I am tickled pink, I just finished potting up 8 cuttings that arrived in todays mail from Hawaii. I bought them off ebay and while they are not named, the pictures are gorgeous. 2 each of pink, red, white & yellow. My mom split them as we often do with plants, although now that I think of it, I usually end up potting everything up...hmm, mom is a clever old gal, isn't she? LOL
So keep everything crossed for me, according to plumeria101 I should know within 90 days if I did it right.
Yippieeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am an official Plumeria newbie :)
Congrats and welcome to the plumie family!!
What ebay seller did you buy these from if i may ask?
pudgy welcome aboard...am sure you will do well..the main thing to remember is no water while they don't have roots to take it up...glad you read plum 101...it's a good site....keep us informed...bob
Thank you lopaka :~), the seller was sunomega, a really nice man. I got immediate responses to emails before I bid when I was concerned if it was too hot to ship and also after keeping me informed when they shipped. He also guarantees them to arrive in good condition.
junglebob, I appreciate the warm welcome. That is a wonderful site, I was so happy to see step by step instructions. The watering is something I am concerned about, I usually water too much so I am going to really be careful with these. I like how he said when in doubt wait a week. The only thing I am not clear on is where to put the pots. Do I want them in direct sun? We are in the same zone, where do you put them? I have a shadecloth roof on the east side of the house where I grow many sun loving plants because it filters the sun until it moves past the house at about 1pm, not sure if that would work? Only other choices here are full shade or full sun. No happy mediums except under that shade cloth, which is why I have it. LOL
i would put them in the sun and on cement if you could for bottom heat...bottom heat very important...some friends even have a heating pad in their soil to keep it warm
Hi Donna and welcome! Be sure to read the FAQ's that is here as well for tips, links, and helpful threads!
Congrats on all your new acquisitions. I'm glad you had a good eBay experience because it seems there are more bad sellers of plumerias on eBay than good ones, but we have a list circulating of the goods ones to help the members here. Favorites include HawaiiSandy, BradsBudsandBlooms, NCasselberryfla, and FrangipaniHeavenfla. If you look through some of the threads here posted in the past few months, you will see some of the other eBay experiences.
I agree with Bob about the cuttings: full sun, lots of bottom heat, daily misting, and watering the soil when it looks dry. During the warm days of summer, cuttings root very easily, and you don't have to worry about rot as much. Your cuttings should root easily and quickly this time of year. I wrote an article, if you are interested in reading it, that outlines how I root cuttings. It is published over at http://www.plumerias.com Look for the link that says "Clare's Garden" at the bottom.
OK, I just moved them to the cement pad with full southern exposure. Thank you. :~)
oh, that will teach me to preview instead of just hitting send. I was reading, starting my reply, then running out and moving plumeria pots, LOL, and I did not see your post.
Thank you Clare, I will read the article. I have been avidly reading things in this forum since I got bitten by the plumeria bug, there was so much info! I really appreciated it too, I felt prepared for them when they arrived. Now if I could just retain what I read. LOL But at least I know where to come when I forget it. :~)
For example, I forgot the misting part, but now that you bring it up, I recall reading that. I will run out and get a spray bottle sat right next to them so I don't forget again.
Geesh, I am soooo excited! The 8 I got did not have names, just listed as colors, so no clue what they are or what they will smell like. But golly, there has to be at least a few that will knock my socks off. Once I feel that I am competent with these "starter" plumerias, I will see about getting some of the more expensive ones that are named.
It sounds like you are well on your way to your plumie addiction! LOL! I'm sure all eight will "knock your socks off" one way or the other. Plumerias have a way of doing that:-)
Just got done misting them and taking a picture for mom so she can see HER 4 that I am growing...LOLOL Is it possible to over mist them? I get pretty dedicated (sounds nicer then obsessive, lol) when there is a job to do. :~)
Lookin' good, Donna! When the weather is hot, you can't overmist them. In full sun, it's good to keep the stems hydrated to prevent desiccation which can occur when cuttings get too dry in full sun. In the summertime, I keep the soil evenly moist -- never bone dry and never wet (i.e., they have excellent drainage). They are in full sun, and I water and mist them every day. They are all leafing out now. Now that hot weather is here, I haven't lost any to rot and probably won't again until winter.
good, I am glad to know that. I just finished reading your article and what a wealth of info. Thank you for directing me to it. Now I have a desire to try seeds of one that really strikes my fancy. I hesitated to start with seeds because I had read that it can take 3-5 years to get flowers, but now that I have these cuttings, I can be more patient. I will follow your seed starting instructions in that article. Thanks everyone, I am very appreciative.
