I just purchased a Plumeria cutting....... :D!! However I noticed on the growing instructions that it calls for a special fertilizer.... :b What commonly sold fertilizer could be used instead? Thank you for your help in this matter!
Fertilizer for Plumeria
Try this site: http://www.plumeria101.com/index.html
They have lots of helpful information on Plumerias and a list of recomended fertilizers.
Thank you Sharon~I followed a link straight to rooting the cutting there but didn't check out the homepage *duh*
Will be picking some up shortly! :)
Lilypon, I got your email and was going to refer you to the same site that sharonf gave you. Miracle Grow makes a Bloom Booster fertilizer too if you can't find Peter's near you. Some people use Superthrive and Spray 'N Grow as an additional supplement. I would wait until your cutting is fully rooted before starting to fertilize.
Thanks Clare! The cutting I received said to fertilize right away, before the roots developed, with Hawaiian Magic Fertilizer. I'll wait now. :) I know I can get the Miracle Grow...will keep an eye out for the others as well.
Lilypon, if you are starting with an unrooted cutting, just be sure to keep it drier than dry. Water once when you plant the cutting in your well-draining mix of perlite and potting soil and then don't water again until you see leaves forming, and then water sparingly. Bottom heat would speed things up a bit and help with staving of root rot. Plumeria cuttings are very susceptible to root rot at this stage, especially red and rainbow cuttings. Good luck!
Here are some of my cuttings that I first started out with:
Here are some of them some time later:
That last picture is kind of dark and hard to see. Here are some up on a retaining wall:
Thank you so very much for the information and the wonderful pictures Clare!! How humid is it in Camarillo Clare?
We are exremely dry and I am wondering if I should have a dish of water nearby to add a bit of humidity to the air? Thanks for the information on watering.....I noticed a number of people, on the net, have posted their cuttings had rotted.
Lilypon,
We're pretty dry here too. I have a Koi Pond nearby which helps a bit, but I just moved them away from it. If you have a mister or a spray bottle you can mist them once in a while. If they get too dry, they will shrivel a bit, but misting makes them plump again. It takes a lot though for them to shrivel. You could set your cutting on a tray of pebbles and water as long as the container isn't touching the water, and that should increase humidity around the cutting.
I think the saying about watering goes "When in doubt, wait a week."
Check out this forum for information too: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/plumeria/
This is a good website too: http://www.theplumeriasociety.org/pcb/pcb_8-1.html
And this one: http://botanictreasures.com/PlumeriaPeople/plupeopleintro.html
This places sells cuttings for $1.99 and is where I got my first 13 cuttings. I don't know if they will ship to Canada, but you can ask: http://www.alohapalms.com/cgi-bin/store/agora.cgi Click on Plumerias for descriptions and varieties.
I'm very glad you posted the information about the shrivelling.
I won't worry about it....as much! ;)
I'll definitely be studying the links you have posted....thank you so very much for all the information. :D
Mine was purchased in Toronto at Canada Blooms.....it's about twelve inches high and 1 3/4 inches thick. I was so pleased to receive such a healthy cutting. You are so lucky to get them at that price...my one cost $7.00 and the shipping took it to $23.00. If all goes well with it I may look at getting an import permit. Going by the number of staff that were so excited to see it where I work I'm sure a number of us could put an order together and bring down the cost.
Lilypon, that sounds like a great idea. Twenty-three dollars is still good for a cutting so don't feel bad. These trees increase in value as they grow. There are some places that sell large ones for $200 and up.
Here's my favorite seller: http://www.floridacolors.com/
The owners are really nice people over at Florida Colors. I bet they would work with you.
Keep us posted!
I will and thank you Clare! :)
Can you list some named varieties that are easy going. I've read some are fussy and in my zone the more laid back the better.... ;)
Well, I haven't been growing Plumerias that long to know for sure which ones are easy going. I know the rainbows and reds can be difficult to root, and Singapore is a slow grower and more cold-sensitive, but once you are pass that stage, they all require about the same conditions. Some of the ones that are popular are Singapore, Candy Stripe, Celadine, Aztec Gold, Bali Whirl, Plastic Pink, Key West Red, and some others.
Plumeria-Hawaiiana lists these as being more cold hardy than the others:
Plastic Pink, (Pink)
Celadine, (Yellow)
Scott Pratt, (Red)
Candy Stripe, (Rainbow)
Kaneohe Sunburst, (Pink-Yellow)
Samoan fluff, (White)
Irma Bryan, (Red)
Dean Conklin, (Salmon-Pink)
Mela Matson, (Pink)
Here's their web site: http://www.plumeria-hawaiiana.com/plu_img.htm
Thanks again Clare.....will add this list to my *wish list*. :D