I have the best in-laws ever! They went on vacation to Hawaii and sent me a Singapore Plumeria cutting. I didn't even expect a postcard! I was so surprised to get a box from Hawaii, and even more shocked when I opened it. I can hardly wait for the day it looks like this
I've read that this type blooms all year long and can be kept blooming indoors. Anyone have experience with this?
Here's a pic of my "stick"
Wow! You do have the best in-laws ever! Congrats! I haven't heard that it blooms all year long, but it will keep its leaves, which are evergreen, if given the right light conditions indoors. It can bloom indoors when you first bring it in after being outdoors all summer. It's been my experience that Singapores take a long, long time to root, which is true of some of the other species also. Lots of bottom heat will help the process along both outside and then inside. You may want to get a heat mat for this purpose. Singapores have great leaves as well as great blooms. It's a favorite.
I wonder how long "a long time" to root is? lol It's been potted since about mid-July. I took the pic of the growth today. I'm so happy that it's doing so well. I've never had one before.
Right now it's outside in a pot, so I think the heat mat idea won't work. But if the roots aren't well established when I have to bring it in I will get a heat mat just for that.
I have been blessed w/ great in-laws. They live in CA, so we don't get to see each other much. That why I was all the more surprised by the gift. It actually made me cry. awwwwwwwww
Heathrjoy, well, it has a reputation of taking about twice as long as the rubra species, I think, but I suppose it depends on how much heat is available. Yours actually does look like its rooting since the leaves are standing at attention like that. Yes, the heat mat idea is only for when you bring it inside this fall. Singapores are also the most sensitive plumerias to cold so you will want to bring it in early before temps dip below 50.
50 deg. Didn't know that. Thank you. I'll have to keep an eye on the temps for certain.
Thanks, I bet you just saved my plumie!
My pleasure:-) 50 is a safe number for all just-rooted cuttings really, but for Singapores, since they are so sensitive to cold, I'm going to bring mine in before nighttime temps dip below 50. My other well-rooted established plumies stay outside and do fine with temps in the 40's and high 30's. They start to drop their leaves and go dormant if it stays below 40 for a few days in a row. Last year, it stay pretty warm in the mid-forties here at night, and I only had one plumeria lose its leaves. Singapores are actually really susceptible to Black Tip Fungus, which is brought on by cold and humidity so they are really happy in a warm dry house for the winter. In a greenhouse, they almost always get Black Tip.
so, that's what brings on the dreaded black tip. I've heard of it, but luckily (and prayerfully) avoided it. This is probably the most prayed over plumie out there. LOL Actually our nights have been getting chilly lately. I'd better check them to see just how cool it is getting. I may have to start bringing it in at night already.
I've been watching the temperatures too. It seems unseasonably cold for this time of year. Keep us posted on your Singapore. I just got a rooted one recently also, but I've had a Dwarf Singapore Pink and Dwarf Singapore White, both grafted, for a year now but no blooms yet.
I did have to bring it in last night. I went out to check the temp and the thermometer read right at 50. I may end up bringing it in every night now, just to be safe. Do you use heat mats when you just bring them in at night?
That's a bummer. Do you think it will warm up a little soon, or is it just going to get colder from here? Short periods of 50 are probably okay, but I wouldn't let it experiences temps in the 40's. Yes, I use a heat mat inside for my rooting and just-rooted cuttings. The other well-rooted ones don't need it, but it doesn't hurt if you have the room. I think I fit six one-gallon cuttings on a heat mat last winter.
Hard to tell if it will warm up or not. I would say most likely not long term anyway. Guess I'll just have to bring it in and out.
When do you start watering these regularly?
In for the evening; out for the day. Ah, yes, I know it well. That was me all last winter! LOL! Water regularly when you have actual leaves. I normally recommend daily mistings but not with Singapores because of the Black Tip problem it gets, but misting is okay if it is in the daytime and sunshine. Water less in the winter than you do in the summertime. My basic motto is water when the soil looks and feels dry after it has actual leaves.
