Plumeria basics: When to transplant, prune, sun etc

2 years ago

Hello Plumeria fans! I have 4 Plumerias in plastic pots (2, 3, or 5 gallon) that I obtained from neighbors. Three were potted and 1 was a cutting which I successfully rooted. All the pots are sitting inside a larger terracotta container. I have some questions I hope someone can answer.

1. I want to plant 1 or 2 of them in the ground this Fall. Is that the best time to plant them, so long as they are in a spot protected from frost (we get an occasional frost and sometimes temps in the mid-20s, but usually 30-40s)? I plan to put them in spots that get a little shade during the hot afternoon, rather than all-day sun.

2. We have clay soil. The soil where I want to put them is fairly cultivated due to other plants growing there for years. Still, the soil is clay-based, so I plan to dig a large hole and plant them a little high. Is there anything special I need to consider or add to the soil? I maintain a thick layer mulch on top of the soil year-round.

3. Is there a sure way to know when the plant needs watering, other than drooping leaves? Since they are still in pots and our summer has been very hot, I am afraid of over-watering and keeping an eye on the leaves. I've been watering them when if the soil feels dry 1" down or if the leaves start to droop. Am I doing the right thing? In the ground, should I water them only when they look like they need it? We have drip or sprinkler irrigation on timers that we control.

4. What are some good companions to plant around the base?

Thank you.

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Comments (2)

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the_first_kms2
2 years ago
Give it a shot. Be sure to have some blankets and heat source to cover for those infrequent cold snaps. Or consider digging them up to bare root store them over winter. The more sun the better so do what you can to give them sa much as possible. sometimes you can see some wrinkles on the branches to indicate the need for watering. Look for low growing sedum or stonecrop as a complimentary planting.
phalanx_viridis
2 years ago
Hi Jenny, welcome! Some good advice above...hope we can help you. A great resource for all things plumeria for our region can be found here: Care – Southern California Plumeria Society

1. I want to plant 1 or 2 of them in the ground this Fall. Is that the best time to plant them, so long as they are in a spot protected from frost (we get an occasional frost and sometimes temps in the mid-20s, but usually 30-40s)? I plan to put them in spots that get a little shade during the hot afternoon, rather than all-day sun.

-Fall is not the best time to plant in ground, better to wait until spring. Winter is stressful and they will be more vulnerable/weak from transplant.

2. We have clay soil. The soil where I want to put them is fairly cultivated due to other plants growing there for years. Still, the soil is clay-based, so I plan to dig a large hole and plant them a little high. Is there anything special I need to consider or add to the soil? I maintain a thick layer mulch on top of the soil year-round.

-Great ideas to plan for drainage, mulch is great to help amend the soil and regulate root ball temps. I do a minimum of 12-16" of mulch of mostly wood chips and leaves.. It works great and I never have to fertilize, the worms do it all.

3. Is there a sure way to know when the plant needs watering, other than drooping leaves?

-drooping leaves/flowers or wrinkled stalks show dehydration

Since they are still in pots and our summer has been very hot, I am afraid of over-watering and keeping an eye on the leaves. I've been watering them when if the soil feels dry 1" down or if the leaves start to droop. Am I doing the right thing? In the ground, should I water them only when they look like they need it? We have drip or sprinkler irrigation on timers that we control.

-During the summer you can water them daily and be okay, but daily is not necessary. I water 2x/week and as needed when the temps top 95F. I do drip too with the spike bubblers and I water for 30 min.

4. What are some good companions to plant around the base?

-This is a great question and maybe a new thread topic...it depends on your space and preference but I love using ivy geranium or martha washington geranium for my beds, flowering sage/salvias, ice-plant. and different lantanas.

-s
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Plumeria basics: When to transplant, prune, sun etc

Comments (2)

the_first_kms2

phalanx_viridis

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