.) Since I've been using hib fertilizer I've been able to keep them going for yrs..They even bloom in winter..and you only feed once every 3 months, so you won't have to worry about forgetting..lol..

But I'm wondering if whitefly have anything to do w/buds not opening. Toni

Hi Toni. Was hoping you'd respond. I still see a cpl of white flies on one of the hibs (not the one trying to produce buds though) now and then- but nothing like the infestation I had before.

I got them Jan or Feb 2006. Yeah the plants really took off- I had to keep repotting them or else I was watering every day. I changed pots 3 times. First from a 2.5" to a 4" then to a 6" and now this year, in a 8".

I wouldn't think it's an over-watering issue coz the plants look very luscious and healthy. Just no flowers.

I'm sure the sun is enough coz it was last year.

I've seen one or two flies on my night blooming jasmine now and then but that hasn't stopped it from flowering.

Everything has flowered for me this year except the 2 hibs. sniff sniff. I was really tempted to try more hibs but the fear of white flies and aborting buds have stopped me from buying more.

They need more light. When you got them, they may have had buds started, or had enough energy from greenhouse solarization to throw out a few blooms. Inside in the winter in NY, they will not bloom for you. Your chances of flowers in the summer will increase dramatically if you put them outside (first in shade, then morning sun, then full sun). They'll need more water in the stronger light, but you'll definitely notice a difference. Bring them in before the first frost, and keep them cool and in bright light over the winter. Good growing to you!

Hi Nota..I agree w/Rjm..the more light the better..if kept indoors place in a sunny, unobstructed south window..if you don't have a south a west will do.
But right now you need to rid the Whitefly..even if there's 'only' a couple, I guarantee you they'll have children..(S) Children breed then a new batch comes along
Those sticky traps work fantastic. Pick up a package and place in different rooms on separate plants (like your jasmine)..plants you've seen pests on. (I wouldn't use traps outside, the glue might be distroyed by rain)
I suggest using Hibiscus fertilizer.. www.plumeriapeople.com and stokestropical.com sells it..just sprinkle and water. Fertilizer lasts up to 3 months..Stokes prices are sky-high so see if you can purchase at Plumeriapeople..PP weren't shipping new orders in June until they filled previous orders) But they might have finished shipping..I need a container too..If I had extra, I'd send you a small bag, Nota, but like I said, I'm almost out.
Nota, my 14 yr old Hib bloomed yr round..kept in a south window near east..because it bloomed I continued fertilizing yr round. Of course in mid-winter, flowers aren't as large as they are during longer daylight..But they can flower inside. I've a baby, 1' variegated that blooms on and off throughout the year.
So for the time being:
1. rid all whitefly
2. set in sunniest area, if you can set outside, do so
3. fertilize w/hibiscus fertilizer
I wish you luck, Nota..Hibs are beautiful plants..I only wish flowers were fragrant..lol..there's supposed to be one that has a faint scent..think it was sold at Kurtaz..sp.
I just bought an all purple leaf hib via Ebay..hope it grows like the others..
I'm still impressed how quickly yours grew..that's amazing. Now you've got me thinking I should up pot sizes..LOL..You take care and keep us posted..Toni

Thanks Toni and Rjm for your advice. It does seem that their 'energy' is lacking. One is placed on a southern window, completely unobstructed light from about 11am-5pm.

The other one is in a south-east facing window and gets unobstructed light from about 8 or 9am till about 2pm or so. I really can't do better than that. I don't have access to an outdoor space or else trust me, they would be out.

I should post before/after pictures- it's amazing how one of them especially, grew so much in 1 1/2 years. I have it set on the floor now coz it's too big to be on the window ledge.

One is totally white fly free now. It's the big one that the flies are attracted to and once they start on that big one, they spread to the other one. But now I have them separated and hopefully I will be able to get rid of the flies once and for all. I have sticky traps now and will put them up tonight.

