How to Prune Tropical Hibiscus
- 1). Mix a solution of 9 parts water and 1 part bleach in a bucket. Soak your shears' blades for 10 minutes to sterilize them.
- 2). Prune the tropical hibiscus' top one-third in late winter to early spring, before the plant produces flower buds for that growing season. Make your pruning cuts 1/4 inch above a leaf bud at a 45-degree angle.
- 3). Feed the shrub a high-phosphorous fertilizer to encourage blooming after cutting its top third off. Select a formula labeled as a "bloom booster" and apply it according to the label instructions.
- 4). Trim dead, diseased and broken stems as you notice them. Remove crisscrossed and limp branches.