Mine just started blooming!!!
And what a sweet little plant she is.
Her leaves remind me of Rhodedendron and all small.
A very petite plant with gorgeous petite flowers.
Wow. That is beautiful. Nice in-laws. Can't wait to see yours look like the one in the picture. Congrats, Staci
Michael, do you have the Dwarf Singapore White or the regular Singapore White? Can you post a picture of your blooms?
I have the Dwarf Singapore Pink
I need to find the photos I have of her.
I moved some of my pics to a desktop PC because the laptop is choking from them all LOL!
She is blooming right now and I love it!! So small So delicate. ;)
Ill post when I find them. ;)
Staci - did you notice that you're about 20 miles away from me??? When my plumie is big enough I'll hand deliver you a cutting. That would be fun!! :)
Michael - how long did it take your Singapore to bloom?
Any ideas where to look for heating mats? I'll need one before too long. I may have to improvise if they cost too much. It stayed warm last night, so she stayed outside, but it rained!
I just want roots!!!! LOL
Heathrjoy, I bought mine at Rosemania.com, but it was a bit on the expensive side. I know they sell them for less at other places. People improvise sometimes and use things like old/used water bed heaters. You might want to start a new thread asking where people find their heat mats. You will probably get more answers that way.
Michael, ah, Dwarf Singapore Pink! I know those flowers. When you said "petite flowers," I was confused because Singapore White has huge flowers, but I've not seen the flowers on the Dwarf Singapore White so I didn't know if it has huge flowers or dainty ones. I guess I'll find out when mine blooms in a couple years! It's a little tiny thing right now.
heathrjoy,
Yes, I did notice that you live in burg. It's a small world, huh? I also noticed that there is some one from Kersey on here. I just find that amazing. (It doesn't take much to impress me)
I will look forward to seeing the plumeria.
Later, Staci
I bought my DSP as a 3 tipped grafted plant that was about 3 years old.
She bloomed quickly for me as most things do,
I dunno why, But I aint fighting it either! 8D
Staci, if you live in this neck of the woods it better not take much to amuse you! LOL There is also someone here from Clearfield.
Y'all are talking a couple of years for blooms? UGH! Don't rain on my parade here. I was just getting excited about it beginning to show signs of life. Let me live in my fantasy world where it will bloom next month, ok? :p
I'll have to be looking around for a heat mat, maybe a super-duper one to get those blooms by next month. DH will prolly want to improvise something. Just as long as it doesn't turn into a Tim Taylor "Tool Time" episode! Wish me luck!
Heathrjoy, you can definitely get blooms on a small plant or cutting normally. I just said a couple of years because Dwarf Singapore White grows really slowly and my plant is a really teeny tiny thing, and I just have a feeling it will be a couple of years before I see a bloom on that one, but that is an exception.
oh. Whew. So, how long do you think I'll be waiting then? I'll be having to bring it in for "winter" before too long...about 6 weeks or so. But from what I've read, Singapore's will continue to grow throughout the winter if given enough light and kept watered and fertilized. Maybe I read bad info?????
That is true that, given the right conditions, plumerias can keep growing throughout the winter, or they can at least keep their leaves and not go dormant. Even though Singapores are evergreen, they will lose their leaves if temperatures are cold enough. They will go dormant in colder temperatures also.
Keeping them growing will mean some supplemental light. Here in my zone, my larger well-established plumerias stay outside all year. Last winter, most kept their leaves, only shedding an occasional lower leaf here and there. I only had one plumeria lose its leaves entirely. I continued to water about once a week, but I did not fertilize until spring. I would not fertilize your Singapore until next spring. It would be good for your Singapore to root and continue to root throughout fall and winter because then you have a good chance for flowers in the spring.
Thank you. So, it sounds like I need a heat mat and grow lights. No fert till spring.
I do have an extra bedroom that we are turning into a plant room because I have so many plants to bring in for the winter. I also start lots from seeds, and the basement is just not working for me anymore. So, this shouldn't be too hard for me to pull off.
