My Teresa Wilder (from FlyboyFL)in a container is waking up. She's going to bloom before she puts out leaves! Should I start watering and feeding now, or wait until the leaves start? I want to put her in the ground, is now a good time?
My Singapore White looks like that last freeze snap of a few hours did some damage. Either that, or when I asked one of the boys to move the container out of the horseshoe pit, she had roots growing into the hard clay and they just ripped them out. (sigh). True to her evergreen nature, she came through the winter with one leaf intact, and it never lost it's color. I want to put her in the ground too.
Pati
Is it time to water?
Thanks so much Dutchlady1. I'm really late this year getting things arranged for the summer months. My poor Plumies just sit by the fence with no attention, but in this climate (aren't we lucky) they don't seem to mind the neglect.
I have a neighbor that has a FOREST of Plumies, but he doesn't share cuttings or information. (sigh)
Pati
Dutchlady1--- The Miami Rose that you sent me started to bud two weeks ago and now it seems to be blooming. I've had surgery so I 've not seen it for a week but I will tomorrow. Thanks!
Ted
Pati, The shearing of the roots wouldn't have had any effect on your Singapore. Plumerias are very tolerant of root disturbance and rarely show transplant shock or any shock due to severed roots. You should see what I've done to a few of mine without any reaction at all.
Singapores are, however, the most intolerant of cold and the most sensitive to it. Black Tip is a common problem in Singapores and is now thought to be a reaction to the stress of cold temperatures rather than being a fungus. The Black Tip reaction causes the tips of the branches to die back, but often, new branches will be formed below the dead tissue. Sunlight often helps this healing process. I would not plant your Singapore in the ground until nighttime temps are above 50 because the cold temps below 50 could easily encourage Black Tip. Also, even though Singapore are evergreen, expect your tree to lose its leaves, if planted outside, in the winter. Singapores are only evergreen in tropical areas.
I would also wait until spring to plant both the Singapore and the TW because soil temps, as well as nighttime temps, will be warmer, and warmer soil temps will give them both a better start. If you were to plant them in the ground now and it should rain along with cold temps at night before they have had time to get established, you would run the risk of encountering root rot. I personally would wait until spring to transplant to the ground, and I would definitely not fertilize if you have no leaves. My fertilizer program starts in the spring and ends in the fall.
I got a TW from Flyboy too! Isn't he wonderful?
Thanks so much Clare. I'm so excited about seeing my TW bloom! This will be the first time.....and yes, Flyboy is wonderful!
On my Singapore, the "arm" where the single leaf held on all winter has the little "feathery" leaf things coming out. The other arms have a green bubble on the tip of each arm, but the two little spikey things that come out of the green bubble are gray and and not growing. I hope all this high tech talk hasn't confused you! LOL
We really have reached our "spring" here, but the weather has been so wierd this year I don't want to take any chances. We've been in the mid to high 70's in the daytime, but it was 85° today, and tonight will be 52°. Last week we had a low of 44° which is really unusual for March.
I have a promise of some cuttings, not from the stingy neighbor, and I hope to fill out my dream of a row of Plumerias and Cannas that will hide the fence down one side of my yard.
I'm sure the soil isn't warm enough yet. My Caladiums in pots in the sun are coming up, but the ones in the ground in the shade are still sleeping. When they come up I'll plant my girls.
Thanks again,
Pati
Patti,
It is very unplumielike for your nieghbor to be that way.
I have filed a report with the Plumie Fairy and she is going to correct him soon. x^P
LOL @ Malestrom! Thanks so much for the intervention. The reason he has so many is that he never gives any away. Just sticks the cuttings in the ground and jumps back they grow so fast.
Pati
Newbie here....I have a 5 ft plumeria that has two limbs...don't know name of it....just blooms pink. Can I cut the arms off and make new plants? Is there something more I need to know before I do this? I'm in Austin, zone 8.....Thanks....
Hey Michael - would you dmail the Plummie Fairy and have her sprinkle some rooting fairy dust on my plummies please? Add more "p's" as you please, says Sam I Am.
Hello BigBubbles,
Welcome to Daves Plumeria Forums
You can cut the tree up and make many.
There are specific things you should know before hand.
Rather than me typing it all out.
Check out this link.
http://www.plumeria101.com/cuttings101.html
This is an excellent site for posted plumie info.
The Plumie Fairy is on Vacation...
I wore her out with all my new cuttings...
I am the ROT KING!!
I never could spell roooot rooot rot ... see?
I've never grown plumeria before and am now watching it daily. Yesterday I had two leaves at the top of the cutting and another just starting to pop out. Today I have three leaves and another getting ready. Can't wait for my first flower?
Tplant,
Must be nice...that's all I gots to say!!! :P
Thanks Malestrom! I reviewed the link and will chop my plumeria into 4' bits tomorrow!
Plumie fairy on vacation...wore out from your plants? I've seen your pictures...know better then that...LOL
4' is a large cutting!
I make mine about 2' ;)
no biggie, just a thought.
