Dave - you have the touch! Excellent!
That Penang Peach is gorgeous. Can I put my name in now for a cutting someday???

Chris ~ Arkansas

Hi Dave: Gee your Samoan Red is a LOT pinker (is that a word) than the Samoan Red I have. Mine was very stubborn and didn't bloom for several years after I bought it. When it finally bloomed this past summer, it was an attractive red and had a very spice smell (right after the blooms opened up) but I found that the red didn't last long and faded to pink shortly after opening. It definately did not turn the pretty shade of pink yours is.

I think one of us may have gotten a mismarked one. I like yours better. CBad

BTW Dave ...

Got first blooms on the Aztec Gold cutting last week-end!
Wonderful peachy aroma!! Thanks again for sharing!

Chris ~ Arkansas

CBad, well, hopefully this one will bloom this summer and the warmth and humidity will change the colors to a deeper red. Who knows? These are all blooming indoors, so I don't expect the colors to be 'true'.

Chris - great news on the Aztec Gold! That one seems to have the best smell of all my plumerias.

Hi Dave,
It so strange that my Penang Peach is doing the same thing.
It has bloomed since the first of December, on three inflos. On the warm days I sit it in the sun. The new blooms get a blush on the edge. I wouldnt be surprised if it blooms another month or so.
Also pictured is a Nun's Cap Orchid.

Happy Growing,
Randy in Savannah

Wow Randy, that plant is putting on a show. Mine is blooming better indoors than it did out.

Hi Dave,
This has been quite a learning experience for me. first time I have had to bring my potted plants inside cause of rainy cold nights, here in So. CA. Did not have to do this last year. I have been bringing my potted plants in since November and out when it warmed up. Inside again today. I was afraid to keep them inside until I saw your picture, that they can make it inside and bloom!! and have been afraid to water, then that is a problem, did not get saucers for them if they drain.

soooo if my plants do make it this spring have a lot of tip damage and have lost some plants. Will have to re-think fall. Not a greenhouse, hubby is not cool on that one. Plants buried in the ground have to see how they do, getting so wet. I am learning as I go..hope for spring.
Karen B

Here's how it looks today. More flowers opened up. Only one has fallen.

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I am so jealous...Congrats! I want one 8) I agree with Karen, our weather is so unpredictable. plummies in, plummies out, no back in. Now too much rain. And Dave, yoour secret is???

A 1000-watt grow light! ...and a very supportive wife.

I too am so envious!! great growing.
sue

Hi Dave,
question..what size planter do you have that in??? gallon size? how long have you had your plant in that size pot?
Karen B.

Karen, here is its history. I bought the plant from a guy in Florida back in 2006. It was a grafted plant (looked like from Fla. Colors Nursery). When it arrived, it had its root ball in a plastic bag. That summer it was sort of getting established in a pot again. Then early last summer (2007) I potted up to a maybe 2-gallon pot (about the same pot size as Randy's). It spent the summer pot-planted in the ground and did get one inflo over the summer, but only a few flowers bloomed -- nothing like it has now. I will likely pot up again in early summer. I think it needed some time to get its roots established. Healthy roots = a healthy plumeria.

Dave, how do you run your light set up? I ran my 1000 watt halide on a track in my greenhouse over my plumeria and mango trees over the winter, timing from 8:00PM- 8:00AM. The mango trees did great- half are blooming, but there was only one bloom spike on the plumeria. Temps are warmer here to put the plumeria outside, but I wonder if I would get more blooms keeping them under the light? There are some third year seedlings in the group and it would sure be nice to see what the blooms looked like.

I have a stationary metal halide lamp in the basement. I have about 20 plumerias under this lamp. I think the timing is set for about 10 hours. The room has no windows and gets rather warm while the lamp is on...maybe around 75 degrees -- even higher right under the lamp, of course. I don't run the lamp for any longer periods due to electric bill. I mainly just wanted to keep them alive and growing. There are numerous seedlings growing under it too.

Hi Dave,
I need to ask you a question about putting your plumeria in cans in a garage. Where I live in So. CA has changed from November to Feb to be cold night temps in 30's and 40's, rain and cold winds. This fall will have to re-think where I put them. Can see now I cannot bring all in the house, will be too big, no place to put them.

