Hi Marsha

Ilive in the San Fernando Valley 1 1/2 hrs. from you with a similar climate and I'm bringing my plumies indoors around the lst. 2nd. week in Oct. I'm not that experienced in plumie's but I have heard that the best time to start cuttings is in Apr. May. That's kinda what I have been hearing. I'm sure you will get a lot of great advice from the other more experienced.

Plumie

I also live in CM and I have started a number of cuttings as late as mid September but they take two months or more to root. By mid-November you need to bring them in at night and put them out on warm dry days, Keep them inside on cold or wet days. I think you get better cuttings if you can get ones that are cut in late march. As a plant starts to come out of dormancy, it puts energy into the growth tip. At this point, proper rooting techniques are very successful on cuttings. I have also noticed that cuttings started in September seem to flower later in summer than my other plants. I do not know if this is a rule but it is true for a majority of my late starts.This may be due to other factors since the plants are in the same area. Bill

Marsha

After reading Bill's post I'm going to do what he says. Instead of bringing my plants in the middle of Oct. I'll wait till Nov. Bill is one of the most experienced men on the forum and I'm listening. As far as March goes I'm doing that also.

Plumie

Plumie- decide by the weather not the month. If it stays warm, keep them outside. Here in So Cal we can have hot days anytime, so if your plants have leaves, put them in the sun. Rain coming? move them under a cover. Santa Ana winds coming? protect them from blowing over. Cold coming? Bring them inside until it passes. Frost warning? panic. Once the leaves drop, the process is over so store ot protect from cold, wet, and especially frost. Last year I had twenty five flowers on a plant on Valentines day (a record for me). Of course, some plants just go dormant at the first chill and that is that. But with a little luck you can manipulate the season around here.The trick is guessing which days will warm up from those that stay cold. Experimenting is part of the fun. Bill

Hi Bill,
I have a question..now my playful, I planted it in the ground early March..my first that I grew is now developing a inflo..am going to be a mommie!!! ha .took 6 months to develop. Which means most of my plants were planted in May a lot in the ground..when do you have ...have to stop feeding? I figure November I may have blooms on some of my plants, have waited so long, can I feed the plants through November. In my area, warmer than yours, not as hot as Plumie..might be very hot or ? What I am trying to say is October..a must cut off? applies to all?
Karen B..

Hi Bill

Thank You for all this great information. You are so thorough I'm getting a complete education. I am so happy to have you back.

Plumie

Karen- I would stop now unless you are bringing all your plants inside for the winter. Fertilizing encourages tip growth which are green and very weak in cold and wet weather. October is a risk but November is way too late. One year I just kept feeding until Thanksgiving and I had a sea of black tip in the spring which had to be cut back and cut flower production to a pathetic level. I had such regret that I failed to heed the warnings in my early Plumie books. Some of those plants took years to recover. Two even died. Bummer/

Hi Bill,
ok..I just fed all my plants Sept. 23rd..will stop feeding. Hope there is enough food in the plant to keep the flowers going. Celedine is starting to put out a new inflo and playful is growing an inflo now, want to see that..presume the plants keep growing as long as it is warm.

So then just water as needed..question superthrive? If still warm is there a cut off on water?

thanks appreciate the advise. As far as bringing them in..Most of my plants are in the ground..but the ones in pots will bring them up on the porch for warmth..and yes, if frost will bring the potted ones in..move my dining room table. ha
Karen B.

Hi,

I am newbie to Plumerias here... I have started seven (7) cuttings a couple of weeks ago. I got them from a local hobbyist. I am in Huntington Beach and have been watching the night time temperatures. It is starting to dip under 60 degrees.

Bill - When you say to bring the plants "in" at night, do you mean in an enclosed area (like a garage) or is a covered patio OK?

Karen= water is fine and so is superthrive and SNG which are more tonics than fertilizers. Stop watering when the leaves are all gone. Misting is fine on leaves just cut the Bill's fert. out Your plants have enough to keep flowering but a shot of very cold can cut the flowers. Bring in at night will protect and keep the flowers going. I bring in the house because it is 70 degrees whereas under a cover or in a garage is much cooler. This is only for plants I am trying to see the late flowers on. Any regular plant is ok under a cover or in a garage especially (Joe)in Huntington Beach where you can just leave plants out because you almost never really get a hard frost. It is a real pain to move twenty seedlings or plants inside every night and then back out in the morning. And I remember thinking, is this marine layer going to burn off or not at dawn before I went to work. However, the extra growth I got for the effort was eventually worth the work.

Hi Bill,
will copy and paste, and keep this, thanks, appreciate the information..
Karen B.

Thank you all for the great advice. I will wait until spring for any new cuttings. I also appreciate the advice about not fertilizing after September - Bill - your experience with the black tips had to be heartbreaking! I would hate to have that happen.

Marsha