I'd love to see your pictures but the links are broken... what are the temps like there and do you have a balcony of some sort?? If there is no balcony keep it near a sunny window... if it's being kept inside check the soil every 7 days before you water... with filtered sun and less air circulation the soil may not drain as quickly as one might think... or maybe it does, who knows... but check it, you may need to adjust your watering schedule by an extra couple days... just a thought... don't want you to lose it... hope some of this helps... there are some great people on this site...
Brittany
P.S. I kept all of my plumeria inside over the winter (that was an adventure) and used florescent lights to help with the extra light needs since I could not keep them near sunny windows... they aren't exactly stylish, but they work...

What Brittany said that was very important is that your soil is probably too wet. I am in a zone 10 and I water a cutting once only and then not again until the leaves are at least 6 inches long. Basically it is no leaves, no roots so no water. The stem has water stored. Wet soil I believe actually slows down root growth because in a dry soil, the plant establishes a more complex root system trying to find water. This is why water rooted cuttings do not adjust well when planted, because the fine complex roots are underdeveloped. What your plant needs is bottom heat (on a seed mat, hot rocks, or concrete) to stimulate root and leaf growth. Also for future reference, January is the dormant season (Dec-Mar) so it is best to plant in March or April. You can put cuttings in a pail of perlite but it usually will not start rooting until spring. A dormant plant is basically hibernating so it does not need light, food, or water. When all the leaves come of it is dormant.

Here are the pictures again, hosted by another service (Photobucket) instead:

March 10th:

March 27th:

April 18th:

April 30th:

I have a balcony but it had been raining for 30+ days (did all the N. Calif mudslides and sinkhole deaths make the national news?) until recently. It's been getting near 80 degrees, so I think it might be a good time to set them outside. This morning I put them on the balcony for a nice dose of direct morning light. By noon, the front of the condo are in the building's shadow, so it'll be filtered light until sunset for the plumeria. Has anyone had success browing from a location with such little sunlight?

Also, is that lump in the middle an inflo?

Rhys

Yup, that lump is an inflo and no need to break it off unless the cutting looks like it is suffering... if it starts to wrinkle you might want to consider breaking it off...but for now, prepare to enjoy the flowers
Brittany

Most plumies can do well on 6 hours of light although they like more. as long as you get 5-6 hours of direct light and the rest filtered, it should do fine. Your. plant looks healthy in the picture. You have many leaves starting which indicates roots growing. Watch your inflo as it develops. It usually will split into from 4 to 20 branches which again might spit into multiple flower stems. Some varieties (Samoan Fluff, Guillot's sunset ) can have 20-30 flowers on each inflo with new ones coming as the old ones drop off. I think it is good to log the progress of plants. I log the height on July 4, when flowers open, when they finish for each plant each year. Patterns begin to show which help you understand how plants respond to your area which can be very different from Texas, Arizona or Hawaii.

Hi,
I need help. I am trying to do as told, I took a 5 gal pot, the cutting had dried, planted my 1st cutting in cactus soil, watered it, left it alone. Its now one month later, did not water anymore, sitting on concrete. Today, the 3 arms are rubbery. Took out the cutting out of the pot, threw it in the trash..spread the cactus soil out, bottom had water in it,the soil is soaked, have the soil drying!.

second cutting..put in less water, than the first. took cutting out today, the bottom of the cutting was wet, had only been planted a couple days, spread that soil out on a screen, its very wet.

Put second cutting back into 5 gallon can, new cactus soil, put in no water!!! No Water at all??? now what in the dickens am I to do. Very discouraging, I have 6 cuttings drying, afraid to plant them. plumeria 101 says to water the cutting after planted! that didn't work!
third..Have one plumeria rooted in a pot, bought it at a nursery, in cactus soil, can see a little green coming out at tip, it registers dry on the moisture meter. I Am afraid to water..this throws me. very discouraging.