I'm glad you like the article and found it helpful, Donna! Seed sowing is definitely fun. Do try it. I had my first seedling bloom at 18 months old; the second bloomed at 20 months old; and the third bloomed at 22 months old. I have 37 others that haven't bloomed yet, and they are now 30 months old. I am hoping for some more blooms this summer but may have to wait until next summer. I'm told that three years is the average wait for a seedling to bloom, but I know it can take longer than that for some seedlings. Here is one of my seedling flowers:
I just got my first one last week. I am always trying different plants and I have never tried a plumeria before. I have a lot to learn too!
Hi americanwoman, I guess we are going to learn together. Good luck to us both. :~)
Clare, what a beautiful picture, and nice to know there is a chance to get blooms sooner then 3 years, even if it's a slim chance. I have already chosen & bid on the ones that I want, seeds from the mother JL Pink Pansy and also Carmen. I know they will not be identical, but I think anything that comes from those two would appeal to me. I just don't know what I will do if all those seeds sprout. Gonna have to beg people at next years roundup to take them. LOL
Yes, good luck to us both! Between all the brugs I have become involved in and now these, I may have to move out when winter comes! I just received my second plumeria (rooted) in the mail today and it arrived in perfect condition. I guess now it's up to me!
Welcome, Americanwoman, to the Plumie Forum:-)
Donna, those two cultivars should have very nice seedlings. I have a feeling that you will not want to part with any of your babies once they sprout and show you how gorgeous they are. If you do give them away, you won't have to do any begging; that's for sure! You can probably get some nice trades out of them if you do trading.
LOL americanwoman, I know what you mean, I am a bit overrun too. Clare, I really don't think I will have a hard time parting with them, I don't really have room for 1, let alone the 4 cuttings! LOL I am thinking I will choose the one I like the best of those cuttings once they bloom next year, then hopefully the following year I will have flowers on the new seeds and can then do another elimination and end up with 2, possibly 1. How is that for a plan? LOL Actually, I do really well getting rid of stuff once I see it bloom. I am usually on to something else by then and the newness has worn off. I am very fickle. LOL I don't do any trading anymore, I just don't need anything. When I need to thin out plants I usually go to my neighbor first, but she is getting a bit tired of seeing me at her door with a flat of plants. And the funniest thing to me is that she has no clue, nor does she care, that the stuff I am trying to pawn off on her is hard to find and really rather valuable. Kind of a reverse, like "one womans treasure is another womans junk." LOL
Donna, you sound just like me. I have the same philsophy that you do. Once I see something bloom and enjoy it for a bit, I don't have any problems ripping it out. It didn't used to be that way for me. A few years ago, and I wanted to save and grow everything and anything. I just recently tore out a whole row of Passifloras -- ones that took me years to grow and train. They were magnificent, and I really enjoyed them, but they soon became monsters that needed contant pruning and maintenance. Before that, I took out a whole row of brugmansias, and last year, I took out a whole row of roses. My philosophy now is that, if it is a bug magnet, monster, or needs too much maintenance, it can't stay in my garden. I know exactly what you mean about the neighbors not knowing the value of plants. I can't send out trades any longer either. It takes way too much time, effort, and money, and I don't need or want anything more either. Another plant just looks like more work to me. LOL! I do make exceptions, however, for extraordinary plumies. Those don't ever look like work to me.
