I have been diligently using clean shears to remove the spent blooms on our hearty hibiscus. I’ve read that Thrips get to the dirt when the blooms fall, and there can complete their life cycle. So any damaged or finished bloom needs to go before it falls. As I was clipping, I had one come off in my hand before the scissors could touch the stem. What? Upon closer inspection I noticed a node in the stem about an inch down from the bloom. On every bloom and bud. It takes very little effort to snap off the end at this natural weak point. Neat. No remembering to bring the scissors, I can just pop off the old buds each day as I walk by.

We are getting less Thrip interrupted buds and more blooms daily. The blooms only last a day, so many opportunities to snap stems at the nodes.

Hurray! The hearty hibiscus bloomed!

We have not won the battle with the Thrips, as I had to cut off several buds that were thrip damaged. If the bud opens, but doesn’t burst forth, I assume thrips are to blame. I cut these damaged buds off and throw them away to disrupt the thrip life cycle (they need some dirt time). The Neem oil, Peppermint oil, and Castor soap solution helps some against the insect invasion, so I’ll continue the regimen. I’m not sure I want to delve into stronger methods at this point.

This is a picture of one stem of our happy Hearty Hibiscus. There are other stems also chock full of buds. I’ve been spraying the leaves weekly with a solution of Neem oil, Peppermint oil, Castor soap, and water with the hope it will be enough to keep the Thrips (tiny bud destroying insects) away. So much hope that the blooming is going to be as spectacular as the buds indicate. Hearty Hibiscus blooms only last for a day or so, but they bloom sequentially, so all those buds shouldn’t burst forth at once, but a couple per branch per day. Which still has the potential to be glorious.

Of the three passion vines we planted last year, it seemed only one survived the winter’s freeze. Then I noticed a leaf. It wasn’t the same kind of leaf as the surviving passion vine, but it looked vaguely familiar. As we have had many plant volunteers turn out quite well, I am leaving (leafing, haha) this one to see what happens. A few leaves later, and it looks like it may be a passionflower. The three-lobed leaf looks like the other variety we planted, just about two feet from either of the original planting locations. Either one of the seeds took, or the roots are spreaders. I’ll take it!

A few days after I took this photo, I noticed that a tendril had extended at the top of the plant. Another encouraging clue!