Why does the hibiscus flower bud fall off?

Hibiscus has become a popular internet celebrity plant in recent years due to its tenacious growth characteristics and colorful flowers. However, many flower lovers have discovered during the maintenance process that although the flowers of hibiscus are beautiful, the buds are prone to falling off. Let’s learn together why hibiscus flowers drop their buds.

1. Ensure adequate lighting

Whether you are growing hibiscus outdoors or in a pot , they need plenty of sunlight. Sunlight is a key factor in promoting bud formation and flowering of hibiscus. If there is not enough light, the hibiscus may appear to grow too fast but not bloom. For outdoor planting, choose a sunny location, while potted hibiscus should be ensured to receive at least 4 hours of direct sunlight per day.

2. Reasonable irrigation to avoid drought

Although hibiscus is drought-tolerant, if the soil is too dry during the bud stage, the flower buds may fall off prematurely. Therefore, outdoor hibiscus should be watered in time when the soil is dry, and potted hibiscus should also be immediately replenished with water when the surface of the potting soil is dry to prevent the flower buds from falling due to drought.

3. Add phosphorus and potassium fertilizers in time

Even though hibiscus does not require much fertilizer during the vegetative growth period, during the bud stage, a large amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are required for the formation of buds and the opening of flowers. A lack of these nutrients may cause the flower buds to fall off. Therefore, after the summer begins, hibiscus should be supplemented with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers in time. For example, use 1000 times diluted potassium dihydrogen phosphate for root irrigation and foliar spraying every 5 days or so to support the continued opening of flowers and reduce the falling of flower buds.

In short, no matter whether you are planting in the ground or in pots, if the flower buds fall off, you can check whether it is caused by not doing the above steps well.