Should I repot these yet?

13 years ago

Hi, I wanted some advice since this is my first time with plumeria. All of these cuttings were given to me last fall and to my surprise they all seem to have rooted. I have made some bad choices in pots though and wonder if I should let them be or repot into bigger/better pots now. I have a bad habit of repotting things way to often so I wanted to check.

First group: these were bag rooted last fall and planted prematurely into these little pots last month when roots got big in the bags. They are very little cuttings though. The cuttings are 4,5, and 6" high from soil to tip, and the pots are about 6-8" wide by 5 or 6" high.

Second group are in bigger pots, 8 x 9" but it is terra cotta. I know now those are frowned upon. These plumeria are 6, 7, 8, and 16" high soil to tip. The biggest I purchased rooted and planted int this pot last fall, 2 were rooted in these pots last fall, and 1 was bag rooted then planted in this pot last month.

Let them be until next spring or get them more room ASAP? I actually have several cheap used 2/3/5 gallon nursery pots I bought from a garden center here for almost nothing if those would work. Thanks, as always for your expert advice!

-Heather

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Comments (6)

Loveplants2 8b Virginia Beach, Virginia
13 years ago
Hi Heather,

I would personally leave them alone. They all look happy and you are doing a great job with them so far.. So why bother them now when they are thriving !!!

If you feel like potting them up next spring, then do so... But for now, let them grow and continue to be strong healthy Plumeria!!

Pretty Work!!!

Laura
Loveplants2 8b Virginia Beach, Virginia
13 years ago
One thought... When you do repot, sometimes the roots like to stick to the sides of the terra-cotta containers. When you do decide and when, I would use a tool to release the roots from the container ( you could use a long slender blade to slide around the inside of the container before you extract the tree from the pot). They also make these certain tools for this, but if you don't want to buy any tools, I would use a flexable saw and this will prevent the unnecessary breakage of the roots. ( cheap steak knife will work too!)

Good luck!!

They look awesome, Heather!

Laura
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ginger9899
Original Author
13 years ago
Thank you so much Laura, I value your opinion. I'm happy to let them be then. Next year when it's time it'll be plastic pots and probably gritty mix ;)

-Heather
jandey1
13 years ago
Those are so cute! Love the tiny ones, and the one on the right of the bigger ones.

I use some terracotta, too, and it works fine for helping keep the roots cool vs. plastic. Just do like Laura says and cut out a rootball before trying to repot. You're doing great so far!
Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
13 years ago
I'd probably let them be for maybe a month or two and then repot them mid-season when they're really growing. I think they'll need it by then.

And move them to plastic pots -- rather than terra cotta -- with lots of extra drainage holes.
ginger9899
Original Author
13 years ago
Thank you jandey and dave_in_nova. I'll keep my eye on them but stop worrying for now.

jandey I like the one on the right of the bigger ones, too, he seems to have 3 times more leaves than anybody else right now.

-Heather