Hibiscus 'Walbertons Rose Moon'

Planting Advice for Hibiscus 'Walbertons Rose Moon':

• Grow in a moist, well-drained soil in a sheltered position in full sun
• On receipt, soak the roots in water for at least 2 hours (overnight is better). If you can't plant straight away, they should be fine for up to a week if left in a cool, dark, frost-free place - keep the bag around the roots with some water inside. Don't worry if the roots have been cut quite harshly - this is done to encourage the plant to grow.
• Select an appropriate spot for your plants, making sure that you give them space to grow to their full size.
• Dig a hole twice the width of the roots, forking over the bottom to loosen the soil, and add some good quality fertiliser such as Blood Fish & Bone.
• Aim to plant at the same depth as the soil mark on the trunk.
• Holding the tree or plant upright in position with one hand, slowly backfill the hole with soil, and gently shake the plant, so the soil falls back around the roots.
• Use your heel to compact the soil around the plant to ensure good contact around the roots.
• If you're planting into pots, place some old rocks, stones or gravel in the bottom of the pot for drainage and ballast. Use the best compost you can buy.

Aftercare Advice for your 'Walbertons Rose Moon':

• Water your hibiscus well and regularly as these plants don't like to dry out.
• Once planted, keep the area free of competing weeds.
• Apply a generous layer of mulch around the base of the plant after planting and thereafter annually.
• Happy in a large container as long as you keep it well-watered. Protect the crown with a dry mulch through the winter months.
• Hibiscus can be bare of leaves right up until May, so don't think that your plant has expired - keep it well-watered and it will burst into life when ready!

Pruning Advice for Hibiscus:

• Prune back two or three buds in the late winter months or early spring to encourage larger flowers the following summer - if the shrub is left unpruned, it will continue to produce numerous blooms, but they will often be smaller in diameter.
• Trim any dead or damaged growth each year in mid spring and remove faded flowers.
• Hibiscus flower on the current season's growth, so pruning encourages them to flower prolifically.