My 8-10 foot tall plumeria, standing bare root in a pot in the garage, is bursting. There are long green tips all over, with leaves ready to pop. Last week I was glad that we hadn't moved it outside yet, because of that late cold front. Really COLD front! But I'm almost afraid NOT to plant it now. Is it OK ? We plant it in the ground, then dig it up around Thanksgiving and move it to the garage. (A REAL chore!) It got too big for a pot and kept getting blown over. It has really loved it in the ground, but I am just not sure when it can be replanted. Thanks for any advice....
Time to plant?
Hi Ceejaytown, a couple members here do the same thing as you: sinking the pot in the ground in the spring and digging it up around Thanksgiving to move to the garage. Trish planted hers already here: http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/585058/ I don't know if Paula has taken hers out of the garage yet or not. Yours will be fine in the garage. Does it have any light? You could put it outside during the daytime and bring it in at night if you wish. What are your nighttime temps? Basically, you don't want to put it outside if nighttime temps are lower than 40 since your tree is not acclimated to cold weather. I wouldn't even put it outside if temps are lower than 50 because you could have some leaf drop. Once nighttime temps stay above 50, it is safe to plant it outside.
Well, it's not planted in a pot. It is sitting bare root in a pot. It doesn't have any leaves. Just wants to make leaves desperately. No windows in the garage. Last year we planted it in the ground - no pot. It loved it. And the weather is so wacko - it's been unseasonly warm all winter, very mild, with cannas and fan flower blooming and then last weekend we had a light freeze! Way past the average last freeze time, which is approximately March 6 here. Our weather is generally mild in the winter, with that occasional arctic front. My hubbie had already dug its hole. I can't move it in and out - way too big (I think I'll have to cut a hole in the ceiling when we take it into the garage this year! See photo...) Temps are in the 80's in the day and 60's at night. That would indicate that it would be OK, but last weekend scared me. Usually it is above 50, but no guarantees. You're in 10b so I presume you just leave them outside? I guess I'll just take the plunge and do it. And pray.
Holy Cow! That is one beautiful tree! Awesome! Congrats on having such a lovely tree. The fact that it is fairly mature means that it can handle cold a lot better than a much smaller plant or a rooted cutting. Yes, I'm in 10b and leave them outside all year except for certain ones that I have in the greenhouse. Most of the ones outside don't even lose their leaves at all in my zone. We had the same thing here: unseasonably warm all fall and winter until February, and then it got cold. It is still dropping into the 40's at night here. And it has been raining non-stop as well. I imagine you are safe to plant now, and that your light freeze was just a fluke. If another freeze is predicted, you can drape Christmas lights around the tree for warmth or place buckets of water beneath the tree or cover with a frost cloth, etc. Some people put socks on the tips for protection if a freeze is predicted.
I can't believe this! I have searched high and low and I haven't got a single picture of the bloom!! And I've had that plant since '97.... Well, that will be taken care of this year! I believe it is 'Slaughter Pink'. Thanks for all the kind comments, and the suggestions. It is planted in the ground now. Now - next question. It can't get any bigger and fit into the garage without laying it down, and I think that would distort it - it is so nicely shaped right now. Would it be best to prune it back a little before returning it to the garage this fall, or is there a better time to prune? What do you do when they get too big for storage?
Ceejaytown, you may not like this answer, but if the tree were mine, I would prune it now in the spring and root the cuttings throughout the summer so that you will have many trees instead of one. Looking at the picture of you standing next to the tree, I would prune at or just below your shoulder level. This will do several things: new branches will sprout just below the cuts; the tree will become more manageable to store, and new flowers will be within smelling range. You will also be able to root the cuttings and have numerous plants to keep and give away as gifts. When you root the cuttings, you will remove all the leaves. You can root cuttings from one foot long to three feet long and even longer. Chances are good that your cuttings will bloom soon after or during the rooting process. You may even get blooms on the new branches which will grow in quickly after you cut. Plumerias actually look best when they are pruned regularly, and the flowers are best enjoyed when they bloom low to the ground. Here is a good article which addresses pruning: http://www.theplumeriasociety.org/dyncat.cfm?catid=2019 and here is an article on rooting cuttings: http://www.plumeria101.com/cuttings101.html Here is another good article: http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/OF-31.pdf
Oh dear. Thank you for all of your help and informaton and the links, but I just can't do that. It is the focal point of that bed. I'd rather have one great tree than a bunch of shrubs...sigh. Nope, I just can't do it. What a wimp, eh?
This message was edited Apr 5, 2006 11:23 PM
Ceejay! LOL! You're not a wimp. I sure understand how you feel. You can prune just as easily in the fall before you store your tree and root your cuttings then, but it is harder to root cuttings in a cooler season. You can also store your cuttings and root them in the spring, or if you don't want to prune at all, I'm sure that laying your plumeria down on its side in the garage won't hurt it at all as it will be dormant. When you see new growth starting in the spring, you can erect it then.