View Full Version : Rooting plumeria first time.
Want Them All
10-21-2009, 09:00 PM
This branch was cut off a little over a week ago. I read that the branch should be allowed to callous over before inserting it in a pot to start the rooting process. Does it look like it's "calloused" to you guys? I know there are better media for planting, but I have some Kellogg Palm & Cactus Mix along with some Perlite, so I made up a mixture of 2/3 Kellogg and 1/3 Perlite. Is that a decent mixture for planting plumerias? It's going in a 5-gallon plastic pot.
Thanks,
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=25487&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=25487&ppuser=5976)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=25486&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=25486&ppuser=5976)
saltydad
10-21-2009, 09:18 PM
A week should be enough time. I use perlite and potting mix in a 50-50 ratio, with a layer of pea gravel on top about 1 inch.. Be sure to go light with watering; they hardly need any. The biggest problem with plumeria cuttings is rot. Good luck; you have a nice looking cutting. Remember it can develop roots in 1 month or 10 months.What color/variety is it?
Ueberwinden
10-21-2009, 09:20 PM
It looks good to me, and your mix sound just fine. I like to use coco coir but that is a matter of preferrence. What's important is to make sure you stake it while is developing roots. Also it is important to keep it dry. I usually cheat and after about two weeks I'll just moisten the soil, but I will not water for two to four weeks. What you trying to avoid it rot. Once you see leaves developing, then you have roots and can start watering. Be careful not to overwater. you want the soil moist, dry, then moist again. Never marshy or boggy. Good luck.
Michael
Want Them All
10-21-2009, 10:25 PM
I don't know exactly what cultivar, only know that the flowers are a deep reddish pink. How deep should I insert the branch into the soil? The long part is 22". Should I leave the pot out in the sun all day?
Thanks,
stumpy4700
10-21-2009, 11:23 PM
How is everyone overwintering them? Do they need direct sunlight inside? and do you water like normal or cut back once inside?
morriss003
10-22-2009, 03:51 AM
Aloha from Maui,
I have about a hundred plumeria trees, some in the ground and some in pots. I have found that waiting three weeks for the callus to form is okay, but personally I usually wait four weeks. If I pot them under two weeks, I lose a lot more. I try to make my cuts about Jan 4 and pot them about the first of Feb.
Stan Morris
sandy0225
10-22-2009, 06:12 AM
beats me. my first one I rooted was in a glass of water and once I learned that wasn't the right way to do it, it hasn't worked since! beginners luck I guess?
Want Them All
10-22-2009, 09:48 AM
I'm still confused about how deep to insert the cutting into the soil? According to info on this website Plumeria Propagation, How To Root Plumeria Cuttings (http://www.plumeria101.com/cuttings101.html) , it's only 4", but mine's 22", there's no way it's gonna be stable if it only goes in 4", even with stakes for support. Maybe I should cut it down a little?
Thanks,
Ueberwinden
10-22-2009, 09:49 AM
Sandy,
Rooting plumeria in water isn't exactly wrong, I know people that do it on a regular basis. The tricky part is getting the roots to convert from water roots to soil or media roots. There are actually different types of roots and for a plant that doesn't like to be saturated it is tricky to get is back to a dry media.
Michael
Ueberwinden
10-22-2009, 09:57 AM
I wouldn't cut it!! you can use something to stabilize it like wire ties, or a metal coat hanger unwound and bent. If it were mine the last thing I would do is cut it unless I started to get rot, and that would be an action to save it. If you use bamboo stakes push them to the bottom of the pot, I have used plastic wire ties around the main stem and each one "pulls" outward to one of the bamboo stakes. you do not want to make it tight, just tight enough that it doesn't blow around and break newly formed roots. Plumeria root are very fragile then they are just starting out. If you need any other help just ask.
Michael
Want Them All
10-22-2009, 11:03 AM
I wouldn't cut it!! you can use something to stabilize it like wire ties, or a metal coat hanger unwound and bent. If it were mine the last thing I would do is cut it unless I started to get rot, and that would be an action to save it. If you use bamboo stakes push them to the bottom of the pot, I have used plastic wire ties around the main stem and each one "pulls" outward to one of the bamboo stakes. you do not want to make it tight, just tight enough that it doesn't blow around and break newly formed roots. Plumeria root are very fragile then they are just starting out. If you need any other help just ask.
Michael
Thank you! I'll stake it like you advised.
morriss003
10-22-2009, 11:16 AM
I'm still confused about how deep to insert the cutting into the soil? According to info on this website Plumeria Propagation, How To Root Plumeria Cuttings (http://www.plumeria101.com/cuttings101.html) , it's only 4", but mine's 22", there's no way it's gonna be stable if it only goes in 4", even with stakes for support. Maybe I should cut it down a little?
Thanks,
I put mine in 6 inches. Then I put a piece of newspaper around the cutting, then I put another inch of soil over the newspaper. Finally, I put rocks around the cutting, thereby making it more stable.
stumpy4700
10-22-2009, 11:43 AM
I put mine 4inches after dipping it in root starter. Then I used pea gravel around the top layer to hold it in place......How is everyone who is climate challenged overwintering them???????????????????????????????? I read that in winter they will go dormant and need no sun or water, but how warm should it be????????
