New house, new to gardening, many questions - NorCal 9a
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5 years ago
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NHBabs z4b-5a NH
5 years agoDenise Becker
5 years agoRelated Discussions
NorCal Plumeria growers anywhere???
Comments (49)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...See MoreNEW: Newbie from Zone 9a California
Comments (5)Welcome! thought i would mention the plant and seed exchange pages too-- if you go to the main exchange page, you will find links there. i think i remember seeing a few newbie seed exchanges going on on the seed exchange, and you might have more luck on the plant side with your cuttings. partners and such have already been assigned for the march mnf swap, but april's should be beginning soon. i am hosting an easter basket swap on this forum that just started, and i also just listed a game that you are welcome to play. GW is a great place to trade plants and gain knowledge-- and make gardening friends! enjoy :)...See MoreNorCal Baileys Marvel-SWEET!..
Comments (35)Hey mangodog. Yes,its rootstock now. In 2011 and 2012,It was constantly sending suckers up below the graft. I would cut them off..but they seemed so vigorous. And so were the Baileys...just only vertical growth. It had reached 7' not including the pot. YET, it did grow a single Mango fruit below the graft ON THE TRUNK. It didn't taste any different from the fruit that grew up high normally. And it didn't look any different. After fruiting in 2011,in a pot, I left it uncovered on a single 32f night in January 2012..and it was devastated. All growth shriveled and died. In spring 2012,new sprouts on a trunk about 2' tall grew...slowly. I then planted it in ground were it grew well that summer. Again,we had a cold January 2013..BUT, with only a T shirt over it..NO damage. All summer of 2013 it grew, and really added bulk,stems went from those wiry potted plant type to real tree like stems. Its now about 40 inches tall..about 3' wide. And with covering and the light bulb during this years freeze, has no damage on it..still flushing leaves are greening. Now,when it will fruit again I dont know. Since 2007,I've gotten Manila,Baileys,and Rootstock Mango to fruit in the bay area and yes,they were sweet. Unlike Papaya's or Guava's...all the work pays off in sweet fruit here. And a nice looking small tree....See MoreHas anyone heard from BethNorCal?
Comments (32)Karen, I love your idea. I would request that it be more along the lines of money than plants, please? I am fortunate to live in an area without Chilli Thrips, but they will eventually arrive. They are creeping northward. I have observed them now in many areas of the San Fernando, Simi and Santa Clarita Valleys and found them in public plantings of Iceberg along "The BLVD" in Lancaster this past Friday. Let's please limit plant movement from infected areas into uninfected ones....See MoreHalyna (Central FL, 9a)
5 years agoYardvaark
5 years agojenny_in_se_pa
5 years agosocalnolympia
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agosocalnolympia
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agofloral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
5 years agoA C
5 years agosocalnolympia
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agosocalnolympia
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoSara Malone Zone 9b
5 years agosocalnolympia
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agolaceyvail 6A, WV
5 years agoForm and Foliage
5 years agoA C
5 years agoBryan Lovely
5 years agofloral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
5 years agolast modified: 5 years ago
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