Message for newbies.

13 years ago

I just wanted to let the newbies here know that even if you have had your trees for a couple years and they have not bloomed for you(even when you have done everything you can), please don't throw in the towel!

This summer in New York state has been terrible. We just cannot seem to warm up enough for much of anything to do well. None of my figs have produced yet, I have a 5ft tall gardenia that produced one bud, while my other smaller gardenoa produced none, and my plumeria......out of 150+ maybe 6 or 7 have produced inflos!!!!! I expected to have can awesome year for inflos and blooming, especially when I had around 20 that produced inflos over late winter, early spring. The only reason why I had plumeria that produced inflos was because of my 600 watt HPS light.

This coming winter, I plan on adding more lights. What I think I will do, is start waking my trees up in January or February. This way they will have more time to grow and hopefully produce inflos. My biggest issue with doing this was spider mites but I now have hope. A friend of mine on Facebook told me to try horticultural oil. He said that it will help keep pests from sticking to the leaves and branches. I just wonder if I will have to spray more than once. I will post my results here. I also know that fans help. If you can keep good air circulation, it will also discourage pests from attacking the plumeria.

I am hoping that doing all of this will help me to have more inflos and blooms next summer!

Andrew

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Comments (8)

irun5k
13 years ago
Andrew, I know many will appreciate this inspiration to persevere!

I've never used horticultural oil indoors, but it seems to have a lasting effect when I use it on my sagos outdoors (asian scale problems.) Based on that I can't imagine having to do it more than once indoors?

For the Sagos I use 1tsp per gallon (along with 2tsp Malathion to help kill off the scale.) I am not sure what rate of oil would be appropriate for Plumeria but someone here surely has tried it and can say.

Good luck!
ANNAMARIA VECCHIO
13 years ago
Thank You, Andrew and "irun5k", yours are very helpful tips about the horticultural oil and adding malathion to prevent pests from attacking the plumerias. I have been bringing, mine,indoors(my living room as south exposure). I usually start waking them up in February. Where can I find the oil in California, especially my area? Does OHS has it or do I have to order online ? Thanks again to both of you.
Annamaria
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mscynthia
13 years ago
Thanks for the encouragement for patience. I bought a rooted cutting three or so years ago (maybe longer). It's grown to over 5' tall, didn't put on a second branch until last year and it still hasn't bloomed. Lots of leaves, lots of sun, no flowers.

I don't even remember what cultivar is it. I bring it in every winter, take it back out every spring and hope. My husband calls it the Big Green Stick.

One day my stick will bloom. ;)

Cynthia
No-Clue
13 years ago
Yep we got some funky weather here as well. So far very mild for August. The only warm spell we had were back in June. So only 25 out of my 80 plants are blooming or will be blooming this summer thus far. I have been inflo spotting but I'm not detecting anything new.

So needless to say I'm very disappointed as well. :(
PRO
the_first_kms2
13 years ago
Nobody gives up on this forum...we just change our tactics. I have a few seedlings that are on "plan Z."

Plan AA is give them to Emily. : )
plumejunkie
13 years ago
Andrew - why wake your plants up at all? You've got the light, why not just keep them growing the whole time? Less chance of disease if they don't go dormant.

Side note - HPS great for setting inflows
Metal halide great for green growth

Personally, if your going to get more lights, I'd definately invest in a good led. You'll get a much better spectrum of light, plenty of power, & they're cheaper on the electric bill.

Peace & happy growing,
Jason
ANNAMARIA VECCHIO
12 years ago
Sorry, again for commenting a Bit Late, what are "HPS" and "metal halide ? Please let me know!!! Also....my plumerias still had "inflos" before I took them indoors, a couple of weeks ago...because of impending frost, into my living room(south exposure)!!! Should I keep watering sparingly even as they are shedding leaves? I usually see growth on my Plumerias by February !!!!
Annamaria
mksmth zone 7a Tulsa Oklahoma
12 years ago
Fancy

HPS is short for High Pressure Sodium. The orange colored street lights are HPS

Metal Halide is another high intensity discharge type of lighting. It is more of white light that most parking lot light poles use. Some say it is the closest to natural sunlight.

Both have specific and different advantages for flowering and leaf growth.

Mike