Hibiscus plant will not dry up in winter, use tea leaves like this after making tea, there will be abundance of red flowers.

When the weather changes or in winter, the hibiscus plant often starts drying up, the leaves turn yellow and the buds start falling. Gardeners get upset by this, but experts say that with a little attention and adopting a very easy home remedy, the plant can be made green again. As soon as proper care, sunlight, water and soil are balanced, hibiscus blooms again and starts giving big flowers.

Hibiscus is called the ‘king of flowers’ because its large, attractive and continuously blooming flowers enhance the beauty of any garden. It has special popularity in Indian homes. But when it starts drying up or growth stops, the plant cannot recover quickly. At such times, the plant can be given new life by following the advice of gardening experts. Hibiscus is capable of giving flowers throughout the year when given proper care.

Gardening expert Kaushal Kishore Jaiswal says that there is no need of any expensive fertilizer to fill the hibiscus with flowers again. Just the leftover tea leaves in the house i.e. a ‘free recipe’ gives new life to the plant. This organic fertilizer makes the soil nutritious and gives the plant the ability to bloom faster. With proper use, hibiscus not only becomes healthy, but the size of the flowers also becomes bigger and brighter.

He further said that the main reason for drying of hibiscus, withering or yellowing of leaves is water logging in the roots. When the soil remains marshy, the roots do not get oxygen and they start rotting. Therefore, water the plant only when the top 1–2 inches of soil feels dry. Use soil with good drainage and there must be drainage holes at the bottom of the pot. Proper irrigation is most important for the growth and flowering of the plant.

He said that hibiscus produces flowers in good numbers only when it is cut and pruned from time to time. By rigorous pruning once or twice a year, the plant starts growing new and fresh. At the same time, light pruning during the flowering season produces new branches on which more buds are formed. It is necessary to remove withered flowers and dry branches. Due to this the plant becomes bushy and starts giving more and bigger flowers.

He said that hibiscus needs 4 to 5 hours of direct sunlight every day. If there is less sunlight, the flowers become smaller or do not bloom at all. Therefore, keep the plant in a place where it gets morning or afternoon light. Also, mealybugs often attack hibiscus. To prevent this, spray neem oil or neem leaves. It keeps the plant healthy by protecting it from insects and helps in the formation of new buds.

He told that the ‘free thing’ suggested by the gardener was used tea leaves. It contains elements like nitrogen, phosphorus and potash, which act as excellent fertilizer for hibiscus. This makes the soil slightly acidic, which is the preferred condition for hibiscus. Washing used tea leaves twice and mixing them with soil speeds up the growth of the plant and produces more buds. This is a completely organic and safe method.

He also said that whether it is tea bags or leftover tea leaves, both can be used, the milk and sugar present in the tea leaves can cause fungus, hence it is important to wash it thoroughly first. Mix washed tea leaves in the soil once a month or put them on the surface of the pot. Taking care of the plant’s moisture and sunlight, its regular use fills the hibiscus with flowers again in a few weeks.