Hi Mar,

Are you in Northern Calif. or North Carolina? How cold is it getting at night? Is it already getting below 40 degrees where you are?

Sheril

If you put them in the store room, make sure it does not get colder than mid-30s or your plant will suffer or die. Your plant will go dormant when it decides and you cannot stop it some just will grow all winter the first year. Pick off the yellow leaves and when all the leaves are gone, do not water more than a cup a month or none at all. Some people snip off the leaves about a quarter of an inch from the branch and then pop off the remaining stem when it turns yellow. This forces dormancy. No leaves means no water required. Water increases the risk of rot. Some people pull the plants from their pots, wash away the soil mix, wrap the roots in something that breathes (not plastic) and hang them upside down in a room as bare root stock. Others leave them in their pots but not on cold concrete. The winter devils are too much water and too much cold or both. Also do not set next to a sunny window that then goes very cold at night- move away from the glass at night. If you keep them in the house with the heater on, water them as usual until they drop all leaves. After they go dormant (if still in the heated room) you want to mist and put a little water each month in the pot best around the outside edge of the soil. People from the mid-west and Texas have tons of techniques they use for winter survival. Perhaps some will share their methods. Bill

Great info, Bill.

I had no idea people did all those things to "winter" their Plumerias.

I was never told to stop watering when the leaves drop, I just cut-back on watering during the winter whether there are leaves or not.....stupid luck! I was doing the right thing, for the wrong reason??? LOL

It's all good.

Bill, that is great winter advise that I will definately follow for my newly rooted cuttings. I have another question though.

My 70 seedlings are only 4 months old so far. If I bring 70 one gallon pots into my home for the winter, my family will call the funny farm and have me hauled away in a white jacket. The plants are going to have to stay outside. Will they be ok as long as the weather doesn't get below the mid 30's?
Which is better during So. Cal. winter? Outside where there is at least some daylight, or in the garage where it may be warmer but no sunlight?

Signed...Wasn't thinking when I planted that many seeds!

Brighty, I had to laugh when I read your message. My husband thinks I'm crazy for spending so much time moving my plants to keep them in the sun all day. He said to much work! By the way I live in Placerville between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe. I don't think there are too many zone 7's on this site but I'm going to try again. tdogdad, thanks for the info. I was thinking of looking into one of those heat mats I was wondering if I put it in the storage room that is basically like outside (it gets down to the 30's) and my husband has some left over plastic roofing from the hot tub area we thought put the plants on the seed mat and cover it with plastic at night. Will that be to hot? Have to look into the heat mat to see how that works. I don't know how you guys can have so many plants to take care of I'm running around just with 2 pots. But they are starting to look like plants now so thats kind of nice to see. It seems to happen over night. The problem with my house is the sun goes from one end to the other and we are in the pine trees so there is actually no windows that have full sun.
Thanks again I'm sure I will need your help again.
Mar

Wow, Placerville, I haven't been there in 25 years...I bet it's totally different; I had family scattered from Placerville to Carson City, NV.

Heat pads are usually for germinating seeds...10-20°F over the ambient temperature, if you think that will be warm enough for your area???

Good luck.

Mar,

I don't think you're nuts at all. I did the same thing with my newly planted cuttings this year. I potted them in January and moved them all around the house, even on top of the clothes dryer and on top of the cars on warm days for bottom heat.(Got strange looks from the next door neighbor when he saw the pots on top of my car, but as it turns out, he used to own plumerias and understood.)

My husband has taken an interest in the plumies now. I think yours will too when he sees the beautiful flowers next summer. Good luck with your plumerias. Do you know which variety you have?

Sheril

Sheril,
Thats a good idea with the car. The cat does it so I'll have to kick her off. That's another problem bringing the plants inside is the cats they chew on everything. Scaldude,Placerville has changed an awful lot. There are houses popping up all over. At least we have a 2 acre minimum here where I am.They are also finally adding on lanes on the freeway. But Tahoe is going to be a ghost town with all the Indian Casinos coming up. They are building one in Shingle Springs. What are the mats that people are talking about, to put your new cuttings on, to root? Is that something different. and if not will the seed mats keep the pots warm enough if you cover them with plastic?
I'm thinking I might be nuts trying to grow these in our zones. I tried orange trees a couple of years and I got so tired of trying everything to keep them from freezing. Although they were alot bigger. I put Christmas tree lights under plastic. I finally gave up and gave them to my kids.

Here's a link to a good online retailer....you might find cheaper, but they have great customer service.

Here is a link that might be useful: Heating Coils & Mats

Scaldude,Thanks I have to get to that site to see what different things they have. I might just leave them in the house this first year to make sure I don't lose them. I'm finding there are alot of things that are easier to get online instead of running around to the stores.
Mar

Sheril- I cannot answer without knowing which city you are in. There is a big range in so.cal and location is everything. Also if you know, how far are you from the ocean and from the mountains. The ocean keeps the temps mild and the mountains drop cold air into the valleys. This changes what you can and cannot do. Bill

Thank you Bill. I am close to the Orange Mall (Or what ever it is called now.) So the ocean and the mountains are not really an issue. Just the smog! Ha Ha! I'm guessing my temps are about the same as yours. I know they will go dormant outside. I'm thinking of making a small portable tarp to go over them in case we ever get rain. Do you think the seedlings can survive going dormant their first year?

Sheril

Sheril- you can just leave your plants outside as usual and when they go dormant or for the seedlings when it get to December, put them under a patio cover, on a porch or build a 2 x 4 box frame and cover the top with a clear plastic (drop cloth or roofing sheets)from home depot. Leave the sides open or have the plastic come less than halfway down the sides. This keeps cold night air from settling on the seedlings but keeps them warmer than the air around. Seedling usually do fine outside just keep them away from frosts. They may not go dormant as some just keep growing the first year. e-mail me at plumeriabill@yahoo.com and I will forward some more info. Bill