I got a few mixed Plumeria seeds and they all have sprouted. ow how long does it take to make a stalk and bloom ?
Plumeris Seeds ?
flowerpower57
Jan 22, 2008
18 mos to 3 years to 5 years. i think it depends on your growing conditions and the seedling variety. a shorter growing season obviously mean a longer wait. most of mine have taken 20 mos to 3 years.
I'm with Hetty the runts never catch up, but they may be Dwarf/compact types? I too have heard it takes at least 18 months before you might see any flowers, but most likely it is over two years and closer to 3. As an example, out of 650+ seedlings I planted over 18 months ago only 2 have started to flower.
Davie
I had one flower at 22 months, but many of mine flowered after three years, but I am still waiting on many more 5 year olds that haven't bloomed yet. I agree that seedlings grow fast and big and need lots and lots of room.
Davie, my God, you have a lot of seedlings, dude! I had forgotten about that. You're going to have a lot of great pictures to show in another couple of years! LOL!
flowerpower57
Jan 23, 2008
Talking about pictures...let's see your babies.
My pics of seedlings and their growth over a couple of years are all posted on a couple of different threads here. I'll see if I can find them when I get some time. They need updating anyway as the five-year-olds are in 15-gallon containers now.
A few pictures. Seedlings with first true leaves.
After transplanting.
Another
Seedlings on 9-17-07
Another on 9-17-07
Last one...one of two Daisy Wilcox Seedlings starting to flower. Thanks for looking.
Davie
I need some advice. I have a few seedlings that were started during the early spring. They went dormant as soon as the temperature changed. They lost all their leaves. I was reading the 'sticky' and it says not to let them go dormant. My question is, what will happen to them? Will they not do well?
They are about 3-4 inches tall, with no leaves. What should I do?
Digger,
It won't hurt them as far as I know. It is just better to keep them growing, the thought is(correct me if I am wrong please) they will flower sooner if they get through a winter without a dormancy. I have let many go dormant over winter without problems.
Davie
Neat pictures, Davie. What are you using for name tags there? I started using Popcicle sticks when I ran out of plastic name tags, but they were rotting too fast. I've used old blinds before but don't have any right now.
Thnaks Clare,
I usually use 12" wood stakes and write on them with a drafting pencil. They last longer than Popsicle sticks, but eventually rot too. I am still looking for a cheap alternative that lasts longer.
Davie
Me too! Some have suggested cutting soda cans and using the aluminum, but I know that I would cut myself with those.
Here are some little mini plastic spoons that come with some sorbet cups that I think I got at Costco. The spoon part is below the soil. I guess I'll just keep using the plastic tags, but I've been cutting them in half, using a hole-punch, and tying them to the plant to make them go farther.
Cutting the plastic and using a hole punch sounds like a great idea. In the past I have had problems with the ink fading from the plastic though. What is your experience, do you have problems with fading? I have even use different permanent markers ie Sharpie etc...
Davie
flowerpower57
Jan 25, 2008
To help from fading use a pencil.Than after I write on it I put a piece of clear boxing tape over it. So far so good.
Would grease pencil or a paint pen last?
flowerpower57
Jan 25, 2008
I trid pain pen on somethings I had outside and it did not last. Dbrooks.,I love the photos I am inspired.Thank yoiu for sharing with us.
It seems that the surface of the tag combined with the marker used makes a big difference. I looked through some old threads and there are lots of combinations. Occasionally, I have picked up some textured tags at Home Depot that work very good with a soft pencil - no fading, smearing, etc., and they can be erased and used again.
Davie, I use a blunt tipped No. 2 pencil, and I haven't had any trouble with fading unless the writing is in the pot beneath the soil line. The tags that I got from Kukiat in Thailand were short like that with little holes, and so that is where I got the idea to cut the store ones in half and hole punch them. You can see my Thai ones in this picture of my one of my multi-grafted trees.
Thank you all for the ideas. I will be experimenting with them this summer, thats when the temps hit 110 and things get put to the test. I have been using a pencil but only on wood, never thought to use it on plastic.
Glad I could inspire someone flowerpower...thank you.
hmmm...addiction. LOL
The first step is admitting you have an addiction. I'm personally still in denial.
and de-nial ain't a river flowing through yuma. haha!
just giving you a hard time. LOL