Homemade Fertilizer for Inside Hibiscuses

Growing Indoor Hibiscus

• The hibiscus cultivar that is usually grown inside the home is the Hibiscus rosa-sinensis. It is a tropical plant that cannot tolerate temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. This plant is often grown outdoors for the summer months and then brought inside and grown as a houseplant during colder months. Hibiscus require abundant amounts of sunlight to produce blooms and so should be placed in an area with bright but indirect sunlight. They also need some humidity, so misting is required in indoor heat. Keep the soil pH around 6.5. Hibiscus are heavy feeders when blooming, generally in spring and fall, so provide fertilizer every two weeks, according to the Bachman's Nursery website.

Nutrient Requirements

• Hibiscus require regular fertilization to provide the nutrients for cellular processes and bloom production. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are the three crucial components of a good plant fertilizer. Hibiscus require nitrogen for foliage growth and potassium for flower production. Hibiscus plants also need trace elements like copper, iron, boron and magnesium. Insufficient iron can cause "chlorosis," a yellowing of hibiscus foliage. Keeping soil slightly on the acidic side of the pH scale helps the plant to absorb the nutrients it needs for good growth.

About Homemade Fertilizers

• Although many commercial fertilizers are available on the market, they can be expensive and strong enough to burn the roots of hibiscus plants. Poultry manure provides a high amount of nitrogen for hibiscus plants as well as phosphorus and potassium. Urea provides additional nitrogen. Seaweed contains many nutrients that plants require, including iron, copper, manganese and zinc. The sulphur in seaweed also helps to keep soil acidic.

Homemade Fertilizer for Indoor Hibiscus Plants

• Local garden centers carry a wide range of organic nutrients suitable for fertilizing indoor hibiscus. Generally, liquid "teas" made from these ingredients allow for the easiest use of these materials. Mixing one-fifth of a bucketful of dried chicken manure with water to fill the bucket, allowing it steep for three days, then decanting it will allow you to dilute the tea to a suitable strength for hibiscus plants. Similarly, one-fifth bucket of seaweed then filled with water and allowed to steep will provide most of the nutrients hibiscus plants need. Using two-thirds bucket of freshly cut grass clippings and filled to the top with water will provide sufficient nitrogen for the plants. The resulting tea is then diluted and added to the soil no more than once every two weeks, according to MotherEarthNews writer Barbara Pleasant.