Yes, same philosophy. I notice also that now it has to be fragrant to reel me in. As I get older I want to spend more time smelling the flowers instead of weeding them. LOL My spreading hips don't like it but my knees sure do. ;~)
LOL! Yes, fragrance is a big draw for me too, but I do let some things stay in my garden which aren't fragrant as long as they have some beauty. I too want to get back to where I am enjoying my garden instead of working in it all the time. That is why the high-maintenance ones had to go. I may even do a next wave of getting rid of stuff after this blooming season is over. My back really appreciates it like your knees do!
Lol [raises his hand and says] "i know the feeling, back-knees,and the ever relentless skitters that prey on me...
wow, what a bunch of broke down gardeners we are! LOLOL
Clare, I have many things that are not fragrant too, but I have started mixing the fragrant ones in with them. Clematis in with my corkscrew vine, maid of orleans in with my hydrangea vine, things like that. It gives the illusion that more things are fragrant. Oh boy, who do I think I am fooling??? I am running out of space and cramming new things in with other things! HA
I have been misting my plumeria (my neighbor asked if I was growing asparagus, LOL) and wondering if they are ok. One of the reds seems like it might be rotting. Not sure why I think that except that it feels a little softer at the base then the others.
And the potting soil I used might be holding too much water cuz it has been a week in this heat and they are still moist. Oh well, we shall see. I won the pink pansy plumeria seeds, so I will have those to keep me busy for a while. My "asparagus" will be happy to have a break from me. ;~)
Thanks for the "plumie welcome". Add me to the list of broken down gardeners. And especially now that we are into the 90's (and I hate heat) all I can do is keep things watered. I would love one cloudy day!
LOL, well, I guess that, if something doesn't hurt, then you're not really working that hard! LOL!
Asparagus is too funny! I have to remember that one! A little soft is okay. If your cutting is rotting, you will see brown coloration below the surface. Reach in with your two fingers just below the soil line and lightly squeeze. If it is rotten, you will know it. It will be squishy, brown, smelly, and very soft. If it otherwise is mostly firm and has good color, then it is fine. Just make sure that it is on a hot surface. You can stop misting for a while if the potting soil is soaking up water from your misting. Let the soil dry out a bit before misting again. You don't want your cutting sitting in wet soil. It is better to keep the soil on the dry side but not bone dry.
It's true, American, that, when it is in the 90's, I don't feel like doing much of anything in the gardening except watering, and then I water myself along with the plants!
Robert, get yourself some Deet! It is great at repelling mosquitos.
strange, don't know how I missed your posts American & Clare, sorry about that. I got my seeds today and came here for the link you posted Clare with seed planting instructions and saw your post! Shame on me! How rude!
Thank you for the tips Clare on testing for rot, I have been watching them closely and it looks the same as the others so perhaps I was just being a nervous "mama".
Sure hope the temps drop soon, we could all use the break! :~)
LOL, Donna! You weren't rude at all. I know the nervous mama feeling all too well;-)
Clare, I have a question on the seeds. Actually, a few. LOL I am clear on the paper towels, cookie sheet on hot cement and taking a couple days to plump, but do they need to be on a heating pad at night? And once I plant the seeds, do they need a plastic bag over them or do I just mist them, and what kind of conditions do the seeds want? They don't go in full sun like the cuttings, do they? And again, do the seeds need a heating pad at night until they sprout?
I will start them in the morning so they will get a full day of sun. I am so excited! I am more excited about these seeds then I am about the cuttings, believe it or not. LOL
Thanks Clare for your patience AND knowledge. :~)
Hi Donna, the answer is: do whatever you like! LOL! Seeds are easy, and you really can't make a mistake. They don't need a heat pad at night this time of year; however, even soil temperature is ideal so, if you experience a big drop in temperature at night in your area, then it wouldn't hurt to put the container on a heat pad at night. The soil will heat up well during the day, and it should retain that heat during the night.
Once you plant the seeds, misting is fine. They want hot, tropical conditions: heat, humidity, well-draining soil, and some moisture but not a lot. They can go in full sun, filtered sun, or part sun. I would find a nice hot surface for the container to be placed on during the day and night. Mist frequently and don't let the soil dry out or get too wet.
