I have a plumeria in a pot that I want to move into a flower bed. I'm in zone 9 and wondering if it's okay to plant it in the ground this fall or if I should wait until spring to do so.
Plumie question
Phughes, it says you are in Zone 9, and plumerias are only hardy in the ground in Zones 10 and 11 because they are a tropical tree. There have been success stories of trees planted in Zone 9, but they are few and far between. The ones that have been successful have become acclimated over time and are very mature and are usually planted in a city area surrounded by brick buildings and concrete which raise the ambient temperature around the trees. Even those trees experience die back from occasional frost and freezing temps. Many people in your zone and colder zones do plant their pots in the ground in the spring and pull them up in the fall before the first frost date and store them in the house or garage, or they put them in greenhouses. If you want to try to let yours grow in the ground, I would wait until spring so it can become established, and then you can throw a protective cloth over it when the freeze warnings come. If you were to plant it now, it would not have time to become acclimated, and the roots could become cold and wet very fast, which is the fastest way to kill a plumeria. The other option is to grow them in containers and move them inside for the fall and winter.
Thanks Clare. I was hoping you'd pop in and see my question. I felt like I should wait until spring. I just get very impatient. Once I decide on a gardening plan, I'm ready to put it in action. Not always a wise thing when you're dealing with Mother Nature. I'll just keep it on the patio until spring. I've only lost one plumie that was in the ground and that was the year we got snow which is an anomaly where I live. We seldom see frost much less snow, but if it does get below freezing I always protect my plumies. When do plumies usually go dormant? when the ground reaches a certain temperature?
Patty
Hi Patty, I'm the same way you are. It's hard to be patient sometimes, but most of the time, it pays off. I heard about that snow in Texas, and it was hard to believe. I'm sorry about the one that you lost.
Plumies go dormant when subjected to reduced light, reduced water and fertilizer, and colder temps. Dormancy can be encouraged by manipulating these factors, and some growers are encouraging dormancy now, and some have their dig-up days around Thanksgiving, depending upon what area you live in and when your first frost date is. Most of mine did not lose their leaves and go dormant last winter, but I kept watering normally, and temps mostly stayed above 40 at night. Most of mine were probably -- I'm guessing here -- in a state of pre-dormancy, not growing or blooming but not shedding leaves. The ones that did shed their leaves did so by January or February, our coldest months. In truly tropical areas, plumerias don't go dormant either, unless water is withheld. Dormancy is a survival mechanism within the tree to help it survive a dry cold winter. I haven't studied dormancy that closely so that is just conjecture on my part.
Hi Plumie People:
I'm fairly new to the DG website and still finding my way around and reading different threads/forums and Learning, Learning, Learning! My question: I live in Daytona Beach Florida, Zone 9b. I want very much to try growing Plumeria .... but before I purchase one, I want to know if it can be grown in a pot in a sunny location and moved inside during frost? We do have frost at times in this part of Florida, and have many plants in the ground that we have to cover with blankets! Does this plant need full sun, part sun, full shade? And, what about the amount of water? Is it a good idea to try this plant in my area?
Thanks for any info!
Lin
Lin
Welcome to the forum. There are lots of people that will be able to help you I'm sure. I live in 8b and mine are in pots. They love the sun and I think they are easy to grow. It's fun to put a stick in soil and a plant pops out. I'm still amazed. I joined in August and just love it. I'm addicted and there are alot of enablers here. The pictures alone do me in.
Jeri
Lin - you should be fine in your area, you might even consider plunging the pot into the ground, then only remove it for cold spells. FULL SUN and well draining soil is all that is required. You might want to read the sticky thread at the top for full growing information.
I've sent you a d-mail.
Welcome to the Plumie Forum, Lin! Yes, I agree with Jeri and Hetty. Plumies grow very well in containers and need protection from frost and freezing temps. Full sun and lots of water and fertilizer in the warm months will keep your plumie happy as long as it has good drainage. The Sticky Thread has so much growing information so be sure to check it out!
Thanks for all the great info. I am going to read the Sticky Thread!
Look forward to adding this plant to my "family" !!
Lin