Gill,

There's really nothing to growing them in an otherwise inhospitable-to-Adenium environment - duplicate the weather of Soqotra, right?

I can't offer you any tips, really, other than what you've already read, but those are nicely chunky plants, which says you're doing something right, I reckon, especially with that last one pictured.

Are you planning to repot them for next year's growing season?

Hello CactusMcH, thanks for replying! I came across a link last year to Socotra Island and its weird and wonderful plants incl the huge Adeniums that grow there, an amazing place. Oddly enough, I also have 3 Dracaena Dracos which are very similar to the Dragons Blood Tree of Socotra so if I haven't got the weather bit right, I do have some similar plants! You can make the smallest one out on the left of the 2 outdoor pics above.

I've gained lots of good info from GW and thats helped me to get my plants as they are today....and hopefully better in the future.

I intend to repot them again next spring. Maybe I shouldn't have done it now, but the older 3 (sown Feb 08) seem to be growing strongly and curiosity got the better of me regarding what their underground bits were looking like. The root system on the other 2 big ones is not as well developed as the one shown in the last pic, hopefully they will bulk out now? My 2 smaller (sown May 09) specimens' caudexes (sp?) are a bit on the soft side, I hope they will be OK.
Thanks for cheering me up with your encouragement! :)
Regards, Gill.

Gill, your babies adenium are looking great. I like the way they grow. Fat trunk and short.
Those pots look alright.
I hope by babies adenium look like that.

Hi Gill :-)

I love your Adeniums I really hope mine look like that soon!

thanks for the great pics, I hope you have a good time at the flower show

Your Adeniums look great, call up the nurseries that your country has, they will know how to guide you, I have friend in England which I can put you on to. They are keen growers. Adenium are popular here in lower Calif. ang Ariz. and do well in our desert climates, Mark Dimmit is the expert here. Perhaps I can find his email address for you to contact? Norma

Hi Gill,

They are nicely grown - fat with good ramification. :-)

Yes, you should repot them in shallow pots to prevent the root mass from going down. Otherwise you might end up with raising "carrots".

I am struggling with Adeniums myself. You probably remember me (the danish Adenium grower)? The growing season here has been a near disaster: May and June were terrible wet and cold, and all of my Adeniums were pretty much dormant. July on the other hand has been exceptionally warm which resulted in vigorous growth. So far August has been very wet - my Adeniums once again near dormant.

Some seedlings of mine - photo taken today:

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Regards,

Martin

Growing tips? I think you are doing the best job you can do in your climate. :-)

Next year I will buy some sort of lightbox with a heating mat to speed things up on cloudy cold days. If I recall correctly, you already have a heating mat (and a warm sunny greenhouse-sort-of-thing)?

Regards,

Martin

Hello everyone, sorry for not replying earlier but what with work and one thing and another....you know the rest of the story I'm sure! That said, thanks for all those who have written. It's good to know I'm doing something right with these pesky plants, they are worse than looking after children...lol!!
Didn't manage to find any small enough pots at the flower show, had to abandon the search in the afternoon as we got soaked to the skin several times in our typical UK summer weather so I'm still on the lookout.
Hello there Martin, yes I do remember you. Your plants look really promising, they're nice & chunky, with some lovely shapes there in the pics. Our weather here sounds similar to yours in DK, July and August have been 'rather' wet after a nice May and June. My plants are currently in the green house getting as much heat and light as I can give them. The heated propagator saved them from a near death experience a while ago, but as it's temp is not adjustable, I find it rather difficult to keep them from drying out all to rapidly especially when I'm at work and not around to remember to check on them. Hopefully the one that has buds at the moment will hang on in there and flower this time for me.
Regards to all, happy growing....Gill.