Plumeria from seed

I have seeds of mixed Hawaiian Hybrids and got good germination instructions with them. I was wondering a few things:
1. Can i just start them outside this time of year? if so; sun or shade?
2. How long until they bloom (have heard 3 years)?
3. The instructions suggest not letting them go dormant the first year...hat to do then? Plant lights in unheated garage? Plant lights in heated house?

Thanks in advance for all your sage advice!
Debbie

Hi Debbie,

I have about 50 seedlings now. Some of them are seeds that a friend of mine collected while he was on vacation in Hawaii. You can start them outside in full sun if you wish. Just keep the medium moist at all times. It might be easier to keep the medium moist in part sun which would be fine too.

I have heard of seedlings blooming at around a year and a half, but that is rare. Two to three years is more common, but it is also true that some can take much longer. I read a post once where someone posted a picture of a seedling that they had waited 20 years for it to bloom. I'm not sure that I would have kept a seedling that took so long to bloom, but, anyway, that is rare too. If the seedlings are getting the proper amount of light and fertilizer, they should bloom in 2-3 years.

I've heard that too, but sometimes, dormancy can't be helped, and it is not fatal if it happens. However, if you plant them now, you should have seedlings in about 30 days or less, which means they will be around two months old when cold weather comes? They shouldn't be subjected when they are seedlings to temps under 60 at that young. And, yes, that means a heat mat and plant lights in a heated house, or, alternatively, a bright area near a window with supplemental light. When I started my seedlings, I had them in small containers on a baking sheet, and I would put them in the warm sun during the day and on the stove top with a plant light at night.

Thanks Clare!
Of course, answers raise more questions! At what age can they be fertilized? Dormancy (below 60 at night) here probably won't happen until late October. So it would be better to keep them alive under the plant lights, right?
Thanks--
Debbie

Debbie, you can start fertilizing right away. Half strength might be prudent. Supplements like Superthrive and Spray 'N Grow are helpful also. Yes, I would keep them warm and growing under plant lights for the winter. The following winter, you can let them go dormant.

Thanks so much Clare!

dmj1218,

If you go to botanictreasures.com they have great instructions for starting plumeria seeds. I tryed it last year and it worked great. Also because they are in Houston, they deal with our "special" growing conditions.

Good luck and let me know how it goes.

There is also seed planting instructions here: http://www.plumeria101.com/seeds101.html