Yeah I read about the 50 degrees minimum somewhere Nova. Thanks for the reminder! Your right about the strong winds, we do get them here more then not because of the openness we have. Just the other night my neighbor who just bought 6 pecan trees last year tilted over cause the wind. Not enough T-post anchors! Anyway I did read on the potting, I was going to try the 7/5 like some pointed out. And I was going to pot them in the ground with a raised bed as you suggested.I have space I can store them in +50 degrees in the cold weather so it shouldnt be a problem. That is until they get too tall! But Im still working on the seeds, so thats not a problem. Ill probably end up being hooked by then and just build a green house like some of you! So the 7/5 or any sinking method would be best for my zone 7 right? And they Dont like wind you say? so I would have to put it close to the house when I have them out for summer? Thank you for all the info and help guys!

Congrats, the one in the second pic has an inflo (flower stalk) that should begin blooming soon. The plants look fine to me. It looks like you have zinnias or something coming up in the planters. Just make sure that they don't need more water then the plumies can take.

Carol, Hi there---I'm in Clear Lake & a plumeria newbie but recently met the nicest local 'plumeria couple'-Emerson & his sweet wife, Nan. They were at the show you were at today-they live in LaPorte. I suggest you talk to Emerson regarding the cold hardiness of plumerias. You can email him via his webpage. But I would like to recommend that you see their solution to storing their VAST inventory of plumeria plants (in & out of the ground). Go to their website: www.emersonsplumerias.com take a look at their home plumeria pics showing all the plumerias they have in & out of the ground. But I REALLY want you to click the link on left 'Other plumeria pictures' and see what they do in the winter. I don't think ANYONE could beat them in maximizing winter storage space for plumeria in Houston. It's amazing to look at the plumies stored inside their garage pics!!!! :) They do travel, but when they are in town, they are willing to sell wonderful plants from their house. Also...Do you have the 'Plumeria Handbook'? The author I believe lived (or lives..) in the Houston area. He specifically addresses which plumeria varieties are what he called 'cold hardy'. If you don't have a copy (get one--great book...) let me know & I can look up which ones he addressed. I would be more than happy to pull out the book. I wonder what this winter will be like for us in Houston---the winter temps have been so mild these last couple years. Here is a link that might be useful: EmersonsPlumerias

Hey all, I'm in Antioch & I've been growing plumerias successfully for almost 10 years. I have 2 excellent plants that were gifted to me by the professor of horticulture @ cal st. Hayward, unfortunately I forgot what they were. I recently bought a cutting from a plant sold as pops red, but actually was purple, can't wait for roots! One of my 2 from the professor just bloomed for the 1st time in 8 years......exciting times! I've noticed that soil is one of the key elements when growing plumeria. I usually use cactus mix, but decided to switch things up this time & mix my own. I used some fox farm happy frog, ocean forest, 1/8 & 3/4 in volcanic rock, & some moss I harvested. This mix is fast draining but still holds some moisture. Light is another vital part of growing healthy plumeria. I give my plumies all the sun they can get, & I'm rewarded with amazing color in my plants! A couple years ago I got a bad case of sunburn, down to the inner stalk, so I learned to cover my plumerias durring the really hot days. Plumeria love hot weather, I've noticed mine will gladly take heat in the hundreds. Unfortunately they don't like cold, so when the nights get below 45 degrees, it's time to bring them in the house. Watering, in my experience can range from weekly, to almost daily, depending on conditions. It was 106 for five or six days straight right before my plants bloomed this year so I was giving them water every day. I've noticed a bit of vertical leaf curl, not sure if its from water because my cactus mix is fast draining. Anyway, the colors are absolutely breathtaking this year! As far as rooting goes, I make a fresh cut at a 45 degree angle with a razor blade. Then I make a few verticals cuts with a potatoe peeler to provide more area for rooting. After that, I walk to the back yard & grab a fresh aloe stalk. I filet it and scoop all the gel out into a blender & add some water. I poor the mix into a bowl & add some fulvic acid, potassium silicate, & some blackstrap molasses. Then mix . Following that, I dip the fresh cut stalk into the mix. Some people like to use clonex or root tome, but I find this mix is far superior. I had some old root tone lying around so I threw it on for the heck of it. Finally I plant it in a clear plastic pot with holes drilled into the bottom. the clear plastic provides a humid enviornment for the roots, whereas the holes allow for oxygen & watering from the bottom. dont forget to add an egg under the stalk before you plant! Regarding fertalizer, I don't buy in to all the hype that a lot of plumie guys preach about fertalizers with high npk. These things not only kill the bacterial life in your soil, but also will lock up the nutrients over time! I mix fish emulsion, Jamaican bat guano, kelp meal, fulvic acid, & some black strap molasses (to feed all the hungry bacteria in my soil). Sometimes I switch it up & throw some potassium silicate in there. The npk of the mix, without the potassium, is about 10-12-20. I give them compost tea a few times a year & some enzyme tea once in a while. I fertalize once a week. This mix has worked very well for me! If any of you would like to get a look at my plants, check out my post, "Help with identification" on 7/9/13. The colors are really amazing this year! Hope my experience growing plumeria in the SF Bay Area is helpful to someone! Peace