I have a garage on our rental property where I can take them to store for the winter. will be no heat, My husband says no, dangerous. but solar lights in ceiling. If taken there and covered with sheets, taken off during the day for light, can they make it through the winter? Has a lot to do with how I raise them this summer. plants will be larger and want them to make it..I cannot afford a green house, appreciate your input and others.
Karen B.

Karen, look into buying a pop-up greenhouse for your plumeria, brugs and other tropicals. They should go on sale in a few weeks. In your climate, heating should consist of running Christmas lights only on the nights when frost is actually expected to occur. The greenhouse can be set up over plants in the ground, and several of them can be hooked together into one large unit. There are also plans online for constructing hoop greenhouses; this is a very inexpensive way to go if you can talk your husband into constructing it for you. Below is a link to the company I bought my pop-up from.

Philip

Here is a link that might be useful: Greenhouse Link

Karen, how cold can it get at your rental property garage? And how often can you get there to check on them? My garage has a small electric heater set to about 50 degrees and a cheap fan to circulate air. That seems to work pretty well. There are some windows for light. Only problem is if we lose power, the heater has to be turned back on (but there are probably better heaters).

Currently in bloom:

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Hi Phillip and Mike,
I talked to my husband..and I have this idea. I have a 30' covered patio accross the back of my house, small back yard..I used to do arts and crafts shows, I have large long heavy tarps that I used to wrap a 10 x 15' canopy set up, plus solar tarps for the top... My husband said he could tarp the whole corner of the patio, about 10 x 15.., top to bottom to put my plants in, ones that cannot come in my house. tarps can be opened during the day for light..just concerned about nights.
No electricity out there, plug ins.. but he said he could try and figure something out..

would that work like a green house?
Karen

I think as long as you have:

1) some light
2) some heat to keep it above 40 or 50 degrees
3) can keep rain out
4) assurance it's not all going to come crashing down or blow away in Santa Ana winds (are you in CA?)...

it should work.

I think your plan will work given DaveÂs conditions are met. What I would suggest is using heavy clear plastic film, attaching it to the support structure using Velcro or attached tabs that have grommets. If this isnÂt practical, construct a simple internal frame using dowels or heavy wire. Duct tape the seams and have a huge wraparound overlap for the front entrance. Weigh down the bottom edges and have some connection to the patio to prevent the whole thing from blowing away. If you have a porch light, you can buy a screw in socket converter to give you electrical outlets.

My pop-up greenhouse is essentially a translucent plastic camping tent which I have weighed down and tied to the lattice supports on a partially enclosed patio. These things go on clearance at Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Big Lots and other companies during the summer. It will cost a bit more than constructing an improvised shelter but would work well in your situation.

Philip

Hi Mike,
Yes I am in heavy santa Anta wind area.. a greenhouse out in the yard would be busted up. the tarps would be tied down, on a covered patio. sure, everything else can take care of, heat will have to see what works..The temps are in the low 30s and 40's at night. Just trying an idea, being I just went through all this odd weather. Our night temps are still in the 40's..pretty days. My plants are still inside.
thanks.
Karen

HiPhillip and Mike.
thanks so much both of you,appreciate the help.
Phillip I read your message to Larry.. he said he understood what you were saying. so have printed both of your messages..hope then for the fall..

Now what do you use for a heater? couldn't be regular space heater would be too warm.
Karen

I use 2 seed germination mats. Each mat is 5Â long by 21" wide. They keep the greenhouse temperature about 20 degrees above the outside temperature at night. This is probably more than you would need in Southern California; the lowest nighttime temp in my neighborhood was 18 degrees. You would probably be fine with Christmas lights on your coldest nights. I will include a link because the mats are great for winter rooting.

Philip

Here is a link that might be useful: Heating Mat & Heating Cable Source

Running my halide light from mid evening until sunrise generated enough heat so an extra heater wasn't necessary here in SoCal. The plants still get a dark period, from an early winter sunset. I had my plumeria placed along the sides of the greenhouse, not directly under the light, and that might be a reason why only one has a bloom stalk. I was worried about burning their leaves, even though the track moving the light back and forth avoids this. Yes, the electric bill was steep, but so was running an electric space heater, heat mat, and fan two years ago, before the light.