Rose Okra (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis). is an eye-catcher for the room and terrace. However, it needs to be repotted from time to time.
Balcony or patio gardeners are mostly plant and flower lovers who don't have their own garden. And yet they develop great and admirable gardening skills, transforming their few square meters in front of the apartment into a blooming jewel. Plants, perennials and shrubs thrive there, which also grow in the garden. There are also a number of houseplants among them.
In the open air, the rose mallow (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) also feels in good hands there in summer. The fact that it develops well over many years in a pot or bucket is mainly due to the fact that it is repotted from time to time. Step-by-step instructions for repotting can be found here.
Repot the hibiscus before going to the summer resort
When the first root tips can be seen through the drainage holes on the bottom of the pot, it's time to think about transplanting the indoor hibiscus. The best time for this is spring, when the plant's growth spurt begins. This can vary from region to region. Observations have shown that this growth spurt can begin as early as March in southern Germany, while it will take as long as April in northern Germany.
Forsythia (golden bells), for example, could herald the appropriate time for repotting.
❶ Choose a new planter for hibiscus sensibly.
- Choose the pot for transplanting the rose mallow sensibly. A plastic planter is better for this than a clay pot. A clay pot absorbs the moisture when watering. This allows minerals in the fertilizer to be absorbed by the moist pot wall. When watering and fertilizing, it can lead to irritation for the plant. It also damages the roots if the moisture in the pot lasts too long in damp and cool summers.
- In addition, the new pot should not be too big. If it is 1 to 2 centimeters larger than the previous, then it's definitely enough. If you use a larger pot, you will need more substrate for planting. This absorbs a larger amount of moisture,much more than the plant can absorb in a short time. And that can ultimately lead to waterlogging, moldy substrate and root rot.
- For large plants reuse the same pot as before. All you have to do is cut back the root mass heavily.
❷ The right plant substrate
In order to protect the roots of the Hibiscus rosa-sinensis from possible root diseases, the plant should be placed in a special substrate. Therefore, do not use normal potting soil that has been wet for far too long. It is therefore advisable that you mix your special substrate yourself. For this you need:
- 7 parts of high-quality balcony and pot plant soil
- 2 parts compost
- 7 parts Perlite (Available here)
Where can you get the compost if you don't have a compost heap yourself? Ask the hobby gardeners in your circle of friends or colleagues if they can help you with compost . Otherwise, you can get information in your community where there is a composting facility in your area and whether it is possible to purchase compost from there. Another option is the Ga-La building. This gardening and landscaping company is represented in almost all larger towns. This can certainly help you.
❸ And off to the new pot
In the end, you do the repotting yourself. Beforehand, you filled the new planter with some of the substrate you mixed yourself. Now the hibiscus can move to its new pot.
- Hold the plant and turn it upside down with the pot. Then release the plant from the pot by tapping the bottom of the pot.
- If you have removed the rose mallow, you will find a closed root wall. It is important that you loosen the root wall well. A fork can be very helpful for this. Cut off long, protruding roots with sharp scissors. The hibiscus doesn't blame you for harmless damage to the root.
- Then you must fill the gap between the root and the pot wall with the substrate. Then water your rosemary well. Place the pot on a kitchen towel. The excess water is absorbed by the cloth. So no waterlogging is caused.
By the way: If the root wall is not loosened, it can take a long time for roots to grow into the new substrate.