If the plants leaves are green & it's aborting buds, it's a light or fertilizer issue. The light issue is obvious - you need more if the plants are not in full sun. Fertilizers that optimize blooming on this plant NEED to be low in phosphorous (the middle number) or you can expect a high % of bud loss or minimal budset. There is no need to pay the long dollar for "hibiscus food". Miracle Gro all purpose soluble fertilizer in the 24-8-16 blend works wonderfully on these plants.

Al

Tapla, I've started using the Miracle gro 24-8-16 blend - since I happened to have that at home. Before reading your post, I was using a 15-30-15 blend- so maybe that was the problem?

I finally uploaded some new pictures and I'd like to show you guys how much they have grown in the last 12 months- and I've hacked them twice last yr.

JUNE 2006: They were in a 3 or 4" pot I think.
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TODAY: In a 10". See how the one on the right has become so leggy. That was the short one on the right, in the 'before' photo.
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Mmhmm. I'm certain your plants would have balked at the blend you were using if you were fertilizing often enough to insure deep green foliage. You'll be happy you made the change. BTW - if you can get the plants outdoors when temps allow or give them more light, they'll reward you with some compact growth and and more blooms. I would also have pruned each stem earlier in the year so that about half the number of leaves remained on each. This would have forced more branching and added vigor in the newly formed branches, which ultimately would have given you more blooms. You should wait until spring to prune now, though, unless you just tip-prune (snip off the growing tip of each stem). The plant will need all the photosynthesizing leaf surface it currently has while over-wintering.

Al

They got leggy coz they lost so many lower leaves over winter. If I pruned back the plant on the right, I'd have just a bare stalk- so I didn't. I had pruned it last in November. And it still wouldn't branch. It's a slow grower in general but that's the one that keep trying to produce buds and then abort them.

The one on the left, branches very nicely. Again, it's leggy coz it lost all it's lower leaves. Possibly due to the white fly infestation they had over winter/spring/half of the summer. I had pruned it last in Jan or Feb perhaps. It grows very voraciously. It has beautiful yellow double flowers (well, supposed to have), which was quite abundant last yr as a tiny cutting. This yr, it's size is 4 times larger but no flowers :(

I'm just curious--I know that hibiscus prefer low-phosphorus fertilizer, but most flowering plants prefer high-phosphorus. Does anyone know why that is?

I actually just switched to a 4-1-2 organic fish emulsion fertilizer and my hibiscus went nuts. One nice thing about organic fertilizers is you can't really overfertilize the way you can with synthetics. It does smell like what it is, though, so it's not for everybody.

Legginess generally also means low light. You know, seeing your pictures, I notice that the plants used to be on a windowsill but now they're on the floor, so the upper growth is in the light, which looks nice and strong, but the lower part of the plant is in the shade. Why not just put those plants up on a plant stand so all of the growth is getting light, and then cut them back so they'll fill in a little bushier.

Here is a link that might be useful: Fish emulsion fertilizer

Nota, I LOVE your yellow, double flower Hib..It's perfect. Where did you find this fellow?
Nota, considering you're in NY, your hibs are doing great. I still say try the hib fertilizer from either Plumeriapeople.com or Stokestropicals.com
I think you'd be pleased w/the results. Toni

Thanks Toni, I got them from Logees. The double yellow 'Peggi Hendri' is the voracious grower and it was also quite free blooming last yr, despite being so tiny. Now,it's tripled in size but no flowers.
I know I know Toni, you've told me countless times to get hib food. One of these days, I promise I will.

Melvie, actually the hibs look leggy coz they lost all their lower leaves last winter and then a bit more earlier this year. I just didn't have the heart to cut them down. They didn't grow leggy.

The spot where the photo was taken, was just their temporary spot. I know what you mean about light not hitting the bottom of the plant though, which is why I usually keep them on a stool by the window. That acts as a plant holder I suppose. Actually one of them usually sits right on my southern window ledge downstairs coz it is wide enough.