Hello all,
I'm new to this board, and to Plumerias. I am dying to own one, BUT I am in extreme zone denial. I have a dark, dry house in 6a, and can't get a cutting rooted. I do have two sprouted seedlings, but they are just clinging to life.
Back to my question: every year, faithfully, I attend the big MassHort Flower Show in March. It's my Mecca. Every year, I enter the vendor's area, and am immediately met by a booth displaying fantastic, gigantic potted plumerias. In this booth, wearing leis, are three frantic, enthusiastic ladies, reciting a sales pitch: Buy any 3 plumeria cuttings, and they'l throw in a ginger bulb, and a bottle of Magic fertilizer, and it will only be $25, a savings of 50% (since the Magic fertilizer alone costs $25!). The ladies are very nice, but cannot deviate from their sales pitch, OR the "bargain"- in other words, you can't just buy one cutting; it's the package deal or nothing. As you might have suspected, if you want MORE than 3 cuttings, there's a package for that, too; double the offer for only $40!
Every year, I buy the $25 package. Every year, the cuttings (and the ginger) fail to produce. Every year, I assume it's me and buy more. You'd think I'd learn, but I got to the flower show with money saved, and try again. Yes, I know, I'm an idiot!
My questions:
I don't remember their company name. Maybe they only form for the flower show. Do you know who they are? (I will write it down this year.) I want to enter them in the "Garden Watchdog".
Why sell this way? Other "cutting" vendors simply put out a display of their flowers, and they sell like crazy. For example, one vendor specializes in orchid cactus. Cuttings of named varieties are $4, (no special packages) and I always buy some, and they flourish.
I follow the instructions that come with the plumeria cuttings to the letter, and they always rot out. I've used captan, to no avail. I can root other plants, but not these plumeria.
Any thoughts? Should I be a sucker again this year???
-Melissa
P. S. Hi Sherley!!! I just noticed that you post on this board!! I miss you!!!
Show Sellers
Hi Melissa,
You can only enter the business in GardenWatchdog if they have a web site. They may be this business: http://www.justplumerias.com/ but it is hard to say for sure. You may want to note their business name this time when you go, but if they are selling healthy cuttings at the time that you buy them, then they are not to blame for the cuttings failing to root.
This is not a good time of year to root cuttings unless you use a heat mat and supplemental lighting. The warmest months of the year are best for rooting plumeria cuttings because they need heat to root and because they need to be in growth mode. I don't know what instructions they gave you, but the FAQ's Sticky Thread has excellent instructions on rooting cuttings. They need to be on a heating pad this time of year with some supplemental lighting. The soil temperature should be 80 degrees or higher.
I can't answer why they make you buy in packages, but $25 for three cuttings plus a ginger bulb plus fertilizer sounds like a decent value.
Also, Check out Chris's (Buried Treasures) ad in the Classifed Forum because I believe he has some good deals on plumeria cuttings, and some may be rooted already. If you are certain that you can't or don't want to go through the agony of wondering if your cuttings will root, you can buy some well-rooted ones and grafted ones from Florida Colors for a very reasonable price: http://www.floridacolors.com/ They have named varieties starting at $20 each for grafted trees.
Thanks, Clare!
Yes, that does look a lot like them. The Boston set up is more elaborate, with lots of potted plumeria (not for sale, of course!). I would be shocked if they did not have a web site.
The show is March 17- 25 this year. I do have heat mats, an indoor light set up, and I have had success with seeds/cuttings of many plants. I have had the plumeria cuttings start to show signs of leafing, only to rot. My hope is to have the cuttings established by the time it is warm enough for them to be moved outdoors for the summer; mid-March would seem a logical time to start.
I guess my question is: are plumerias notoriously hard to root? Or is it just me? I also have difficulty growing clivia due to rot, while clivia are considered an "easy" house plant. I am surprised by this, b/c I am stingy w/ the water.
I'll give them another shot this year. With the help of DG, I may be able to have a plumeria that lives. The 3 or 4 cuttings for $25 is a deal, esp. since there's no shipping and you get to chose the cuttings. I can report results.
Melissa,
I'm in Arizona, talk about dry...I think your cuttings came from the same people that do the House and Garden show here in Phoenix.
The name of the seller in Big Island Plants.
They were very nice cuttings that they had here. A friend has had great results with their cuttings and just loves this place. I only got 2 my self this time. They haven't had time to root yet but the cuttings looked very plump and fresh.
They will replace any cuttings for $5.00 for s+h
I saved their information if you need it.
Is this the lady that you bought your cuttings from?
Mickey
Melissa, plumeria cuttings are easy to root if given the right conditions, but they must be healthy to start with. If yours started to root and then rotted, they may have experienced a drop in soil temp or sat in wet cold soil for too long. Temps can drop drastically at night, especially during the spring. I used to lose a lot of cuttings in the springtime when I tried to root them outside. Now, I use a heating pad in the spring always as our May Gray and June Gloom is usually damp and cold. I don't attempt to root outside unless it is summertime and summerlike weather in the fall. Even heat is very important to the rooting process.
HEY MELISSA, there you are..!!
How are you? You suddenly dissapeared from the C&S forum, was wondering where you've been, I miss you!
I haven't post too often there either, or anywhere actually. Rotting plants left and right keeping me a little busy. The post that you saw was my first post here, I refuse to have my first plumie die along with the others!!!!
