...for rooting plumeria cuttings, and everyone should have one! Cuttings can rot easily in cold damp soil even if the soil is warm in the day time. In the summertime, you can get by without one because the hot cement, concrete, or gravel substitutes nicely, but in fall, winter, and spring, bottom heat is essential for rooting plumeria cuttings. The potting soil should be at 80 degrees or higher for rooting a plumeria cutting. A soil thermometer can also be purchased for less than $20 and will help ensure that your soil is the right temperature for rooting. Some people even use a used water bed heater as a substitute for a heat mat. Seeds and seedlings are also happy on a nice warm surface.
My friend Roger over at PlumeriaPals posted this information, and I'm going to re-post it here. Also, two other links are also listed for heat mats and accessories.
http://www.77hydrostore.com/77hydro-store/propagation.html
10"x20" Heat Mat $22.95pad
20"x20" Heat Mat $34.95pad
20"x48" Heat Mat $64.95pad
Heat Mat Thermostat $34.95
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Seedling Heat Mats
http://www.discount-hydro.com/cloning.asp
The Seedling Heat Mat comes in three convenient sizes,
10" x 20" (Holds 1 standard propagation tray), 20" x
20" (holds 2 standard propagation trays) and a 48" x
20" (holds up to 4 trays) with lighting and watering
instructions printed directly on the mat. Tray spacer
feet are included. This mat keeps the rooting area
about 10 degrees warmer than room temperature. For
more precise temperature control, a Heat Mat
Thermostat is available.
$ 24.95 - 10" x 20" Heat Mats
$ 34.95 - 20" x 20" Heat Mats
$ 59.95 - 48" x 20" Heat Mats
$ 34.95 - Heating Mat Thermostat
PT220 Dial Thermometer
http://www.thermoworks.com/products/dial_other/pt220_pt1005.html
0°F to 220°F, 1" dial thermometer, 5" x 1/8" stem.
2°F divisions, ±2°F accuracy, recalibrateable, pocket
clip.
To Order:
PT220 Dial Thermometer $6 each
Package of 6 - $30
Rosemania.com: http://rosemania.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/index.html
The Grower's Solution: http://www.growerssolution.com/page/GS/CTGY/heatmats
Heat Mats Are An Important Accessory...
I cant agree more,
A heat mat has made a 100% turn around in my rooting success.
I am amazed.
There are lil tricks to add as well.
Here in the NEUSA we also wrap the pot with an insulated foil and place foil under the pad to reflect heat upwards from the table.
Cover the pot with plastic wrap, leave a small hole for ventilation
We have had temps of 104 Degrees F.
Mine run at about 85-90 and are doing well. no thermostat,
Good thread Clare.
My best buddy Micah rooted a Bonnie Fox this way
All other non-Hawaiian attempts to root Bonnie have failed!!
This message was edited May 24, 2006 12:59 PM
This message was edited May 24, 2006 1:13 PM
Thanks, Michael, and thanks for the extra tips too! I've heard of some people using a dishpan or cooking pan full of sand and setting it on the heat mat too and then putting the containers in the sand. I bet one could use Perlite this way as well. It has made a huge difference in my rooting success as well, and I wish I had known this a few years ago! That is great that Micah rooted a Bonnie Fox that way! Awesome! I know lots of people have had trouble with that one. Heat mats are also great to set newly grafted plumies on because new grafts need heat too!
My grafts are all on the mat too.
Tomorrow starts our first wave of +80 degree weather
Ill move them out to the sun but on the pad anyway!!
I have rotted 2 Bonnies....
I sent Number 3 to Luc and he reports 2 successful grafts!!
I also sent him my Raspberry Ribbon.
To my knowledge there are only 3 cuttings to ever go public.
1 was mine and arrived frozen
the other I was outbid on and the buyer told me his highest bid was $350.-
Too steep for me!!
Fortunately the owner of this variety has become a dear friend to me and saw fit to bless me again... with Raspberry Ribbon.
Im calling Luc tomorrow to get the full update on all my gals.
I am adding some information to this thread because it is in the FAQ's under cuttings.
Today, Bret Morgan of Kimi's Plumerias posted a great post about watering. It was in response to another person's post from Southern California who watered her cuttings everday and was surprised to see roots. Her mix was 75% perlite and 25% coir. Here is what he said:
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"For the past 3 seasons I've been trying to help plumie growers understand that water is not the enemy of plumeria! It's the soil media that they are sitting or rooting in! Without more info -- I'm not sure what was up with your rooting tubes method -- however I can give you the answer to why watering your cuttings every other day worked and that it is not all that weird afterall.
It is clearly your soil mixture! (Technically, it was a "soilless" mixture you made, but that's a whole 'nuther discussion.) A 75% #3 perlite and 25% coir mix will stay moist and humid (potting soil can be used in place of coir), thus allowing the soil media to transpire or "breathe." (And that's a good thing.)
Once the rooting process of your cuttings began, there was plenty of available water for the roots to take up. In addition, your soil media had the ideal conditions for the roots do their oxygen and carbon dioxide gas exchange that the roots produce daily.
By contrast, take a heavy soil like clay or too much sand or silt or a soil that is too compacted, add even a little water and the soil has much more difficulty in gas transpiration thus contributing to rot. WATER IS JUST AN INGREDIENT THAT CONTRIBUTES TO PLUMERIA ROT! This goes for rooting plumeria and for fully established trees. Healthy plumeria require water! What about plumeria that grow in the tropics as Allison mentioned? It rains in the tropics almost everyday and clearly those plumeria thrive in the wet. (Okay.. there's other factors involved too, but just work with me, here.)
Many times I have seen hobbyist/growers check on their rooting plumeria of many weeks or months
only to see that the cutting had rooted, however the roots died because they "learned" DON'T WATER CUTTINGS! The KEY to this whole plumeria thing is: SOIL! Plumeria love water! As long as the proper soil media is practiced you sould have great results and hopefully lots of blooms!"
This message was edited Aug 7, 2007 11:27 AM