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It's still too early to move tropical hibiscus outdoors
Q: Last year, I purchased two tropical hibiscus plants and three geraniums that lived in pots on my patio all summer long. I learned, much to my surprise, that the hibiscus weren鈥檛 the hardy types I thought I was looking for, so ended up bringing everybody in for the winter. Fast-forward to now, I want the space I鈥檝e given them back. I鈥檓 so ready to get them all back outdoors on the patio. I鈥檓 tickled that every one of the plants has survived through the winter months, and the geraniums even flowered for me a couple of times. The hibiscus have put on several more leaves, making them a bit larger than they were when they first came in, but all in all they are doing pretty good. My question is when can I put everyone back outside? 鈥� N.S., Albuquerque
A: This time of year, with the lengthening daylight hours, we鈥檙e all ready to get back outside, but I want you to practice patience for several more weeks.
The average last frost date for the Albuquerque area is April 17. That鈥檚 a full three weeks away. So please, patience.
If you wanted to, you could go ahead and repot all of your treasures now while they are still indoors, offering brand new potting soil for them to live off of for this coming growing season. Remember, you want to use potting soil, not garden soil. It won鈥檛 do any harm to wait until they are moved before repotting, but if you have the room to do this chore now, go for it.
As to the hibiscus having grown a bit, you could give them a pruning up now too. Snipping off about a third of the stems will help keep them more tidy looking. It鈥檒l be best that you leave one to two sets of true leaves on the stems, so keep that in mind before you go giving a harsh haircut.
You don鈥檛 say what size pots the hibiscus are in but as the weather gets nicer, and the pots aren鈥檛 too heavy you could, on really pleasant days, take everyone outside remembering to bring them back in at night. That hardens them off, allowing them an easier transition to living back outside full-time when the time is right. Just know, the time is not right yet.
If the daytime temperatures are hovering at a consistent 55 degrees, then they can go out for the day. Just remember to get them back indoors at night. That鈥檚 why I ask how big the pots containing the hibiscus are. If they are large and heavy, you certainly don鈥檛 want to have to lug and fight with them each evening or, worse yet, forget them and take the big chance of harming them. Me? No matter how much I want to get my sheltered plants back outside, I wait until the first weekend in May, yes May, to set them outdoors.
Then, I鈥檓 a weather watcher, so all is not lost on a surprise late frost.
If you鈥檝e lived here in this area for a long time, like me, you have seen it snow on Mother鈥檚 Day. Again, please be patient, offer fresh potting soil if you鈥檙e of a mind, and know that soon enough you鈥檒l get to regain all the space you have offered your overwintering plants.
Q: I have always admired Easter lilies. Now I have a yard and want to know if I can plant them outside after I鈥檝e enjoyed their blooms. Is that possible? 鈥� L.L., Albuquerque
A: Lilium longiflorum, or Easter lilies, can be planted after you鈥檝e enjoyed them indoors, but like the answer above, I wouldn鈥檛 plant them any time before the last week of April, and that鈥檒l be weather dependent too. I鈥檝e got a bit more reading to do, so more on this process next week.
Meanwhile, Happy Easter while you鈥檙e out there Diggin鈥� In!
Tracey Fitzgibbon is a certified nurseryman. Send garden-related questions to Digging In, 近距离内射合集, 7777 Jefferson St. NE, Albuquerque, N.M. 87109, or to features@abqjournal.com.