I'll vouch for heat mat and extra light. Although I cheated and got a rooted one, it wasn't doing anything AT ALL for at least 2 months, that's when I decided to ask the experts here. I put mine on heat mat the next day, and not even 2 weeks later the "leaves to be" are getting larger, looks like they'll unfurl soon. Check out the before & after pic....yippeeee. Btw, thanks to everyone that replied with great advices!
So, you might wanna try rooted one and see if it'll be kind to you.
Don't be a stranger, okay..! See you around!
HEY SHERLEY!!!! I've put my C/S aside and am concentrating on outdoor plantings and winter sewn stuff. I've been lurking on the hosta board, and asking questions about dahlias to the extreme aggrevation of the dahlia regulars. I miss you all, but I'm at a loss as to what to offer as topics/conversation.
Mickey, the ladies that sell change every year. I can't remember faces. I get the impression that they are coached to a strict sales script, b/c they can't answer questions, don't make conversation, and don't acknowledge remarks like "mine from last year died".
BTW, if I take photos at the show, where do I post them? I mean, general show photos of displays; I suppose I should post orchid shots on the orchid page, etc.
hi melissa,
you're not an idot! go back this year and ugh...LOL J/K i would recommend starting off with a grafted variety from florida colors as clare recommended. don't beat yourself up trying to root them if the conditions aren't right.
dete
I've been to the NE Flower Show and it is hard to pass up that booth with all the beautiful plants and pictures but the sticks are not that wonderful. If my memory is fair, they were pretty skinny and short. From reading the threads here I have learned you are more likely to be successful with the larger cuttings. I would look at Florida Colors and/or Brad's Buds and Blooms. They both ship beautiful and healthy plants and cuttings. Personally, if I were in your climate where warm weather comes late, I would get a head start on the season and invest in a rooted cutting or better still a plant. For $25.00 you could get something pretty nice.
They are the same vendors that set up here for the Philadelphia Flower Show each year.
The deal is good.
The cuttings are good.
Ive had great luck with them although they are generic commons.
The issue is how you are rooting them.
They must have plenty of bottom heat and bright light, even artificial will do.
Once set up they cannot be watered or they rot
Wait till they have 3 full leaves before watering.
Het heat and more heat, bright light and more and more of it.
Theyll root for you.
Im in Philadelphia and its not really tropical friendly here either.
My friend Micah and I have taken great measures to propegate Plumies and Adeniums here.
It isnt easy but can be done.
Good luck and keep trying!!
When you get your first success youll be so proud!!! 8D
Michael
Hi Melissa! I'm in the same zone as you and I rooted a dwarf plumie over the fall- check my threads and see my pics. It can be done. Bought a heat mat for $25, set up an Ott-Lite I had, stuck the cutting in a gallon pot (followed what's on the stickie) and the rest is history. If you start now, even better.
Thanks, everyone! I am a name-freak when it comes to my hostas, dahlias, glads, iris; but for a first try at a plumeria I'd be fine with a NOID generic. I can take a death so much easier when there is no name. I just lost two dahlia tubers: Pat Fearey and Haley Jane *sniff*.
BTW, my two seedlings are thriving! They are 'Pink Plastic'. I moved them from their heat mat and artificial light to the much colder (but brighter) kitchen window sill. Maybe the cooler air will help prevent rot.
Melissa, name-freaks unite! LOL! That being said, be sure you label your seedlings 'Seedlings of Plastic Pink' so that they can be distinguished from the parent plant 'Plastic Pink.' I wouldn't be too concerned about your seedlings as seedlings have a strong root system compared to rooted cuttings and can take much harsher conditions and still thrive. However, heat is always better than cool so you will want to select the warmest spot possible -- perhaps the windsill during the day and the heating pad at night?
Clare, isn't it amazing how a name effects the way you think of a plant? When I first saw the "Immortality" iris, I bought several, even though I don't really go for white flowers. On the flip side, there is a gorgeous dahlia called "Ted's Choice"- it's pink, but it sounds more like a beer than a pink flower. Surely the hybridizer could have used a little more imagination.
You are so right. There is one plumeria that I will never get in part because it isn't that impressive in my view but also in part because of its name. The name conjures up unpleasant images. It was discovered and named by a woman with the last name of Slaughter. It's name is 'Slaughter Pink.'
Jax4 ever- I just stumbled on this thread. My friend purchased Plumies from the same company, at a garden show she attended.She purchased 4 and lost 2 . She gave me 2 and I lost one under the same conditions. I am zone 7. So just to let you know you are not the only one! LOL!- She was so upset when mine bloomed!
I went to the MassHort show in March, and these folk weren't there! (Maybe my post scared them off?)
Anyway, my seedlings died. I can't be in zone denial. I have to face it that this is New England, and if I want Plumerias or any other delicate tropical flower, I need a greenhouse or treat them as annuals. Our winters are too long.
If you want plumerias just Pick a location and set up 1 light- Hanging light.
and use a heating mat to start them off. They should be fine in your house as long as you keep it warm. My house is the same. I have them next to my only window with Light (lol) and have a light set up above it. I took a cutting in the middle of winter off the one I have and it did and is still going fine. I do have him on the heating mat.
Don't give up! If I did it anyone can. I am going to order one more this summer.
PS. Why dont u just order one already started with roots. They have a bunch of web sites that offer different size rooted plants. You can get a nice "standard" collection of various colors.