Eileen’s hibiscus, August 2012, Ocean Grove, New Jersey. EG photo
By Eileen Goldfinger, Food and Garden Editor @Blogfinger
Last February when we were in Ft. Myers, Florida, we took a trip to the Fleamasters flea market on MLK Blvd. to buy a hibiscus plant for our Florida garden.
I unfortunately didn’t examine the plant carefully. I was seduced by its beautiful flower and did not notice that it was leggy and had mealy bugs. Disappointed but undaunted, I placed it on our sunny patio, repotted it with planting soil and sprayed it thoroughly every few days with Eight Insect Control by Bonide. I rid it of bugs and pruned it by a third.
Since we were not going to return to Florida for 8 months, I decided to take my hibiscus back to Ocean Grove and give it some TLC until I could place it outside in June. It rewarded me with endless beautiful flowers all summer.
So this November, when we return to Florida for a few weeks, my hibiscus is coming with me. I plan to take it back and forth with us as we travel from New Jersey to Florida and back.
“I like your yarn about the itinerant hibiscus. It’s nice to count plants and flowers as among your fellow sojourners in life. They give you oxygen, something lovely to look at and smell, and they never say anything untoward or upsetting. Perfect traveling companions. “