A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The House Plant Forum Tropical Hibiscus Indoors for the Winter?

I live in zone 5- NY and will be bringing my tropical hibiscus in for the Winter. This is the first year I've had it. Just wondering if anyone has any sucess bringing theirs indoors. Any suggestions would be greatly welcomed.
Thanks, Gail

I am also in NY but zone 6, and I have to tell you the few times I have tried it, the plants got terrible spider mites and I wasn't able to save them. I hope you have much better luck than I did.

And here is a link with pretty much the same question with a few answers.
http://www.thegardenhelper.com/cgi-bin/ubb/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi/topic/68/1857.html

I have one I bring inside I have some more that I leave out

Thank you

Hi I bring mine in every year I am in Rhode Island, one of the most important things is get a bag of the small white marble chips/pebbles and fill the top of the pot with that, the small white flies breed in the dirt and this way they cannot lay the eggs. if you do end up with the small white flies hang some yellow pieces of paper that you have smeared with vasoline from the leaves and they will get caught/stuck just throw the paper away and continue until the rocks do there job, also if you end up loosing all the leafs in the dec/jan months do not get discoraged mine does that every year, it helps if you put a humidifier in the room, i find the plants do much better, the leafs will come back.

Hi, I also live in NY and have had my hibiscus for 4 years. I trim it back and bring in for the winter. We had a freeze the other night and it was still outside, but I brought it in yesterday and it seems ok. I keep it in the basement and it is near a window so it gets a little sun. I water it about once a month, and sometimes add a little liquid fertilizer to the water. It loses some leaves but once it is brought back outside in April(if it is warm enough) or May it does well and blooms all summer and early fall. I originally bought it for $3 at Lowes at the end of season, and it was a good bargain.

Thanks. So far, it's doing well. Some leaf loss but I have 2 new blooms. I haven't gotten the pebbles yet, but will get to Lowes next weekend, and will do that then. I love the blooms it has in the Summer, so am hoping that I can get it through the Winter! Thanks again, I'll keep everyone posted...