I live in Cypress, TX (just oustide of Houston) and had bought a plumeria last year. I didn't plant it because I was trying to find the right spot and tried doing some research and seems they are very susceptible to frost. Well, it didn't turn out good, I left it in the pot and it ended up getting root rot. I probably should have replanted in a different pot at the very least. I want to try again this year, but wanted to know if I can plant it in the ground in the Houston climate and not have to dig it up come winter? Not, that we have much of a winter in these parts, but we do get unexpected frosts here and there. Would I be able to just cover them? Or would it be better to put it in a pot where I can move it inside in the winter time?
Can I plant a Plumeria in the ground in Texas?
I am not big on getting plants that need winter protection. With a few exceptions, they must fend for themselves or die. Plumies happen to be one of these exceptions and I keep most potted and bring into garage when temps go to the mid 30s.
However, I have seen plumies planted in ground that make it just fine. I also see people sinking the potted plumies inground, then pulling pot out as weather dictates. To me, that seems easier than using a shovel for replanting or digging. I am going to sink 1-2 potted ones and see what happens. Maybe that could work for you,too.
Yes, you can plant them in the ground. I have seen some fairly large ones growing in Houston proper. Teas Nursery in Bellaire has a ton of them. Every time I go there, I come away drooling over their selections.
Thanks for your suggestion. I did read that somewhere too and I thought about it. It just seems like a lot of work! lol Either way, there will be a big whole in the yard to fill. I am the same way when it comes to winter protection. Which is why I figured I would go with one or the other: (1) planting it in teh ground and hope it makes it through the next winter or (2) planting it in a pretty pot and having the liberty to bring it inside if I hear temperatures are going to dip too low. Unfortunately I'm not always the most prepared gardener.
One of the DsIL puts her plums. in the ground every spring and they grow outrageously beautifully. Every fall when the leaves and all begin to fall she just pulls them out (read digs) and puts them barerooted, hanging from the root section in the garage or just lays them down there if she has the room. To the best of my knowledge she has never cut hers back so they are pretty big. Mine froze last year because they were in pots and never got put in the garage. Thank goodness I had cut them way back and sent the cuttings to Florida and took some to the RU last fall in CS so parts of them live on. I don't want to do plumerias any more because they are too labor intensive for me constantly needing fertilizer and being watered well EVERY day and having to go into the garage every fall.
But they are beautiful!
Ann
Thanks Bettydee. I have a nursery right by me that has beautiful ones as well. He has them in the green house right now. I don't know the name of it but it's off of Hwy 290 right past Huffmeister. I just wanted to get some input before I went to get one. They prefer full sun, don't they?
I hear ya on the maintenance part, Ann. That was something I wasn't very educated on when I got the last one either. I think I am going to try setting it in a pot and see how that goes. That way I can also move it around and find a location that suits it best. What fertilizer would you suggest for it?
Fertilizer: MG that SHOULD be diluted.I just put about 1-2 t, dry, on the soil every week or so and watered it in. It loves heat! I put mine on the white concrete driveway in full sun and it thrived, bloomed and put out seed pods. It really does need the heat! and sun. and water. and fertilizer but not the stuff that's supposed to last for 3 or so months. It is evidently a very hungry plant and thirsty. If it droops from lack of water it will lose some flowers and some of the leaves will fall and they are BIG so make a mess. if you don't have a concrete drive in the full sun, it has been suggested that you set it on concrete stepping stones. This stores the heat but you need to have extra ones around the bottom of the pot to collect the most heat. Hope this helps. I forgot to add that in the bottom of the pot put something(s) heavy like bricks, stones or the like as they are very prone to blowing over in the slightest wind. This is another thing that makes the darn things hard to move.
Ann
This message was edited Apr 2, 2007 3:45 PM
Mine are in pots because La Grange is colder than Houston in winter. They overwinter in the greenhouse. To keep them from toppling over outside, I tie them down to a 3' stake driven in the ground next to the pot. The pots are large and heavy, but they still blew over in the wind.
They are heavy feeders, but I've been able to get away with giving it hibiscus fertilizer and some Bayer's 2 - in -1 every 3 or 4 months to get rid of insects. Mine summer on top of pavers set on the lawn. I have Bermuda and if I don't put something under the pots, the grass will grow upward through the drain holes. The potting soil needs to be fast draining or, as you've discovered, they'll rot.
Ann, I haven't tried adding polymer water crystals to the soil, but it might help cut down on having to water every day. I've read a thread on one of the forums that drilling holes on top of the soil and filling the holes with wet crystals helps. I just can't remember which forum. With Plumerias, I would think that it would have to be soon after planting. Mine have been in these pots for a year and already the roots have completely covered the top just beneath the soil. If I drilled holes, I would be damaging roots.
I agree with Nery (Vossner) about sinking or containers. You need containers that have excellent drainage. I would skip the stones at the bottom though because they tend to keep the soil too moist at the bottom, and others have had problems with root rot doing this. Anyone living in Zone 9 or lesser zones should bring them inside for winter. I'm in Zone 10b, and I still have three temporary greenhouses set up for my special ones that I don't want to risk cold injury.
