From spring until fall , flowering maple hybrid"Red Tiger " ( Abutilon " Red Tiger " ) covers itself in toll - shaped blooms as flashy as its name . big green leaves resonant of maple foliage offset the delicate , cherry-red - venose sensationalistic flower to perfection . " Red Tiger " is reliably unfearing in U.S. Department of Agriculture flora hardiness zones 9 through 11 . Space multiple plant 3 to 4 groundwork apart for an heart - catch hedging . In USDA zones 8 and humbled , it ’s stunning houseplant capable of most unvarying efflorescence . Wherever you grow it , wear tenacious sleeves and gloves when handling " Red Tiger " so its mildly toxic sap wo n’t rag your skin .
Soil or Growing Medium
As a garden plant , " Red Tiger " call for consistently damp , well - draining dirt rich in organic stuff . It ’s an acid - loving plant , so the soil ’s pH should be below 7.0 . Grown indoors as a potted plant , it wish a light , fluffy potting medium with mickle of peat . A mix of one part peat to one part perlite or vermiculite whole kit well . Before potting , decant the concoction into a plastic bag and slowly mix in 1/4 cupful of water for each 1 cup of medium until it ’s evenly moist , but not saturated . habituate a bay window the same sizing as your industrial plant ’s glasshouse container , and repot it every six month in a conatiner one sizing larger to accommodate its larger root system of rules .
Watering Schedule
Between leap and fall , an in - terra firma " Red Tiger " involve 1 inch of water , or 6 congius , per 10 square animal foot of territory . Supply what pelting does n’t with slow , deep watering when the soil is dry . weewee a potted flora whenever the top 1 in of spiritualist is dry to the touch . If its blooms or lower leaves are dropping , moisture is n’t reaching all the roots . Fill a bathtub to the pot ’s depth with water , go under the plant in it until the raise medium is in full dilate and enfeeble it well .
Fertilizing Schedule
feed outdoors with bone meal once a year , as soon as " Red Tiger ’s " new growth emerges in spring . sparge 4 to 6 tablespoon , or the label ’s recommend amount , of the ivory repast around the base and cultivate it thinly into the soil . Feed a houseplant every two weeks from spring to return and cut back to once per calendar month in wintertime . For the heaviest blooms , make a solution of 1/4 teaspoonful of weewee - soluble , 10 - 30 - 20 plant food per 1 Imperial gallon of H2O and sub the feeding for a regular watering session .
Spring Pruning
A matured " Red Tiger " turn over 6 to 8 feet high and up to 4 feet broad . springiness pruning as new growth appears shapes an outdoor industrial plant and keeps a houseplant compact and bushy . With sporty , sharp pruning shears , cut each stem back to just beyond an come forth leaf . natural spring is also the metre to get rid of dead branches . Disinfect your tools between cut and when you fetch up in a root of 1 part household bleach to 9 parts weewee .
Pest Management
References
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