I am not an expert on seeds so feel free to start a new thread and get some other opinions if you like. I can only tell you what I do, and it seems to work for me in my particular climate. I have done the paper towel method, and I found that works really well, but just recently, I sowed the seeds directly in a community pot and put the pot in my mini-greenhouse outside, which is open most of the time now. I try to mist when I remember. I think the most important thing is that you don't want the seeds sitting in wet, cold soil because they will rot if given too much moisture. The fresher the seeds are, the more eager they will be to germinate.
oh boy, I WISH the temp would drop at night! LOL Miserable here.
Thanks for the details, I feel confident now, the WHATEVER YOU LIKE tells me that I would have to really put some effort into messing this up. LOL They are in their little paper towel beds on an old cookie sheet in the same spot as the "asparagus", so I will leave them alone for a couple of days and then check for sprouts. You have been so helpful to me, I really appreciate it.
My pleasure:-) Post your little cuties when they pop their heads up if you can.
I may have to become a refugee from the Brugmansia site and come over here. I've got one Plumeria, sitting next to some of my Brugs. My Brugs are so darned needy. They constantly need picking up after, they constantly need spraying for this thing and that, the really nice ones cost a mint, and I'm starting to wonder why I do it. Meanwhile my young Plumie sits there looking contented with leaves that shine and are bug free. Brugs do smell great and look good when they bloom .... but so do Plumerias. So ..... why didn't I see you guys first?!!!!
Mary
LOL, Mary. Kell and I have had similar thoughts and conversations. To be fair to brugs, plumerias do get spider mites, whiteflies, and insects too, but they don't need as much picking up after or water. They probably don't need as much fertilizer either, but they are heavy feeders. I totally agree that brugs are high-maintenance. Plumerias are a lot less work and more forgiving of neglect. Both get viruses. I've gotten rid of quite a few brugs, but I still have about a dozen in my garden. We are having a heat wave here, and Pink Beauty's flowers have never looked darker. I love it! Anyway, I hope you'll hang out here too, Mary! Both are worthy trees.
LOL Mary, we are so easily addicted, aren't we? So many plants, so little space. LOL
I got my plumeria seeds planted yesterday, I have the pots under my swing so the sun is not hitting them, sure hope this heat is not too much for them. It is no cooler inside, short of putting them in the fridge. LOL
We had record setting high temps this weekend, 115 degrees. Pure misery.
This picture was taken sunday morning at 3:40AM while I was out back watering instead of sleeping. Look at the humidity! Absurd. Times like this I sure wish we had air conditioning. LOL Hope you are all getting through it ok.
Well, I ordered 3 Plumeria plants from a recommended seller on eBay, and had to promise my husband that I wasn't going to get carried away with them like I did with the Brugs. He's lucky that I won't have room in the greenhouse to add too many more things...... although I could just drag them into the garage when frost threatens. LOL
Mary
LOLOL, did he believe you? Probably knows better, those good intentions we have about not getting carried away don't always pan out. I don't bring my brugs in, but I will have to bring in the plumeria. I think that is the only thing that will help me to put a cap on how many I get. But again, good intentions, because once I get a whiff of them, all bets will be off. LOL Did you get named ones Mary? I could not afford the named ones, so I just got colors. But looking over Clares chart, it appears they all have their own scent, just like the brugs. Yum. :~)
I won Carmen, Puu Kahea, and Dwarf Pink Singapore. I've seen a couple dozen others that I'd like. Why did I have to make that promise to my husband?!! I wonder what the EXACT definition of being 'carried away' is.
I've made a commitment to starting a lot of Brugmansia seed this year, so I guess that should stop me from acting upon the uge to get more. LOL Maybe next year.
LOL, Mary! You guys sound addicted already! WELCOME to the addiction:-) Embrace it! And then come here and show us your blooms:-)
Mary, being carried away means going from having one Plumeria to now having 11 plus over 50 seeds to germinate since joining DG two months ago and having a list a mile long of ones that you want to get. All that and living in an apt with a tiny little balcony to put them on!
This message was edited Jul 26, 2006 4:17 PM
I have nubbins! The cuttings had dried up things on them when I got them, but now there are new things coming up around them. Can anyone tell me what these are called?
