That song was going thru my head when I uploaded my pictures and saw the incredibly intricate veining of this plumeria leaf.
I've got 3 plumeria that have never bloomed and I've had two of them for 3 years. Love the leaves .. bet the flowers are equally as interesting.
X
This message was edited Jul 3, 2008 9:26 PM
I'll be nose to leaf next time I go out! That is a cool photo.
Thanks .. leaves are amazing really close up!
X
Really, X, 3 years and no bloom? I'm on yr 2 with my 1st plumeria.. The "trunk" doubled in size from when I got it and I kept it in the basement over winter. It is about to start leafing out, so I'll be sure to enjoy the leaves this year. It really is an awesome shot!
Yep .. no blooms .. I'm thinking I'm going to give up if they don't this year.
X
X, are you feedling every year with a regular feeding schedule? Most people don't realize that plumerias are heavy feeders and need the food to bloom well, especially if they are planted in containers. I would sink yours into the ground as soon as your last frost date is past and start right away with MiracleGro. If you have not fertilized in previous years, it make take a whole season of fertilizing regularly this year to have blooms next year.
I've fed them .. but not on a regular basis .. I'll feed them when I feed the brugs, once a week which are also greedy guts when it comes to food. I usually make the batch of food a bit richer than called for on the side of the box for the brugs .. instead of the 1 tbs per gallon I use 1.5 tbs per gallon and sometimes 2 tbs per gallon ... Do you think the plumerias will tolerate that or should I use what the box says.
X
Tell me what the numbers are on the side of the box and what brand you are using and whether the fertilizer has minerals. If it is MiracleGro, it should be fine. A balanced fertilizer like 10-10-10 is the most desirable, and once a month should be fine. It is actually not the middle number that will help plumerias to bloom well. It is the last number.
How about 20-20-20, Clare? I still have some, I bought a 10LB box of it last year and I can't find any with those numbers, now. I use it on the brugs and I used it on the plumie last summer, but not as often as I feed the brugs.. X, I feed my big brugs up to 2 TBL sprinkled on the top and watered in real good and sometimes 2X a week. Can we feed brugs TOO much? (I doubt it) Clare did you mean once a "month" or once a "week" for plumeria?
Aunt B, It's okay to use the 20-20-20, but I would use it once a month. Too much of the middle number (phosphorus) in pots can be very bad for container plants. Check out this information here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=4457089
I used to feed my plumerias weekly or every other week until I learned about what phosphorus can do to container plants in the long run. Now I fertilize about once a month. About 90% of my plumerias bloomed last year so I think -- as long as they receive some food, full sun, and plenty of water -- they will bloom well. I am switching to the slow-release fertilizer granuales that Luc recommended as it lasts for months, and so you can do it once and forget about fertilizing for the rest of the season.
AuntB I don't think you can over feed brugs .. By July I'm expecting them to knock on the door asking for more food if I forget to feed them.
Here is what I have:
Miracle Grow Bloom Booster 15 30 15
Miracle Grow Rose 18 24 16
Bayer Advanced all in one Rose & Flower 9 14 9 - It also has disease and insect control.
Peters Acid 24 12 12
I've been feeding the plumerias this spring with the bloom booster and the Bayer.
Are plumeria acid or alkaline?
X
X, those Bloomboosters with the high middle number are no longer the recommended numbers for plumerias. The high middle number is phosphorus, which can build up and which doesn't leach. A balanced fertilizer is recommend for plumerias in containers. Plumerias like slightly acidic soil like Magnolias and gardenias. The last number, potassium, is the most helpful for blooms.
I have a question , please... have any of you gotten heating mats for your plumeria cuttings?
I can't find any near me to buy so I got on the web to try. Didn't realize they were so expensive. I think the largest size was 48"x20" for $75. at QC and the brand was Hydrofarm. They also had 20"x10" for $33. Is this the best price? Park Seed had the 48" one for $69. +$18. shipping=== forget that.!!!
I use cement blocks for mine and they hold the heat really well.
You should be able to find the mats at Wallyworld, HD, or Lowe's. But yes, they are not cheap!
I use plain old heating pads. See if you can find one with a mechanical switch instead of digital, that way you can put it on a timer. The newer ones automatically cut off after an hour or so. I've also used old electric blankets for the bigger guys. They work fine.
X
I don't use heat mats until the winter. I got mine here: http://search.store.yahoo.net/cgi-bin/nsearch?catalog=comfort&query=heating%20mat but also check Ebay and Amazon.com for deals.
X, just be careful when using real heat mats and electric blankets. Plants that are sitting on top of a heat source need to be kept moist, or the root system will dry out and fry. That moisture and water can cause problems and even a fire hazard when dealing with a heating pad and an electric blanket. You can lay some plastic over the heating elements, but that too could be a fire hazard. I would go with the ones that are made specifically for plants if you can.
I've been using them for decades now, for starting seeds and nursing extra tropicals through an 8b greenhouse winter.. I always keep a thermometer in the soil so I can adjust the temperature according to whats needed. I use an old photochemical thermometer, its encased in glass. When I've used electric blankets, I put a shower curtain under and over it .. heating pads are already waterproof. They really make a difference. Just use common sense. The general idea is to maintain a consistent temperature .. I've noticed that the colder temperature itself is not the real problem. The real problem is the ups and downs.
I also use passive solar heating .. I've got 2ltr bottles painted black and filled with water. I set the plants right on top of them. In the day time the bottles collect heat in the water and releases it at night. They work astonishingly well and the temperature of the soils never fluctuates more that 5 degrees either way.
X
X, what a smart idea !!! But my problem is, not enough sun to keep those bottles garthering heat for the night. It has been raining lots and if not raining , cloudy and overcast. I don't want to use reg. heating pads for several reasons, mostly safety. I have looked at Wally,HD and Lowes,, none in my area have them. Guess I"ll go back to the web sites I found ,,,thank everyone for you input.
jana
Ah my favorite place ebay you can get anything you want for the right price.
leectric blankets come with a warning to never cover them
Being an electrician iI can assure you its a fire risk.
heating mats are made for this purpose.
if you are seriously considering getting rid of this plant please consider sending it my way,
My entire collection is odd and mutated plants, anything but normal.
Please dont destroy it. I have plumie seedlings 5 yrs old and no blooms.
I keep them because they are unique in form or leaf color shape.
this is the first year i havent fed my plumies (300 odd) I had many blooms anyway. ;0
Plumies do what they want, wee only help lol!!
Keep in mind they are trees, treat them like trees and they will reward you.
Also... listen to Clare ;)
Her advice is Plumeria gold
X - wow love the idea of the black bottles - my plumies have leafed out nicely, but it is dropping into the upper 50's at night, I bet they would love the extra warmth.
I'm going to try !
** I got a heating mat on ebay for very reasonable $.
