My potted hibiscus has been having many leaves turn yellow every day the past few weeks. Am I overwatering it

Hey Liz,



Do you have drain holes in the bottom of the container? If not, put some holes. When you water the Hibiscus, be sure to observe water coming out the drains. Then, let it dry out nearly completely. That way you are sure not to overwater it. Water deep and infrequent. If you roots are not vital, they are mushy, you might be overwatering or have an disease.



Eighty percent of problems with this plant will be watering too much or too little. Also, the Hibiscus does not like freezing, and will die in freezing temps. Is it indoors? or outdoors? and has the temp dropped where you are at?



I have to take mine in for the winter, and wait to put them back out. If your leaves grow in dark home inside lighting, they will turn yellow and then brown if you bring it out in one sudden move.



Hey, try eating the flowers - they are delicious. Just the petals.
My potted hibiscus has been having many leaves turn yellow every day the past few weeks. Am I overwatering it
Start letting the soil dry out between waterings for the next month.



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Reply:The OLD leaves are dying off so that the new ones can have lots of strength from the moisture and soil. Now would be a good time to repot in a larger pot and add some new soil.



Good Growing.



The Muse
Reply:Probably. The main sign of overwatering any plant is yellowing and leaf drop. Also, a hibiscus needs very little watering during the winter. The shorter days (less sunlight) and colder temperatures will restrict growth of a hibiscus - it may even go dormant. So, there will be little growth and, as such, it needs very little water.



More plants are killed by excessive watering than by drought. And, plants like a hibiscus will tolerate a mild drought much better than overwatering. Let the soil dry out completely before watering again. If you get a bit of leaf wilt from underwatering, that's fine. It will come back when you water it.



One other thing might be that it's just reacting to the cold. As a tropical plant, a hibiscus will not flower below about 55 degrees F. And, if it's exposed to temperatures below 40 F, leaves will yellow and drop off. Whole branches might even die. And, if the plant experiences freezing temperatures, all but the hardiest of hibiscus plants will die completely.