Thanks to a generous person here at Dave's I will be receiving my first Plumeria cuttings, seeds and a few seedlings this coming week. And I need a little bit of advice on getting them going.
The seedlings, with their root systems already established will not be that much of a problem to get growing. But it is the cuttings and seeds that I have a few questions about.
First the seeds, the only question I have about the seeds is this; I know that you are supposed to mist the soil to keep it moist enough for germination, but can you cover the pot with a plastic tent like you would other seeds, such as brugmansia, tomatoes, peppers, etc. until they germinate?
Now the cuttings, here is where I have a few questions. I have read the FAQ but I don't recall seeing the answers to these questions.
1: What is the lowest safe night time temperature to put out a plumie cutting that you are attempting to root? The cutting can be placed outside and still be placed on a temperature controlled Heat Mat.
2: What is the optimal soil temperature for a plumie to root? All I know is that they like it HOT and lots of bright light. Can you get the soil too hot when attempting to root a plumie?
3: I plan on using the gravel method along with a stake to try to root my plumies. And I will be doing this inside my house, because our night time temps won't settle into the 55 - 60 degree range until mid to late June or so, maybe sooner if I am lucky. After being moved outside, would it be ok to cover the top of the pot with black plastic to keep the soil warmer and to keep out excess water from rain storms until the cuttings are established?
4: Last one I think. LOL If that the cuttings have not put out any sign of leaves when it is safe to bring them outside, can I put them in a basically full sun, southern exposure location right off the bat? Or would it be best to adjust the cuttings to the amount of full sun they will get? I know with brugs or any other plant that has made any growth in the house, that the growth will suffer sun burn if placed directly in the sun before hardening off.
Sorry about all the questions, but this is my first attempt at growing these beauties.
Thanks,
Davidwv
Plumie Newbie Needs Some Advice Please
Yikes. Okay, I'll try to answer your questions in the little time that I have here on Dave's today. I'll have to type fast.
Yes, you can use a humidity dome for the seeds, but too much moisture can cause rot in seeds and dampening off in seedlings so make sure there is plenty of heat as well.
1. If your cutting will be rooting on a heat mat, it will be fine. Mine are rooting outside now on gravel, and the nighttime temps are still dipping down into the low- to mid-40's here and there. It even rained on them all night the other night. Mostly, nights are staying in the 50's. I normally don't recommend a below-50 air temperature for cuttings. I rooted many cuttings outside this winter on my semi-covered patio on heat mats with a mini-greenhouse, but the air temp inside the mini-greenhouse stayed very warm. The most ideal soil temperature for rooting is an even 80 degrees at all times. You didn't say where the cuttings and heat pad will go outside, but remember that heat is essential to the rooting process.
2. As I said in #1, 80 degrees or higher is the ideal soil temperature for rooting. In the summertime, I root my cuttings on hot concrete in full sun, and I water daily. Water when the soil looks dry and mist as you water. People will tell you to water sparingly when rooting a cutting, but this is a good way to cause desiccation and does not apply to cuttings that are on a heat mat or hot concrete or any other heat source. Water liberally when the soil looks dry. No, you will not be able to get the soil too hot for rooting.
3. I would not use the gravel method. The gravel method has been shown to be ineffective and even harmful. Gravel actually holds the water in whether you put it on top or on the bottom. In places like Arizona and Texas, it has been known to burn the cutting at the soil line and cause desiccation. I know Plumeria101 recommends it, but it is bad advice in my view.
You don't need a stake unless your cuttings are crooked or so big that they won't stand up on their own without roots.
Your plumies should go outside after the last frost date has passed in your area and when your nights stay in the low 50's or higher. The warm days and sunshine and hot concrete will help them to root successfully. Rooting in the house is not ideal even with a heating pad and supplemental light. There is no replacement for the warm natural heat of the sun if you have heat outside during the day.
No, it would not be a good idea to cover the soil with plastic. If your cuttings are planted in well-draining containers and in well-draining potting soil, the rain will not be harmful and will be beneficial. Plumerias love water as long as there is good drainage. I water my cuttings and established plants nearly every day.
4. You can acclimate your plumerias by placing them in part sun or filtered sun for a few days before putting them out in full sun. If they have been in shade or in the house for an extended period of time, then acclimation is recommended. Sunburn on the leaves or stem can occur if the conditions are right, but it almost always heals in time unless it is severe. Chances are that you will not have leaves inside anyway. It takes 60-90 days for a plumeria to root in ideal conditions, and it will start to push out leaves as it is rooting. Your plumeria cuttings should be outside during this time.
If you are worried that temps will drop below 35 at night, you can put them outside in full sun during the daytime and bring them in at night and do this for the few cold nights you might have this spring, but they will root better and faster in full sun on the hottest heat source in your yard.
Please note to David and Everyone:All of these answers are both in the FAQ's and my article: http://davesgarden.com/articles/view/45/ and the link to my article is also in the FAQ's. In the near future, I won't be able to answer long posts and multiple questions such as this one and will only have a few minutes each day to visit Dave's. I encourage everyone to please read the FAQ's and my article before asking questions and then come ask questions that you can't find the answers to.
Edited to add: I'm going to put this thread in the FAQ's Sticky Thread to help others who have these same questions.
This message was edited Apr 23, 2007 12:16 PM
Gosh Clare-you just wrote a novel!! I have learned so much about plumerias from reading your novellas! Thank you so much for all this wonderful info-I don't think half the people on this forum would have plumerias if not for your tireless help.
I was able to keep all my plumerias alive over the winter and I even had my Singapore white bloom this winter-that was thrilling! All thanks to you!!
Thanks, Terry. It is nice to be appreciated:-) I just wish the pay was better! LOL! You give me much too much credit though. I'm sure your Singapore bloomed due to your own wonderful gardening skills.
I do enjoy helping people grow these marvelous trees, and I wrote the articles on plumerias and put together the links and information over at the FAQ's with the hope that it would help people. I won't always have the time to be here as my schedule becomes more and more demanding so I hope that my current and past writings will be a help in the future. I also hope that other plumeria growers will chime in and pass on what they've learned as time allows. I do understand that it is time-consuming to answer questions thoroughly, and sometimes, it is easier just to provide links to where the information can be found. That is probably what I will have to resort to in the future.