It stinks when they just die for no apparent reason. I hope you have better luck with the new ones!

Mike

Good luck... I like your spirit!!!

Laura

I'm SO sorry that happened, I know it's frustrating. I love your spirit though like Laura said!!! Congrats on all the other amazing plants you grow, it sounds like you do good work over there.

My plants have actually been outside since mid-March...there have been a couple of cold spells but nothing they shouldn't have been able to live through. I even periodically squeeze the branches, all has seemed great, no problems at all. Well, yesterday I walked by my 3 yr old Pauahi Ali'i and saw BLACK OOZE OF DEATH! What the what???!!!

Unless it somehow got cold damage, the only other thing I can think of started with an inflo. When it was spent I cut off most of it but it had kind of merged / grew with an existing branch...I think it rotted from there possibly?! I don't know, it seemed to happen really fast but I probably didn't see the signs until it was waaaay too late. I tried to cut the other branch to see if I can root it but it didn't have much sap, I think the whole thing may have tanked on me.

I told Russ and he said, "Well, you still have like 75 other ones" HAHAHA! Not quite the same but also not one that broke my heart either.

Keep it up and please keep us posted on your new babies!!!

Sheesh...I should learn from that attitude!

Maybe next time keep it actively growing since I think mine died because of too many months of dormancy.

If I was to have a hand at it again, I will try continually growing them in my sunny greenhouse, which is challenge, because I don't want bugs they attract attacking my whole greenhouse. Or I will just stick one in a sunny window, a bit further back from the cold of a window in my house{{gwi:807}} and see what happens...

Or try and mimick many of the warmer folks araes..Keep mit dormant for no longer than a couple of months and then reignite the growth..

Good luck

Mike

This post was edited by meyermike_1micha on Tue, Apr 29, 14 at 17:51

It's very hard to let them go dormant and look at sticks all winter but they can survive. I think more harm is done from too much water than anything else in winter. Mine come inside in Oct. and are still not out yet. I'm sure I'll be doing the plumeria march soon as temps are staying in a range to move them. If we just wouldn't get the cold rain for days on end. So they spend about half the year indoors. I cut the leaves off to force them dormant and measure the water in each pot so as to control that they don't get too much. Only water once a month until time to take them out. I don't keep the house extra warm (68 daytime and 62 nights) and they only get window or house lights when on. I do loose a few but most do just fine. I'm still working on getting them enough sun when outside as most of my yard is in shade. Do get some blooms but of course would like more.
Hang in there and I know you'll do it. Peg

Scott - As others have said, I admire the attitude and speaking from experience (by experience I mean killing a host of plumeria cuttings over the years!), they are not like other plants that I've ever grown. GIve them too much water and adios, bye bye, especially in the winter. Remove any other plant from its' soil for the winter, and it likely won't survive. Plumeria? No problem.

Hailing from Southern California, I'm not too sure about the impact of the 5b zone, but there are others here with the winter experience that have done well so check out there posts for more insight. If all else fails, don't water.

Cheers!
Dan

Scott...

It can be done. Like others mentioned, its hard to let them go dormant over the winter, I have some that are active all winter, some dormant tucked away in the back bedroom and some in the greenhouse that are dormant. We work at what we have to do in our climates, we can always help you when it's time. That's what we like to do... Help each other...

Have a good day and please enjoy your new purchases!!!!

Take care,

Laura