Don't know how to handle the cactus mix at all. can see it will make all too wet! appreciate your response.
Karen

Ok, first of all you are going to need to water... but here's a really foolish question... are there holes in your pot?? the water needs to go somewhere... double check because I made this mistake... the hole had a clear plastic plug and in my quick planting efforts I didn't notice... now I'm trying to baby it back from death because it rotted... also, did the cuttings have a clean cut? Did you add rooting hormone? Make sure these are done then water and set in a warm sunny space... I don't understand what might be causing this... water is essential for rooting... another thought, and I've never tried this, is prewatering the soil... you can make sure that it isn't saturated and then put your rooting hormoned cutting in... just some thoughts... let us know...
Brittany

The whole point of cactus mix is that it should not hold water. If you did have holes in your pot the water should have drained out and the mix become rather dry. Also never plant in a 5 gallon pot- it hold too much soil. Plant in a 1 gallon or with a multiple arm cutting use a 3. In a three or five you must mix at least 50/50 with sand, pumice or perlite to increase drainage. Actually Brittany's question is not foolish because many pots are not drilled and many people do not notice. If none of this fits your problem, I would plant in 100% perlite. The perlite will not hold water and is safe for roots. It just is a bit messy when you transplant it next year.

Hi,
to answer the questions to both, appreciate your help.

..yes to all. yes, cut clean, dried 3 weeks, had root hormone on the end, yes, all side holes being open, put water through first, measured 4" put in the cutting, bought the pebble rocks, put on top, every thing I had read on the forum to do. I set it for a couple days on a plastic crate to drain out..then set it on the concrete in the west sun. The mix held all the water I put in, don't know why. I was crushed when this happened..my only cutting at this time. have some drying. I apologize for the anger in the e-mail, was just devistated, thought I had done it all correct, was a good one a bright pink with yellow center. dern it, 3 arms.

Its very hard on this forum, I am a big reader, I read most everyones questions and answer, fastinates me, I have gone back into the archives to read problems up to 17 to 18 pages, printed out things. Most recommed "putting in a 5 gallon can, says do not put in gallon, roots need room to grow"..thats what I understood. I have one more cutting, yesterday put it in a 5 gallon, no water, can take it out of the 5 gallon, and put it into a 1 gallon.. Its about 20" single stick, white one. my only white.

Most on here, recommend cactus mix, so thats what I bought, its expensive, but bought it. its black mix cactus mix from a nursery, has the plumice, humus, worm castings, gads...ha had to have sand?

ok..boy..take out put in gallon container. My other cutting I am drying is a 4 armed one and a 2 arm..
Karen

Karen,

I can see your frustration. Everyone uses their own methods for rooting.

'Cactus mix' can really vary from one brand to another. I don't trust it! But that's probably just me! When I'm rooting my cuttings outside in summer, I mix about 2 parts large perlite (also called sponge rock -- they sell if for orchids) to one part good potting soil (like Miracle Grow -- but not the 'Moisture Control' flavor). I make sure the potting soil is already slightly moist (not wet) and I don't water it initially, because for me even that holds too much water (unless the potting soil is very dry). I never use sand -- too dense for me. I root all cuttings in 1-gal pots or smaller. Once they're growing and are well-rooted (that is, roots are growing out of the drainage holes) I'll move them up to much larger pots, but not before. Everyone has their own methods. Part depends on daytime high temperatures, nighttime lows, sun exposure and how much rain fall on them. I don't root cuttings outside if night temps fall below 60ºF.

Karen. So sorry things are going badly. I wonder about the brand of cactus mix because it sounds like it is dense, black and moist. I have started hundreds of cuttings in cactus mix and pumice mixed 50/50 and have had very few rot. Usually, a small bag of pumice is about $4 and a small bag of perlite is about $2. For hard to root plants i put a plastic water bottle in the middle of the 1 gallon pot and pour the 50/50 mix around. I water and pack, then twist out the bottle. This leaves a 2-3 inch hole down the middle. Put in a handful of the perlite. spritz with a mist of water from a spray bottle. Put the cutting onto the perlite and fill the rest with either perlite or pumice (pumice holds a larger cutting). Set out and do not water. Roots go into the perlite and then later out into the cactus mix blend. This method had given me the highest percentage of successes. Remember that soil heat is very important so set on hot concrete or a heat mat. This is a very cold spring in southern california so it is not a typical environment to start cuttings. Cuttings really prefer above 75 and we have been in the low sixties. This is the worst spring in the last decade.

