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sunspot
25-09-2011, 14:59
I have 2 questions i could do with some help with

Whats the best treatment for Whitefly on small Palms?
Whens the best time to cut back my Hibicus,its in full bloom but its taking over the garden so needs trimming back?

sunseeker
25-09-2011, 17:48
i heard that if you spray a mix of water and washing up liquid on the underside of plant leaves it keeps the whitefly off. :)

canarybird
25-09-2011, 18:28
Dish detergent mixed with water acts as a contact spray, that is, it will kill the flies that are already there but it doesn't prevent them from coming back again.

Like using a strong jet from a hose to do the same, it has to be repeated from time to time.

And be sure that you spray on a cool, sunless day as the sun acting on the soapy spray can burn the leaves.

Once you've applied the spray, let it dry and then wash it off with a hose jet to clear off any residue of the detergent, either later the same day or the next day.

Hibiscus can be trimmed at any time of the year but it's customary here to do a hard prune on roses, bushes and trees in February (and with the waning moon, according to the locals).

Another, lighter prune is often done at the end of the summer.

But if using hibiscus as a hedge, as we do, it can be trimmed several times a year to keep it in shape.

I've just cut back a single hibiscus which I keep as a shaped bush. We used heavy long handled cutters to get right through to the wood, rather than just trimming the leaves, to reshape the bush.

We usually wait until a flush of flowers has finished before we trim the hedges.

Here's the gardener trimming the hibiscus hedge on Sept. 12. He had to cut it back to the wood this time.

http://canarybird.smugmug.com/Other/Tenerife-North-Weather-2/i-vdhrHQT/0/M/P1110726-sep-12-am-M.jpg

Hope that's of some help to you. :)

Canarybird

sunseeker
25-09-2011, 18:36
:wow: what a great post!

Indigo
25-09-2011, 20:20
Dish detergent mixed with water acts as a contact spray, that is, it will kill the flies that are already there but it doesn't prevent them from coming back again.

Like using a strong jet from a hose to do the same, it has to be repeated from time to time.

And be sure that you spray on a cool, sunless day as the sun acting on the soapy spray can burn the leaves.

Once you've applied the spray, let it dry and then wash it off with a hose jet to clear off any residue of the detergent, either later the same day or the next day.

Hibiscus can be trimmed at any time of the year but it's customary here to do a hard prune on roses, bushes and trees in February (and with the waning moon, according to the locals).

Another, lighter prune is often done at the end of the summer.

But if using hibiscus as a hedge, as we do, it can be trimmed several times a year to keep it in shape.

I've just cut back a single hibiscus which I keep as a shaped bush. We used heavy long handled cutters to get right through to the wood, rather than just trimming the leaves, to reshape the bush.

We usually wait until a flush of flowers has finished before we trim the hedges.

Here's the gardener trimming the hibiscus hedge on Sept. 12. He had to cut it back to the wood this time.

http://canarybird.smugmug.com/Other/Tenerife-North-Weather-2/i-vdhrHQT/0/M/P1110726-sep-12-am-M.jpg

Hope that's of some help to you. :)

Canarybird

Next time you trim the hibiscus, would you be able to save the cuttings for me please for my tortoise :)

sunspot
25-09-2011, 20:28
Dish detergent mixed with water acts as a contact spray, that is, it will kill the flies that are already there but it doesn't prevent them from coming back again.

Like using a strong jet from a hose to do the same, it has to be repeated from time to time.

And be sure that you spray on a cool, sunless day as the sun acting on the soapy spray can burn the leaves.

Once you've applied the spray, let it dry and then wash it off with a hose jet to clear off any residue of the detergent, either later the same day or the next day.

Hibiscus can be trimmed at any time of the year but it's customary here to do a hard prune on roses, bushes and trees in February (and with the waning moon, according to the locals).

Another, lighter prune is often done at the end of the summer.

But if using hibiscus as a hedge, as we do, it can be trimmed several times a year to keep it in shape.

I've just cut back a single hibiscus which I keep as a shaped bush. We used heavy long handled cutters to get right through to the wood, rather than just trimming the leaves, to reshape the bush.

We usually wait until a flush of flowers has finished before we trim the hedges.

Here's the gardener trimming the hibiscus hedge on Sept. 12. He had to cut it back to the wood this time.

http://canarybird.smugmug.com/Other/Tenerife-North-Weather-2/i-vdhrHQT/0/M/P1110726-sep-12-am-M.jpg

Hope that's of some help to you. :)

Canarybird

Fantastic reply.........thankyou very much