A perennial shrub like the hardy hibiscus delivers large, showy blooms that look stunning in the summer landscape. And there are plenty of varieties that provide differing sizes and color.
Hardy hibiscus can grow to 8 feet tall, but if you're looking for something more petite that still packs a colorful punch, go for the dwarf varieties in the "Luna" series. These grow 2 or 3 feet tall.
"Midnight Marvel" and "Evening Rose" blossom into white or red, and some have burgundy leaves that deliver color even when the plant isn't flowering. There is one dwarf variety with yellowish flowers called "French Vanilla."
The key to growing hardy hibiscus is to find a well-drained site in full sun. Once the shrub is established, it will come back reliably year after year.
And once the plant gets to its full height, there isn't much to do to keep it thriving. There is one pest you might have to watch out for and that's the hibiscus sawfly, which begins as a small caterpillar.
The sawfly defoliates individual leaves, so if you begin to see that sort of damage, check on the undersides of leaves and hand-pick them.
If you have a lot of sawfly caterpillars, try an organic pesticide, but take care to spray it on your plants in the evening when bees aren't active, as it can harm them.
In fall, because the stems are hollow, leave the hibiscus plants in your garden because a lot of beneficial insects might overwinter there. In spring, once the insects have moved on, cut the plant back, then be patient. They are very slow to emerge in spring, but they will!
Once hot weather returns, the hardy hibiscus will grow and you'll have a full plant in your landscape and those giant, gaudy blooms again.
How to control Colorado potato beetles
Q: So far, I've simply been squashing them by hand but it's hard going with Colorado potato beetles. There have been many this year. Do you have any suggestions? - Brendan, in Norwich
A: Probably the first course of action — in the spring or early summer when the plants first come up — is to look for the beetle's telltale orange-colored eggs on the bottom sides of the potato plants' leaves.
If you find them, crush them with your fingers. If you miss some of them, you'll begin to see red slugs. Those are the Colorado potato beetle larvae. You can crush those with your hands, too.
And if your plants are really covered with larvae, slugs or the adult beetles, try a spray like organic B.t., or Bacillus thuringiensis tenebrionis.
In the future, plant some companion plants like cilantro and dill in your potato patch. Those can help deter the Colorado potato beetle.
Seeking solutions for buggy basil
Q: My basil in containers on the porch is being attacked by Japanese beetles any tips on how to get that under control? - Twinkie, in Putney
A: Because you have the basil in a container on a porch, the best thing to do is just hand-pick the beetles every morning and put them in a bowl of soapy water, and that'll kill them.
You can also cover the whole container with a mesh material. That will not allow the Japanese beetles to get in there to attack your basil. It may not be aesthetically pleasing, but the beetles won't bug your basil!
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