TommyMacLuckie

They do just OK in pots. I've taken care of some here in SE Louisiana in pots (they are in a hot house right now) and they never look very good really. They get scale and they just don't grow much.

You could use the Miracle Gro potting soil, which is what I do for getting things to come back to life, and then eventually use the liquid fertilizer because the soil fert goes away after about 3 months and the liquid fert is better than any granular for potted plants I've found. You can also kill a plant with granular fert saturation over time - like Osmocote - because it can literally replace the dirt as the root medium and the plant just dries out to death. Believe me - I've replaced many hibiscus that were in the ground that had Osmocote totally surrounding their roots. It blew my mind.

For scale, put used coffee grounds on the plant where the new fronds come out (I'm not sure if putting used coffee grounds on the root ball as a mulch works as well but I've read that it does work - you just need a lot), as in literally, on the petiole where the new frond emerges - or just use a mild solution of soap and wash the leaves every now and then.

Overall it should do OK though. I love it when people throw out perfectly good but sad looking plants. I tell 'em 3 months later Thank you and then show them.

I guess you could say I have a really green thumb.