Bananaman88
10-22-2009, 11:54 AM
How is everyone who is climate challenged overwintering them????????????????????????????????
We are somewhat "climate challenged" here in Houston for Plumerias as they do not like our typical cool, wet winters. I have always dug mine up or left them in pots and put them in my unheated garage to go dormant. Last year I was given a good tip by a member here to go ahead a strip off all the leaves or else the leaves will just continually drop in your garage floor and you'll have a mess to clean up all winter long. I did this and it worked great. I do not give them any water whatsoever all winter, which helps to induce dormancy.
I have seen some people leave theirs in the ground all winter here. I guess this is OK if it is up against a brick wall where it can get some extra warmth and protection but I'd still be worried about root rot in the winter.
stumpy4700
10-22-2009, 11:59 AM
Great site....PLUMERIA 101.COM Everything You Need To Know About Growing Plumeria. (http://WWW.plumeria101.com). They have a lot of anwsers.
stumpy4700
10-22-2009, 12:02 PM
Would they be ok inside the house in a pot. It would be indirect sunlight ( the bananas have all the good windows taken ) and watered very little?????
Would they be ok inside the house in a pot. It would be indirect sunlight ( the bananas have all the good windows taken ) and watered very little?????
I stick mine in the laundry room- indirect light and a couple in the bathroom that gets some sunlight and pretty much forget about them. Last year after a month or so of neglect and no water mine bloomed. i do water about 1x a month. you will loose most leaves. spider mites love the plumerias indoors.
want them all......a 5 gallon pot only going to last 1 maybe 2 years before it is root bound. Any reason to leave it that "leggy"? I take 12" cuttings in the spring and they are 4'+ ft tall in 5 months. even starting them that short they are extremely top heavy at this point.
Steve L
10-22-2009, 03:00 PM
Jeff, along the Gulf Coast, the general rule of thumb is plumeria need to be protected when the temps drop below 40. I also follow the practice of stripping all of the leaves off of the plant before storing for winter. Plumeria start showing leaf drop anyway here around the end of August and all through Sept and the sun gets lower in the southern sky and we have less sunlight. By stripping off the leaves, you are forcing them into dormancy and the need for water ends. Most of mine are in the ground so digging them up can be a chore, especially when some are 10' or more in height. I knock off the excess dirt, put a black plastic bag over the root ball and lay them on top of each other in my garage. I put a sheet of 6mm plastic on the concrete floor to keep them from actually touching the concrete. I'm not sure why I do this but I've always done it so I keep doing it. If the temps are predicted to go below freezing, I add an electric heater and cover the pile of plumeria sticks with frost cloth. This method has worked for the 14 years I've been growing them. No water at all. By spring, many are starting to show signs of bloom stems.
Steve
Ueberwinden
10-22-2009, 03:45 PM
I had a nurseryman, I think he was from Durham nurseries, but anyway he claims that Plumeria are what is called a yellowline plants and can survive up to six months without light and water. I have never practiced it myself. What I do is keep them in my growroom which sometimes gets cool. This helps me control whiteflies and spidermites, they do love plumeria as stated in an earlier post. I water them every 3-4 weeks. What you want to avoid it rot which comes from wet cold soil. The leaves will drop once there is a reduction in light, water and temp, these are the triggers for plumeria. I have a plumeria that has been blooming on the same floret since December 2007. It did have a month or two where none of the blooms were open , but them suddenly I would get several buds open. They would last several days then were done. The floret is almost spent, my only concern it that this very long bloom cycle doesn't kill the plant.
Check out the pics on my post "a view from my growroom" to see the plumeria tucked in for the winter.
Michael
Want Them All
10-22-2009, 03:47 PM
want them all......a 5 gallon pot only going to last 1 maybe 2 years before it is root bound. Any reason to leave it that "leggy"? I take 12" cuttings in the spring and they are 4'+ ft tall in 5 months. even starting them that short they are extremely top heavy at this point.
OK then I'll use a larger pot. There's no reason to leave it leggy, that's why I'm also asking about cutting it shorter. What if I don't cut it, and use a 25-gallon container and stick it in deeper, say 12"? Do you see any problem with that? Do the roots ONLY come out the tip of the cutting, or do they sprout along the part that's submerged under soil? In my area, we still have lots of sunshine daily for at least another month, if not longer, so I'm planning on leaving the pot in the yard and bring it into the house, next to a southern facing window when the temps drop to 40s.
Ueberwinden
10-22-2009, 04:00 PM
When we visited the Corpus Christi botanical gardens, they have a plumeria garden and they were sunk in the ground in their pots. The largest pot was 7 gallons. The larger the pot the more soil and the harder it is to control moisture. If it drains perfectly then no problem. What if it is stays moist in the lower section of the pot, can you say rot. Be careful!!!
