Hibiscus not blooming? Three things to check first

A hibiscus covered in healthy leaves but short on flowers is one of the most common things people bring to us. Nearly always, it comes down to one of three things.

Light. Hibiscus bloom on sun. In too much shade they’ll grow lush and green and simply won’t set many buds. Six hours of direct sun is the rough minimum.

Feeding balance. A fertilizer heavy in nitrogen grows leaves at the expense of flowers. For bloom you want a balanced feed with enough potassium — that’s the nutrient behind flowering and colour. Our Hibiscus Special is blended for exactly this.

Pruning and pests. Hibiscus flower on new growth, so a light prune encourages more of it. And check the buds: if they yellow and drop before opening, thrips may be the culprit, and that’s a different fix.

Work through those three in order and most shy bloomers come around. If yours doesn’t, bring us a photo of the whole plant — sometimes the answer is in something easy to miss.