Oh, Ken, Your showing your age! :o)
I remember DOS - LOL!
Val
plumeria cuttings
If people only knew how the "language" of computers has evolved and how difficult it was to use computers back in the late 70's and early 80's. Using DOS in the 80's meant one had to literally learn a new language, a language that made absolutely no sense (it still doesn't!).
Yep, I am an old one for sure.
Ken
I'm not retirement age but...I remember DOS too. My smartphone is just a really small computer.
it blows my mind that the kids all walk around with their "phones" , I just learned how to text, and they will call me right back if they see a "missed call" but I ask, did you listen to your voice mail? and they say no, I just saw that you called, so I say back "okay, listen to your voice mail, i love you, goodbye." I wish I could say that to the hundreds of customers I call everyday, I always leave a message, but 25% of the call backs ask why they were called. *sigh*
Why they call them "phones" that is my gripe. I am using a 10 yr old flip fone, and just learned to text LOL And I had to learn DOSS talk when I helped run the accounting in a furniture store. Couldn't even begin to talk DOSS now, am glad to even know what MACROS means on my camera .
I am not retired, Joe is, and we have seen a lot of changes over the years.
My Joe would become intensely addicted to music downloading if he did ever get on a computor.
Yes, Ken, but you're a GOOD one :)
Oldie but a goodie!!
Thank you.
Well, the establishment where I work STILL uses DOS. Sheesh............
Wow Anna...sheesh is right!
Surely you jest...........DOS! I thought that died out three decades ago!
Ken
Happy Thanksgiving! A little early, but I realize some of you will be otherwise occupied on the day of Thanksgiving as is to be expected. Have a wonderful holiday!
Thanks, I have as problem, my plumeria is so tall the leaves are bent under the ceiling, the branch is Y'd about a foot down from the top and the whole main stem is about 5ft. What should I do?
It is not the best time, and in fact is probably the worse time to do what's necessary - cut that plumeria back. You need to do that just before spring comes or during spring. That's when your plumeria will begin growing vigorously from the cut stem and when it is far more easy to root those cuttings. Other than seedlings, all my plumeria (dozens) are now dormant.
Ken
Debra you could lean the pot side ways with a prop to keep it steady if you have the room until spring come like Ken suggested. Mike
*sigh* It is in a HUGE clay pot. it shares it's space with a same height sesbaunia tree. I am toying with the idea of splitting them up, but I have to wait until my son is over to do the moving and lifting, it weighs a ton. I have the sesbaunia branches weighted with a christmas bell strand right now to keep them off the ceiling. will take pic so you can see and suggest from that.
Send those pictures. We might be able to suggest something more then.
Ken
here ya go
OK, first things first. There's not much need right now to walk you though the task of cutting your plant back. It is the wrong time of year.
Wait until March or April to do anything about cutting the plant back. Other than first-year seedlings, I allow all my plumeria to go dormant. That means I quit watering them in early November and by now, other than the tiny, terminal leaves, all the leaves have dropped. All my plants do still get moderate amounts of indirect light though. In my opinion, living where you and I do, dormancy helps the plants grow vigorously in the spring.
It appears that you continue to water and grow your plumeria all year long. So we differ there.
I like to wait to cut my plants back until I know I can put my plants out. Keep in mind that you will want to root those cuttings and will want that rooted "stub" (the original rooted plant) to re-grow branches, so you want your plant to be in an active growing cycle. For me that means I will begin watering my plants in March, basically "waking" them from dormancy. Since my plants won't have any leaf growth for 4 months, I can easily tell when they wake up because those small terminal leaves will begin to grow. It will be harder for you to know since you keep your plant growing through the fall/winter months.
Is it possible for you to withhold water now and allow that plant to go dormant?
Ken
I have several huge pots of plants that I water less in winter. I have lost too many plants from overwatering. down there they all get the sun cycle, wind and they are warm. Plummie bloomed for me inside last year, just wasn't so tall.
I will wait and cut it I just need to know when I cut it, do I root them the same way as brugs and other tropicals?
Everything grows actively down in my basement garden, it was designed for indoor gardening.
especially when foot ball is on ;)
Ask ten growers of plumeria, all experienced growers, and you will get ten different ways to root plumeria. Some swear by "Rooting Hormone", some say they never touch the stuff. Some root in damp potting soil, some bag the rooting end, some (like me) root in dry, coarse perlite, and I have even had someone tell me they root in water. All will tell you that they root their plumeria successfully. I am no expert and grow and propagate plumeria simply as a "novelty" plant and because I have people who want to purchase plumeria from me. But this is what I do:
1. Take a cutting that is at least 6" and no more than 18" long. I tend to go long rather than short, and use 12"-18" length cuttings. Dip the end of the cutting(s) in rooting hormone. I use Dip'N Grow, and it is probably twice as expensive as typical rooting hormones. I think it is worth the extra cost.
2. Put the cutting(s) aside in a dry, warm place for a week. You want the cut end(s) to callus well. The callused cutting can be left far longer than a week as long as it remains dry and warm. I put my cuttings in a greenhouse.
3. Since I am usually rooting a dozen or more cuttings at the same time, I use 5 gal. buckets, 1/2 filled with dry, coarse perlite. I will dip all the cut ends again into the Dip-N Grow, bundle them all together with painter's tape, and insert them about 6" deep into the perlite. To keep them upright, you can support them with several 2-3' length of bamboo (or similar staking) or just lean the whole bundle of cuttings against the rim of the bucket.
4. I heavily mist all the cuttings ONCE, so that there is a bit of moisture in the perlite. Some people will LIGHTLY moisten the perlite before inserting the cuttings. Just make sure there is not water standing in that bucket.
