This spring I recieved two healthy plumeria cuttings from a friend. I planted them and they leafed out nicely and happily all summer long. Now I just brought them in because the weather is threatening frost and I'd like some advice on how to care for them in this hot, dry, somewhat dark house.
thank you,
sofie
taking plumerias in for the winter - zone 6
Hi Sofie, there are lots of East Coast growers here, including GordonHawk and Beverly in New Jersey! You can keep your plumies growing with some attention, supplement light, and plenty of house heat, or you can let them go dormant in a cool dry area. There are a few threads and links on overwintering at the FAQ's sticky thread. Check them out when you get a chance! You can find it at the very top of all the threads. And WELCOME to the Plumie Forum!
Hi Clare. Thanks for the pointers and the welcome! Glad to be here.
sofie
Hi Sofie, Beverly here. I'm rooting a dwarf plumie in a shady house, started it in late Aug- early Sept. I bought a heat mat to set it on so it has bottom heat (and raises the ambient temp around it a bit) and I set up a fluorescent desk light near it to give it the intensity it needs (checked with a light meter). For keeping humid without rotting, I made a humidity dome out of a cut-off club soda bottle (2 liter size). I check the water level by the weight of the pot and add water as needed and I keep the humidity dome moist (droplets clinging inside it). My house is set for 68 or 69 in the daytime and 58 or 59 at night, the heat mat is on all the time, and the extra light is on 14 or 16 hrs a day. The heat mat was not expensive (around $25) and doesn't use a lot of electricity. If your cuttings are too big for a soda bottle, you can rig humidity domes out of plastic bags from the dry cleaners draped around wire hangers or another support or you can get a big saucer to put the pot in plus gravel and keep water half-way up the gravel (my orchids are in big trays like this). Good luck!
Awesome detailed post there, Beverly! Good instructions for rooting cuttings in the wintertime! If I am not mistaken, Sofie's are already rooted because she said that hers leafed out already. In that case, the heat mat really isn't necessary since the house heat should be enough. I think GordonHawk brings his established plumies inside from the roof through a skylight and keeps supplement light on them to keep them growing. Growing inside is tough because you have to deal with spider mites and other insects so a fan helps with that. I think most people just let their plumies go dormant in a basement or garage either in their pots or bareroot. The area should be dry and cool but not completely dark. Here's a good link: http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/534865/ Start at Aug 6.
I sprayed my plants with insecticidal soap before bringing indoors, then treat with a little Bonide systemic insecticide if I see anything.