Ok Chantell...
you got me....
I have her tied up in my basement.
She is my personal servant now heh.....
Glad I re-read instructions....I was going to cut it into 4 inch pieces, not 4 ft! Probably not a good idea. I will measure and chop at 2 ft intervals. Thanks again.
4 inch would probably rotted on you.
PHEEEWW!!!
Michael - is the US Dept. of Labor aware of this?
BigBubbles, standard cuttings are eight to twelve inches, I think. Large cuttings work well too as Michael said. Here is a link to a great web site, and two articles that I wrote are there if you are interested: www.plumerias.com Look for "Clare's Garden" at the bottom on the left. The site that Michael gave you is a good one for information also. Here is another good link with information: http://www.theplumeriasociety.org/dyncat.cfm?catid=2013 Welcome to Dave's, and I'm glad you joined us here at the Plumie Forum:-)
Thank you Clare. I went to the link and read your articles. I'm afraid I knew just enough to be dangerous. I've already lopped off the arms....not used Rootone, or waited for the cuttings to callous....I may have maimed a perfectly good plant. I will pull the arms out of the pots in the morning and try the Rootone, etc. We're in drought conditions here, but expecting a weekend of rain. I'll pull the pots under the eaves of the house....of course, I used the bigger pots too! I appreciate the help from both of you.
Now...if someone can just tell me how I can change my screen name from "bigbubbles.".......
LOL, I think you've got to email Dave to change your screen name.
About your cuttings, there is no right or wrong way. The rooting powder will help speed rooting, and the callous tissue will help prevent rotting. You can pull the cuttings out of the soil and stick them somewhere warm and dry for a week or so until the ends are calloused and dry. I don't know what zone you are in, but it is still pretty cold out to try to root cuttings. The cuttings that I am rooting are in a toasty greenhouse on a heat mat next to a heater. A soil temp of 80 degrees or higher is preferable when rooting cuttings. You may just want to hold on to your cuttings until spring before planting them again unless you plan on using a heat mat or bottom heat source inside your house or greenhouse. Bigger pots are appropriate for bigger cuttings, but cold/wet soil can be deadly and can rot your cutting very quickly so it is often recommended to fill up a three-gallon container only half way with soil and place the cutting in two inches of soil with the bottom of the cutting fairly near the bottom of the pot so that bottom heat can work its magic on the rooting process.
I've held off cutting the rest of my plumeria until I ask one more question....the original plant has been in a pot in the greenhouse. It's about 5' and has two branches (each about 2') left. I noticed that the ends (of the branches) are beginning to bud out. It has been outside for about 3 weeks. Is it too late to cut it? We're zone 8 and have had very warm/hot days lately....80s... The other piece that I cut at the end of summer, just left in the greenhouse, and planted the othe day have tiny buds also.
We've had very cold weather lately all over the country with freezing temps in some places. How cold does it get at night where you are now? Unless it is warmer than 50 degrees at night and is going to stay that warm, I would put it back in the greenhouse. Temps lower than 40 will make leaves and inflo's drop and growth stop. I thin it is too soon to take your plumie out of the greenhouse now. After your last frost date as passed and after the nights are above 50 is usually a safe time to take them out of the greenhouse.
It's not too late to cut it. The cut branches with growing tips will probably flower as they are rooting or soon after they root, and the center cut branches will form branches around the cut area, but you probably won't get blooms on those this year, or if you do, they will come on the new branches late in the summer.
Thanks Clare, I really appreciate all the information. I'll return all to the greenhouse...and wait a bit!
Bigbubbles, I just looked up your zone, and it says you are 8b: http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/hzm-sm1.html Yes, it is probably a good idea to wait until your last anticipated frost date passes before bringing them out. The protection and warmth of the greenhouse will help the cuttings to root faster as well.
Well....if we have a freeze now, the plumerias (in the greenhouse) will be all I have left! I've dragged everything else, including ferns, out and into my backyard! It's been really hot here....and my greenhouses are temporary structures....no fans, just heat . I was afraid of insects and mold getting a head start.
As we finally had a rainy day, I spent most of the afternoon "surfing" all the forums. I can't believe how helpful eveyone is.
Thanks again for preventing a possible 'plumicide.' I will try to post a photo of the one I have for possible ID. I bought it last year near McAllen, TX from a roadside vendor. We lived in Hawaii 20 years ago and I had a yard full of them...but didn't think they'd grow in Texas.
Hi BB, yes, a fan is really important in a greenhouse to get air circulation going; otherwise, you can have all sorts of problems. I have two in mine. I sure hope you don't get any more freezes or cold weather in your area. I would feel sad if you lost your plants. Maybe you can tuck the cold-sensitive ones under your eave if a frost or freezing temps are predicted. Texas is great. The plumie convention is coming up there. You should go! Paula and Kathee live in Texas, and there are a bunch of other Texans over at PlumeriaPals. Here's a link to the info on the conference: http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/570079/ There is going to be an awesome sale there. You should try to at least make the sale if you can. I wish I could go.