Get a longer hose, definitely. :)

It looks alive, which is the first step, I'd let it recover a bit before doing anything drastic... growing leaves is a starting point. I would then start aggressively pruning branches that are growing where you don't want them. I've found with mine, if you cut deep, in a few weeks, it will spit off three branches or so from right below the cut point.

To resurrect it, I'd consider cutting DEEP, and letting it promote new growth. They grow rapidly in the summer. Start your pruning at the beginning of the growing season, and do it one branch at a time. If not maintained, they'll grow in an unsightly manner and you won't get a nice bushy green plant with big flowers.

Definatly a longer hose ! I would prune it back and maybe take a post hole diger, dig a deep hole about a 6-12" away and put a strong stake in there to straighten it.. it could happen. These things that come with the place are sometimes "needy" but it can be fixed and I'm sure by May or so it will be Beautiful! Keep us posted.

It looks like a "tree form" to me. If you want to maintain that form, your only hope it to dig it up and set it upright and re-stake it.

Can you see a graft line? Maybe let it bloom before doing anything. It might be a color you dislike.

Miamial, how many deep cuts would you say you put on each branch? Or rather how closely spaced are they? I have a similar looking plant to Heather's (except not quite as vertically challenged. Also, by DEEP do you mean like halfway through?

By deep I mean, right about the LAST knot on the branch. Cut it down to a 3 inch branch, and watch it shoot off 3 branches. Cut down one branch and see how it grows back. I don't trim hibiscus, I prune them... deeply... :)

LOL oh I see! That would make sense :o) I'll try it this weekend since it isn't too late yet. Yeesh, I'm glad I asked and you responded so quickly. I would have been out there mutilating all the branches not just cutting them down! Please disregard the blatantly newbie question! heh heh, well you learn something new everyday.

It's not just a newbie thing. I've been on this forum since 2001 and still learn something new every day. That's why I keep coming back!

Kate

I have an "eco-friendly" solution that I use for most of my problems in the garden:

1 quart water
1 tsp. Dr. Bronner's Peppermint liquid castile soap
( available in health food markets)
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp baking soda

Mix together and pour into spray bottle. Spray in early morning or evening but not in the heat of the day. Use for three consecutive weeks to kill bugs and eggs. This is also good for fungus problems.

Regina

If your hibiscus gets " bunch top " growth , it could be infested with pink hibiscus mealybugs . The new leaves come out curled and the stems grow very close together .

This is a GREAT link . Keep in mind that some of the photos were taken using a microscope . It's not always that easy to see the mealybugs in person .

Here is a link that might be useful: The Pink Hibiscus Mealybug

Better yet let someone you know prune it for you... You might be nervous about the cut, it's not their plant so they don't care. I have let my mother loose in my garden before and while it hurts a little at first she will prune what I am to scared to prune hard and with great results.

Thanks for the input. We'll see whether we can dig it up and straighten it, and I'll aggressively prune it to try to get it to fill in.

Thanks!

Heather