The foliage on our hibiscus plants looks healthy and green, but they drop their buds before they open. What do we need to do?
Open a fallen bud or two to check for hibiscus midges. The small larva stages are yellow and often seen crawling among the flower portions. The feeding insects cause the buds to fall before opening. When present, control with a general insect herbicide labeled for hibiscus available from your local garden center. If the insects are not present, the buds may be dropping because of the plant’s rapid growth. Summer rains and frequent feedings can cause the plants to produce growth at the expense of flowers. Reduce the feedings or apply only blossom-booster type products to encourage flowers by fall.
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