saving enclosure plants

[tdotcham]

I recently revived a dying hibiscus free range tree that had dropped nearly all it's leaves after being brought in from outdoors for fall weather (I live in Canada).

His enclosure plants were doing fine.. until recently. the small hibiscus i had in there never flourished or grew but was green and held it's leaves. as of late the leaves are yellowing and are starting to fall off. I've already decided hibiscus are just too hard to keep without being in sun all the time and being a plant dedicated to the bottom half of the cage I'd rather go with something hardy.

the plant im most interested in helping stay alive is a 3 foot umbrella tree I have where my guy sleeps on every night. just lately small branches started to brown and then wither away. I am not sure if this is due to over watering or under watering. I stopped watering due to the dripper placement, however I have moved it to avoid it from pouring on the tree so often.

 

[lisa h]

I could never get a hibiscus to live in my enclosure. I suspect too much water. My umbrella tree is doing great. It does lose a few branches now and again, but then branches pop up elsewhere. I've had to cut the top off many times as it got too high for the enclosure. Mine gets LOTS of water -- directly and as humidity as I have one kept in my pygmy enclosure and one with my Werners (and formerly with my Sternfeldi), as these species like it pretty damp.

 

[tdotcham]

hmmm it could be a lack of water... maybe after I tried to redirect the dripper

 

[DGray]

um... light

Sorry, but that is a problem with living north of the 47th parallel. You need supplemental light, especially for hibiscus, after equinox.

Four 48" tubes on for 12.5 hrs a day should work. They need to be close to the tops of the plants - within 6".

Best of luck; its going to be a cold one this year.