Excellent! I got a grow light last year called Wonderlite, but there are people here that know more about lighting than I do. Michael is in PA also, and he has supplement lights in his basement. Perhaps he can tell us more about where he gets his lights and heat pads if he sees this.
Keep in touch and let us know how things are going with your Singapore, and I'll do the same. I'll take a picture of my little Dwarf Singapore White today so you can see how small it is.
Here it is last December after getting Black Tip Fungus. I had to cut the tips off and spray it with fungicide. It now has little branches that are growing around the cut tips.
Oh Clare!!
Id cry myself to death if I had to cut my singapore back like that from blacktip. :(
But I guess ya gotta dew what you gotta dew.
I get all my lights at Home Depot, cheap shop lights and I use the 'outdoor' light bars as they give a fuller spectrum of color. I also add a few incadescents to mix it up a lil.
For heat I have an oil filled electric radiator that I use under a table with a skirt on it. I keep it set to 85 degrees, ya expensive to run but hey dont hobbies run us dry anyway? Thats all I do. I have many pics of it all on MPG under Malestroms basement in General discussion.
Come winter when I set up again Ill post plenty of pics. ;) Good Luck!!
Michael
Cool set up. I use the same set up for lights.
Check out this pic. Could these be real leaves??? And does that mean I have roots?
Thanks, Michael, for the info about the lights and heater. I'm sure that will help a lot of folks come wintertime. Yes, I hated to do that to my DSW, but she had Black Tip so I felt it had to be done. Here she is today below, growing some new branches:
Heathrjoy, yes, those are definitely leaves! Congrats! I would say that that means the rooting process has definitely started.
Whooohooo! I have leaves!!!!!
I have to confess, I don't even know when they arrived. I hadn't gotten out in a few days and went out to check today and there they were!
So, if I have roots, should I begin to water, or should I wait till my other tip has leaves also?
Thanks so much for all the help and info
LOL! My pleasure:-) Yes, I would water weekly or when the soil looks dry. Your other tip should get leaves any time now too. Congrats!
Be sure to water sparingly though.
At this stage your roots are simply nubs.
When she has 6 full leaves then you can water through without fear of drowning her. ;)
Congratulations!!
Oh, you two, thank you soooo much for all of your help! My plumie wouldn't have done so well w/out you! I'm so excited! She was a stick for so long, so pitiful looking. However, I do think it looks like some kind of insect or alien with it's new leaves! LOL
Allright, time to start treating her like a young adult. Outside during the day, inside at night, heat mat, grow lights inside on cool days, and a bit of water now and then.
It's actually pretty cool today, I think I'm going to keep her inside. And I'm going to start looking for that heat mat asap. Wonder what she'll look like by spring?? :)
Thanks again!!
LOL! Michael and I are a good tag team, do you think? Michael is going to be a good source of information this winter when we have overwintering questions. Heathrjoy, you sound like the perfect plumeria mommy! She'll look gorgeous by spring, and you'll have to show us pictures to show off those gorgeous leaves and flowers.
Leave it outside untill frost threatens,
It will like it better unless youre getting an unussual amount of rain.
Once they root dont baby them too much.
They are trees and like to be outside around the clock.
You are a great team! I had to keep plumie in all day today, it was sooo cold. It's supposed to dip to 40 tonight. Can you believe it?
Thanks, Heathrjoy! I can't believe that it is getting that cold this soon. Darn!
Michael, remember that Singapores are super sensitive to cold and should be brought in sooner than the rest. Heathrjoy's is just starting to root, and we don't want those new baby roots getting chilled! Tag, you're up!
I dint fohgetit, I furgot to post it lol!!
Thanks for covering that ;)
Very important!!
DSP is suceptable to Black Tip Big time.
Ill bring mine in the house in late Sept.
We make a great team, Michael:-) My Dwarf Singapore White is even more susceptible to Black Tip than my Dwarf Singapore Pink. It got Black Tip like the first day in my humid greenhouse. It went into the house after that.