5. Store the cuttings in a dry, shaded, warm area (again, I use a greenhouse for this).
6. When you see those tiny, terminal leaves start to grow, that will be a sign that the cutting (might) be rooting. Let those leaves grow for a couple of weeks, undo the painter's tape, and lightly tug on the cutting(s) you see this leaf growth on. If there is resistance to the tug, that's a good sign that the cutting(s) has rooted. The only way to really know is to go ahead and pull that/those cuttings out and see if rooting has taken place.
7. Pot up the rooted cutting(s) into potting soil. I generally will pot mine up into 1 gal. pots. I custom-make all my potting soils simply because I have a lot of ingredients on hand to do so. For the average grower I would use 1/2 commercial potting soil (like Miracle Grow Potting Soil) and 1/2 orchid mix (bark, charcoal, perlite, and perhaps coconut fiber). I want a well-draining mix.
8. Keep these newly potted plants in a warm, shaded area for a week and keep the potting soil slightly moist. After a week you can generally move the pots out into the sun, though I would tend to have them somewhat shaded for another week, getting several hours of early morning or late afternoon sun. Then I move them into full sun.
Keep in mind that some plumeria will root pretty fast (3-4 weeks) and some will root extremely slow (8 weeks or longer). Typically the whites/yellows will root fastest and the reds will root the slowest.
Ken
Ken, that's some good info that I am going to use on mine next spring.
Joe'swife does the night blooming cactus bloom indoors for you?
I don't understand if there is a question here. Sorry.
Ken
Thanks, Ken, good information. I also use my own potting mix using what you mentioned plus sand and pebbles for the outdoor tubs. I will try this in Spring with the cuttings. Mine is a white to yellow, I am thrilled it Y'd and had no idea it would grow that fast in one year.
Answer to the question about night blooming cactus. Not yet, but I bet it does this year.
Everythig else ends up blooming down there because I give it as much climate down there as it gets outside. Minus the Hail. I still have bugs and deal with them as they come.
Soon my morning glories and passion vines will be blooming. The tropical sunset glory already is. I did have buds on the Plumeria, but they got knocked off in moving from one side to the other down there. Here is hoping. My basement is my green house. ;) ( with water features and fish and turtles , too, )
I'd Love to try a different color plummie, but happy with the one I have. It was a gift from a fellow DG'r who has since moved to Texas.
What's a "DG'r"?
Ken
A "DG'r" is a Dave's Garden gardener.
Oh, OK. I should have known that. I spend the vast majority of my time on ATP and just didn't even think about this being back on DG. Sorry.
Lol, whats ATP?
it is another site that is hosted by the original owners of this site ...all things plants is a great site but too hard for me to navigate around so I just stay here on Daves, and email and trade with Daves Gardens members who left, that I have met and visited with.
Thanx Debra, I appreciate your info. ☼
I am sorry, Robin, it is "All Things Plants", another plant-lover's site.
Ken
Thanx Ken, much obliged!
Robin, I sent to a D-Mail, but think I had already sent you a similar one. IF I did, I apologize for doing so. Just blame it on old age..........LOL
Ken
Nah, I'm gonna blame it on the Whiskey!
I did make some really great egg nog. I haven't made it in over twenty years but for some reason just thought it would be good to have some this year. Lots of Jack Daniels Black Label in it, so yes, that could be the problem!
Ken
Lol, what were the chances you were a whiskey drinker? I make a random, off the cuff remark and find out you're a master egg nog maker...mmm.
Master Gardener but unfortunately, not a master egg nog maker......LOL
My wife and I are starting to pack up our "Christmas". It takes two full days and we load approximately 30 large boxes/tubs. We have hundreds of breakables, so every one has to be wrapped in bubble-wrap. That's not a fun thing.
Ken
Just hearing that makes me SO glad I only twine 2 strings of clear mini-lights on my shrub outside and 1 string stuck down in a glass bowl that's in the sunroom. LOL
Oh, the things we accumulate over a life-time! Before we moved to this new home, we had a two story foyer and each Christmas put up a 12' tree. Now we only have space for an 8' one. I don't have to get on a ladder to decorate the top! But even the 12' was not too bad. When we lived on the Mississippi Gulf Coast we had a great-room with a 24' ceiling. One year, and only one year, I put up a 16' tree. Oh my back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ken, you and your wife sound like us, only this year we didn't get EVERYthing out. The tree is the last to be un done, it is a huge cut tree, I wrap each ornament and Joe cuts the tree up and takes it out back to the alley compost area. Our beverage of favor is ASTI and CAKE UV in coffee for me, with an occasional maple flavored shot of CR. neat.. ( Me) Joe is now just a wine drinker if there is no Asti.
I spend the bulk of winter down in the Garden.
My Plummie has Y'd on one branch again, hope the other branch Y's.
this is a tropical Brazilian morning glory.. from the other side of the world. They bloom in winter here. and the other pic is a passi from another country, also blooming now.
Beautiful flowers. My wife and I are also wine drinkers and have wine with almost every dinner. The only time we drink anything differently is when we are out with friends and I might order a cocktail or when we have friends over for special occasions. My wife is pretty much strictly a wine drinker though. She just doesn't care much of other alcoholic drinks. She does like to use brandy, cognac, and Kahlua in some of her cakes or the icings. Now if she's offered a Baileys, she wouldn't refuse that!
Joe cooks chili with dark beer, he saves half left over for me..I get that about once a month in winter,,he and I used to be "Party Animals" then we became parents LOL