Hibiscus Care in the Low Desert

Question

I spend the winter in Southern Baja, Mexico. I have two hibiscus plants in my garden. I have been watering my them twice weekly since I arrived on January 1st, and they appear to be dying–brown, dry, withered leaves–though they looked pretty good when I got here. The winter has been very mild–high 60’s occasionally, but mostly 70’s and 80’s. We get a lot of wind this time of year too. Am I over or under watering, or can they be wind-burned?

Answer 1

It is likely a watering issue brought about by the windy conditions. The wind could be drying the plants out before the roots have time to adequately absorb the water. Hibiscus usually doesn’t respond well under these conditions. If at all possible, you may want to consider moving them to a more sheltered area to protect the plants from excessive winds.