Whats wrong with my rose of Sharon?

leoturt

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I'm new to plants.

I bought 2 rose of Sharon and a hibiscus for my tort (I want to give variety), but one of my rose of Sharon leaves are just not healthy looking at all (the one below) and there are several yellow leaves. Does anyone know what's wrong? I water them like once every 2 or 3 days by feeling the dirt a few inches below and wait till the soil is just a little moist, and I soak them each time I water them. As you can see, there are some small black dots on the leaves. There are also small spiders sitting on their webs throughout the plant. IMG_20200608_174029.jpg

Here is my other one that looks somewhat healthier.
IMG_20200608_174044.jpg

Both plants' leaves used to be somewhat darker when I first got them. So they slowly got more yellow when I bought them.

Just for kicks, here is my hibiscus and my spineless prickly pear pots next to it. The hibiscus is much healthier than my 2 rose of Sharon. No problems with it.
 

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turtlesteve

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It is a nutrient deficiency of some sort, I don’t have enough experience to say which one. Maybe lightly fertilize them using something with micronutrients?
 

Toddrickfl1

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I'm new to plants.

I bought 2 rose of Sharon and a hibiscus for my tort (I want to give variety), but one of my rose of Sharon leaves are just not healthy looking at all (the one below) and there are several yellow leaves. Does anyone know what's wrong? I water them like once every 2 or 3 days by feeling the dirt a few inches below and wait till the soil is just a little moist, and I soak them each time I water them. As you can see, there are some small black dots on the leaves. There are also small spiders sitting on their webs throughout the plant. View attachment 296863

Here is my other one that looks somewhat healthier.
View attachment 296864

Both plants' leaves used to be somewhat darker when I first got them. So they slowly got more yellow when I bought them.

Just for kicks, here is my hibiscus and my spineless prickly pear pots next to it. The hibiscus is much healthier than my 2 rose of Sharon. No problems with it.
How is the drainage in the pots? Sometimes to much moisture can turn leaves yellow.
 

Paul M Jones

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They don’t need to be soaked. Right now I’d cut back on the watering once every few days. Dig In the soil with your fingers in a couple days if the soil is bone dry a couple inches down then it’s time to water.
 

turtlesteve

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I really don’t think this looks like overwatering, but I could be wrong. Hibiscus tolerate moist soil pretty well. If the soil is really dense (like pure peat) it may be preventing air from reaching the roots, and this could warrant repotting. Most commercially sold potting soil is garbage for this reason.
 

turtlesteve

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I also have one that looks yellow, for what it’s worth. I know it’s a deficiency but have not managed to get it corrected yet. Been like this for 2 months and growing continually during that time.

image.jpg
 

turtlesteve

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have you changed the soil since you bought it?

Yeah, it was a tiny mail order plant in a 4” pot. I mix my own potting soil for everything. I’m not sure why this one plant is unhappy as my other hibiscus are all dark green. The spider plant it shares the pot with is happy. This is Hibiscus schizopetalus, a species from Madagascar, so I am wondering if it’s adapted to a different soil pH. Sometimes the wrong soil pH can cause a deficiency even if the element is present in the soil. I am probably going to try a new fertilizer and maybe some lime pellets, and see what happens.
 
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It could possibly be over-watering, but that should be easy to determine by lifting the pot when it's dry (right before you would normally water), getting a sense of its heft (or you could literally weigh it), then water it very well, let the pot drain for a few minutes, and test the weight again. It should be noticably heavier.
I think it is most likely a nutrient deficiency, probably nitrogen. Potted plants have to get all their minerals from the potting soil, which has limited nutrients. I have noticed many tortoise people are afraid of fertilizing plants grown for feed but unless you plant it in the ground you will need to do that with this plant or it will continue to decline. I suspect the nutritional value as a feed will decline also in a nutrient deficient plant. I use a fertilizer formulated for hibiscus on my potted Rose of Sharon and leaf color is nice and dark. Just be sure not to over fertilize.
 

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Loohan

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I have never seen one so yellow. I have read that they should not be coddled with too much fertility and water.
 

leoturt

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It could possibly be over-watering, but that should be easy to determine by lifting the pot when it's dry (right before you would normally water), getting a sense of its heft (or you could literally weigh it), then water it very well, let the pot drain for a few minutes, and test the weight again. It should be noticably heavier.
I think it is most likely a nutrient deficiency, probably nitrogen. Potted plants have to get all their minerals from the potting soil, which has limited nutrients. I have noticed many tortoise people are afraid of fertilizing plants grown for feed but unless you plant it in the ground you will need to do that with this plant or it will continue to decline. I suspect the nutritional value as a feed will decline also in a nutrient deficient plant. I use a fertilizer formulated for hibiscus on my potted Rose of Sharon and leaf color is nice and dark. Just be sure not to over fertilize.
Those leaves look ridiculously healthy! I'll change the soil to pretty soon and see how it goes. Gonna get organic soil. I have fertilized them both like a month ago with fish pond water that had fish poop which is really good. Maybe something else
 

Lisa J

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It looks and sounds like spider mites - try spraying the plant with diluted dawn dish soap- move it away from your other plants as spider mites will spread.
 

TortieD68

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Newcastle
I'm new to plants.

I bought 2 rose of Sharon and a hibiscus for my tort (I want to give variety), but one of my rose of Sharon leaves are just not healthy looking at all (the one below) and there are several yellow leaves. Does anyone know what's wrong? I water them like once every 2 or 3 days by feeling the dirt a few inches below and wait till the soil is just a little moist, and I soak them each time I water them. As you can see, there are some small black dots on the leaves. There are also small spiders sitting on their webs throughout the plant. View attachment 296863
Here is my other one that looks somewhat healthier.
View attachment 296864

Both plants' leaves used to be somewhat darker when I first got them. So they slowly got more yellow when I bought them.

Just for kicks, here is my hibiscus and my spineless prickly pear pots next to it. The hibiscus is much healthier than my 2 rose of Sharon. No problems with it.
 

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Maro2Bear

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The issue might be a triple threat. Over watering, coupled with no fertilizer has weakened the plant, set it up for an attack by the spider mites.

i would water less often (not soak), mix up some Miracle Grow & feed, then use the Dawn dish soap technique to kill the spider mites. Rose of Sharon/Hibiscus in small pots need fertilizer to flourish. Don’t water, but don’t let the small root ball dry out either.

Good luck
 

Maggie3fan

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It looks like spider mites...is that still in the nursery pots? They should be in the ground...I'd replant them in the ground and fertilize them...
 

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