im going to sound like a smart ass but.......

you plug the light in, put it over the plant, and let it grow.

I have mine growing well under a 60 watt plant light. I leave the light on for about 17 hours.

I use my 600 watt HPS and I leave it on for half the time but it is a lot stronger than flourescents. I tried the grow light thing last year and didn't have good results. I didn't lose foliage but I couldn't get buds to mature on the inflos.

This is the first time I have ever had plumerias bloom under lights.
Andrew

I'm growing about 40 plumerias under T-5 high output florescent light bulbs in a basement room with very good success. I've got a Dwarf Deciduous in bloom right now with lots of buds due to open, and four other varieties in bud. I've had 1 year seedlings bloom under these lights. Quite a few are now loosing their old leaves but pushing out new ones, so not much of a dormancy. I've finally learned how to control the spider mites with a mitacide that includes neem oil. I've learned to water the plants into a drainage bucket since fertilizer salts build up in the soil. Also not to over fertilize. It's interesting what you learn through trail and error.

Thanks, basically I am curious about HPS vs florescent lighting. I will be doing the growing in a basement like setting, plants in pots, automatic irrigation. I am sure trial and error will be my best teacher, but it's nice to know how others are enjoying success.

Here is what I got going in my garage. It's not much but when it rains and is real cold outside my plumeria love this space. Plus it's good for my cutting I trying to root.
As you can see my big rainbow cutting has just taken off in this space. You can't see it too well but there is a 12"x48" heat mat on top of my surfboard sock and it keep the bottoms nice and warm.
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I think it might help us to know what your expections are. In other words, do you want to have plants that grow and bloom in the winter? Do you want to root cuttings? ...or are you just trying to get plants thru the winter in a semi-dormant state with a minimum of issues?

My setup is for the last one. I just want to keep my plants healthy but not really growing. Then in summer I want them to grow and bloom at their best. So, I just use cheap flourescents and try to keep the rooms as cool as possible (between 55 and 60). The temperature you grow them at will also make a difference in their growth; not just the light.

I for one am just trying to get a jump start on my cuttings that were started late in the summer and didn't do much of anything. The lights and heat mat seem to be working so far but I have only been using it for about a week.

My Plumeria just produced about 50 seeds which I have planted. Since I don't have a good place outside, or a big enough space inside with enough sun, should I put the seeds under a grow light?

Ok, I have started a lot of seeds using the heating mats, T5 lights and I keep the room at about 70 degrees. They are all doing very well. I also have about 30 cuttings in there which have all rooted and all are producing leaves. I have been watering the seedlings with warm water from the bottom only giving them a little at the time. I also have controlled the mites with Neem Oil. I found that putting the oil in the water and letting them soak it up into the soil helps a LOT!. No more bugs. I will hopefully have a yard full of Plumeria's in years to come.

The Root System

That is so cool. I've never tried Hydroponics before.