WOW John, I am sorry about that. I enver would have expected that. At least I have a possible solution for you. Make about a 4' wide mound to plant the tree in. Make the old root flare about even with the original ground level, awhile the new developing root flare will be at the top of the mound. The ideal is that the mound will allow gas exchange to all roots while the tree sorts out it's root issues. By the time the caliper is 8-10" the mound won't be noticeable anymore. Our clay has necessitated that I plant almost everything we have in this manner, and ti has worked extremely well. Also now that I am expanding the mulch rings around them, the mound is not at all noticeable. Lastly, the nursery needs to know about this. I have talked to them before about root bound plants etc, and they have been the most forthcoming of anyone I've talked to about it. Arktrees

Gynot, Since the hibiscus is tropical that you are planting, and you don't live in a tropical climate, why don't you just buy bigger pots for them (they don't have to be expensive, plastic will do), and dig a hole, and place the bottom of the pot in the ground where you say it is happy? You can place some composted manure in the hole if you want, that way when the roots grow out the bottom of the pot by the end of the summer, you can just cut them off with sissors and store the plant in the house or greenhouse for the winter. If you don't want to save it anyway, and you want to leave it outside over the winter, still use a pot. easier to discard of it after it dies anyway. Use a pot, you can control the soil better knowing it is receiving optimal growing conditions. You have to water it more, and use Foliage Pro diluted big time every time you water. That way you will be replenishing the nutrients to the plant every time you water, because you will be flusing alot out watering it so much. Bad soil, is alot of amending, alot of work, and your results are not immediate. That is why people use pots and raised beds in areas with bad soil. The plants love great soil.

Try asking on the house plant forum or the container forum.

Ok, ok... No need to get antagonistic everyone. Mike, an isolated dead patch on a leaf is normal, and not something I would obsess about, unless all the leaves were exhibiting this symptom. First, some specific questions to help all of us understand how you care for the plant, which is the reason for the flaring tempers as people try to figure out a problem from a couple blurry (probably iPhone, the cameras always suck on them) photos, and no cultural information at all. How long have you had this plant? How much light does the plant get? How do you water it, and how do you tell if it needs water? I notice you have 2 pots. Does the decorative one have drainage? Is it full of water? Is the soil the same as when you bought the plant? How long has it been in that soil?