Hi,
wanted to report in. On my first cutting. I now realize, after I un-glued...ha I took the cactus soil, and worked it added water to get it damp like I approach potting soil to plant a daisy!. put in the cutting, boy was way too wet and was cool out, I had never used cactus soil.obvious the cutting rotted, poor thing.

The next one I planted, I planted the cutting, watered it, but strangely the water did not run out, dripped some, totally took in the water, will watch those. Would have had to water it a second time to get water to run out. I have now bravely, planted 5 cuttings, as suggested, some potting soil and have 3 curing to plant next week.

All in black pots, cuttings are on concrete face morning south sun, afternoon some west, hitting the high 80's here this weekend. I have two types of cactus soil, one has a lot of wood in it, plumice, very coarse..the other is black with lots of pearlite, softer soil, cheaper. want to see which works, may mix.
I am trying to do as you say. I grow a lot of plants all over my yard, have a full hummingbird garden, but these plumeria are totally different, sooooooo slow. trying to develop patience. Will report in if I get a leaf!!!!!!!! loudly..
ha ha ..thanks all for your help.

Karen

Sounds like the coarse cactus mix is correct. If you do any blending, blend in pumice or perlite at 50/50 or 66/34 to cut down on the water holding soil. Pluimeria grow naturally in limestone or volcanic soils where water drains fast. They do not need rich soils and the dampness of rich soils is dangerous to the roots. This is why some growers use volcanic sands, beach sand, pure perlite, coconut husks, or pure pumice or blends with very little peat moss or soil. Look at your plumie. It is like a cactus storing water in a fat stem so you are always better to be dry than wet. Good luck.

Hi tdogdad,
thanks so much for that advise, on the course cactus mix, lot of bark in it.. was the difference in $8.00 bag and $4.00 bag, felt similar. but the cheaper bag from Home depot was very silky. okey doke, will go back to the bark one..and get some perlite for the silky one.

ok..question.. can I use B-1 on a rooted plant that has been planted in a 5 gallon can? My neighbor gave me a large 3 yr old plant in thick wet mud, no leaves yet, little greenies showing, has 4 canes, has strong roots, crown was moving back and forth as I took it home. , I just knew it would rot, my only white!!. I took it out and planted it in cactus soil, some osmocote in the soil, watered it. Now, may have transplant shock, won't know, how would I know?. can I water it with B-1? does it help two days later? bought b-1 too late. Yes should have used a stronger food, forgot..paniced in the mud.
This neighbor is a gardner, has plumeia everywhere in his yard, 5 gallon containers, in pure mud!
Karen

Older, more established plants are much more hardy and can tolerate much more dampness. B-1 is a shock treatment and a root stumulator. It is generally only used once every 7-10 days for three treatments. Your only problem is you do not want more water now. Also, think about how when you are not feeling well, do you want a big meal. Never fertilize until your plant has recovered from the shock. The good thing is that you used a time release which should be of no harm to your plant as it needs time to release the food. So you are in good shape. Let your plant dry out. Neglect is better than too much attention. Sun and bottom heat should save the day. Relax.

Here are more pictures of my first plumeria plant, taken today. It's so exciting! I've never been much of a green thumb, so to see this grow from that stick I bought at Walmart is truly amazing.

Your Wal-Mart sells plumeria cuttings? Hmmm. Green with envy.

The Walmart was in Kona, on the Big Island of Hawaii, which I visited while I was on vacation. You can stop turning green now!