Michael
I honestly do not know about sticking it in 12". the furthest I have ever put one in is about 3 maybe 4". I have never pulled one up after it starts rooting but would imagine that the roots will emerge from all areas of the cutting that is under soil.
I have about 1 month left of in and outside movement before the temp will be dipping below 50* at night consistantly and I get tired of moving them.
OK then I'll use a larger pot. There's no reason to leave it leggy, that's why I'm also asking about cutting it shorter. What if I don't cut it, and use a 25-gallon container and stick it in deeper, say 12"? Do you see any problem with that? Do the roots ONLY come out the tip of the cutting, or do they sprout along the part that's submerged under soil? In my area, we still have lots of sunshine daily for at least another month, if not longer, so I'm planning on leaving the pot in the yard and bring it into the house, next to a southern facing window when the temps drop to 40s.
Ueberwinden
10-23-2009, 11:37 AM
Please don't hold me to it but I'm almost positive that the roots only emerge from the callus portion of the cutting, which is why it is important to allow this process to be completed. All of the stem that is submerged is subject to rot if the soil was to remain soggy. If you place it 12" in the pot it would be like burying a tree 12" over the original soil line. I have seen this done but not for a plant that doesn't like to remain wet. Remember plumeria are more of a succulent than a ornamental tree. It is related to (in the same family as)the adenium (Desert Rose) which is a succulent.
Michael
Bananaman88
10-23-2009, 12:48 PM
If you are happy with the length of the cutting as it is there is no real reason for you to have to shorten it as long as you stake it to keep it from falling over until it roots well.
Westwood
07-03-2012, 02:12 AM
When i did my Plumeria " from hawaii" i got 50 starts and DID soil 3" Perilite 4 inches then soile plus sand on top of the perlite. all started all colors and some faster then others some here long and i used a bamboo stick Taped to the out side if the 1 g pots and a Loose large rubber band i made like a Tee pee with the bamboo it was awesome ............... DARNED FIRE . Good luck have fun and tell me when you do cutting again Tammy
morriss003
07-03-2012, 03:02 AM
I plant cuttings every year. I usually take my cuttings sometime between Dec 1 and Jan 5. I usually wait three to four weeks before planting. I start off in one to three gallon black pots and transfer them to five gallon buckets after five months sometimes six. I get broken branches in the summer from deer searching for green grass next to the trucks of those plumeria I have in the ground. I plant these broken branches also, but I am never as successful with these. Winter time in Hawaii is the better time to pot plumeria. One winter, 15 out of 16 cuttings were successful. Usually it takes two or three months to see the first leaves. Once I watered a large trunk cutting for two years before it leafed. I check by gently pressing the bottom of the trunk near the surface of the dirt. If the truck gets soft, I don't have much hope for that one. I use plain old farm soil and potting soil, half and half. Here is a link, but I haven't put up the good pic yet.
https://sites.google.com/site/stanandrene/home/my-garden-universe/plumeria-trees
venturabananas
07-04-2012, 10:09 AM
Our very own Clare_CA is not only a banana aficionado, she's also a bit of a plumeria expert. She's probably too humble to admit it, so here's a link to an excellent article that she wrote, which includes really good info on how to root cuttings:
Creating a Plumeria Collection | Resources | Southern California Plumeria Society (http://www.socalplumeriasociety.com/resources/articles/collection.html)
momoese
07-04-2012, 10:43 AM
Our very own Clare_CA is not only a banana aficionado, she's also a bit of a plumeria expert. She's probably too humble to admit it, so here's a link to an excellent article that she wrote, which includes really good info on how to root cuttings:
Creating a Plumeria Collection | Resources | Southern California Plumeria Society (http://www.socalplumeriasociety.com/resources/articles/collection.html)
That's great, I was just looking for info because my cat broke a branch off mine chasing a bird.
venturabananas
07-04-2012, 10:48 AM
That's great, I was just looking for info because my cat broke a branch off mine chasing a bird.
I followed Clare's directions with a branch broken off by a dog or a person and it has just started putting out leaves. She knows what she's talking about! :08:
momoese
07-04-2012, 10:50 AM
Mine allready has leaves and flowers which is part of the reason I was looking for info. I thought you could only root them when they are bare of all leaves.
Oh and no it's not 36 degrees right now. V
venturabananas
07-04-2012, 01:41 PM
Oh and no it's not 36 degrees right now. V
Now it's -4 degrees F at your nearest Wunderground station, apparently! That's a cool summer. :ha:
momoese
07-04-2012, 03:03 PM
Hey it's -7 degrees in West LA now! :coldbanana: The Ice Age is here!!
Abnshrek
09-19-2013, 10:14 AM
I tried this several weeks ago w/ my 1st cutting and its starting to develop leaves now. 2nd cutting went into a pot this morning.. :^)
Abnshrek
09-24-2013, 04:14 PM
http://i1362.photobucket.com/albums/r698/Bucko13f/PlumeriaCutting092413_zpsfd37ad69.jpg (http://s1362.photobucket.com/user/Bucko13f/media/PlumeriaCutting092413_zpsfd37ad69.jpg.html)
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