We had record cold temps this year, and many people in Southern California lost large portions of their collections due to the sustained freeze. You can cover them when frost is predicted however, but you will need to be diligent about checking the weather report each night in the winter. That being said, there are large trees in various Zone 9 locations throughout the country, usually located in cities next to buildings, concrete, and cement, and they are protected somewhat, being surrounded by favorable microclimates, and they are also acclimated to cold by being exposed to it over the years; however, they do sustain freeze damage which will cause branch dieback, but they can recover from this if the freeze does not go on for more than a day or two. Large trees here in Southern California were killed during several hours of 27F.
For fertilizer, a balanced formula is recommended, but I use whatever I have on hand, usually MiracleGro. I fertilize once a week or once every other week from spring to fall. If you are interested in reading how I grow plumerias, see this article here: http://davesgarden.com/articles/view/45/
This message was edited Apr 2, 2007 2:51 PM
Hi, I am very near you in Houston. I plant my largest plumies in the ground and them dig them up each fall. I have gotten better growth and more blooms since I started this 6 years ago or so. You do have to be really careful about when to bring them in and not putting them out too soon. My dad lost almost all his plumie trees this winter because he put them out way too soon and then he was sick when we got a freeze( He lives just south of Intercontinental airport). I gave him cuttings of mine and some seedlings to start him back up. I know it's a lot of work; but we think it's worth it when they are full of blooms and smelling great.
this on just one of the reasons I say it's worth all that work.
That is beautiful! I think I'm going to have to go buy my plumie now!
I know lots of people in zone 9 who grow them in the yard and they are trees now!!!! I just got my first ones, but they are going in pots just because that is where I need them......when i drive over to Portland 7 miles away, the yards are full of plumerias in the ground...
I had 2 plumerias in large pots that I had to depend on DDH to put in garage for me for the winter. Unfortunately I got sick and he was so busy taking care of me and the house, etc. I just couldn't ask him to something for the plants so they got to stay outside all winter. I had cut them back just before the fall RU in CS, sent most of them to a DGer in Florida and took the leftovers that wouldn't fit in the box to the RU. (Haven't heard if all those survived, etc.) The cutbacks stayed outside all winter long but I wasn't too worried about them until we all realized that this was the coldest winter we have seen in years w/lots of freezes and rain. They are still outside and I haven't paid much attention to them since they were just about 4' tall triple branched thick sticks. Yesterday morning I was wondering around the back yard to look at the 10" high hibiscus (which used to be 10-14' high) and wandered over to look once again at the plumies. Goodness gracious!! One of those dudes had lots of leaves up and down the whole thing! The other still looks like a goner but I am a true optimist. To find I didn't lose both of them is, to me, some kind of miracle. It just shows that the garden gods have smiled on this yard. I am just thrilled!
Ann
Ann, that is great news! I did originally have one that I got for mother's day last year but I knew too little about plumies then, so coupled with poor care and the freezes it didn't make it. All I can do is learn from my mistakes. I am so glad for you though!
Ann, that is a miracle indeed. I hope everyone remembers that these trees are hardy to Zone 10 only! If you don't live in Zone 10, you will need to bring them inside and/or protect them from freezing temps because they will start to die at 32 and below. A lot of my friends and fellow collectors here in Southern California experienced record cold temps in there Zone 10 yards, and many lost big trees when it got down to 27. Some only have stumps left and are waiting to see if the trees come back. Some have tip damage and won't see blooms this year. There are certain circumstances where a tree can survive in the ground in Zone 9b, but those are situations in which there are large (usually concrete) structures around the tree, creating a microclimate which raises the temperature of the ground and surrounding air. Even in that situation, frost and/or freezing temps will damage branches first and cause branch dieback.
Ok, I did it!! I stopped by the nursery after work and he was running late so he was still open! None of the plumies were labeled but I don't really care. lol I'll try to figure it out when/if it blooms. Here is a picture of my plumeria. I'm so excited! After Clare's reply, I think I will play it safe and plant it in a pot so I can move it easily when needed. I am going to look for a pot tomorrow! Thanks everyone for your comments!
It's awesome. Congrats! It is lovely:-)
vERY HEALTHY LOOKING!
nOW FEED HER BLOOM BOOSTER!!
oopS CapS lOKc... sOrrY ;P
I saw plant food by Nutri-star I think that said it was for plumeria. They have various kinds for different plants. I was thinking about trying that. Has anyone every used this product?
I love Nutristar......I use it for everything, but I don't know about Plumerias....I know that Nutri-star doesn't have that awesome phosphoric number that SuperBloom and the others have.
Is Super Bloom by Greenlight? I think i just bought some of that yesterday!
There are some little green balls on top so I am assuming that is fertilizer already. Not sure what kind it is.
Shortstuff, it sounds like you have an inflo already. A balanced fertilizer is recommended for plumies so you don't need the bloombooster fertilizer with the high middle number.
What's an inflo?
The green-balls-on-top sounded like you were referring to an inflorescense, the flower stalk upon which blooms are borne.
Oh! lol I'm sorry I should have been clearer. I meant the little green balls were on top of the soil; looks like some kind of fertilizer but I didn't know which kind was used.
Ah, I see;-)
Clare, I wish I was close to having flowers! :)
Soon, I bet!