Welcome, Amerique2. A plumeria will root in the late spring or in the summer when it is ready. This means it could be this year or later. Once it starts blooming it usually blooms each year. I recommend you give your plant two tablespoons of epsom salts sprinkled around the plant and watered in. There is a big debate regarding using high middle number fertilizer or even number but I have found both work. High nitrogen is usually not that good for it causes leggy plants and more leaves than flowers. I do not recommend Miracle grow as it has uric acid that hurts soil health. If you search on this site you can find many debates on these plants. Most will agree that you avoid cold weather and do not over water as they do better a bit dry. Too much moisture especially with cold soil will cause rot from the roots up. Good luck. Bill

Hi, amerique2. tdogdad certainly has the experience with plumeria and the number of trees to prove it. You're likely to get a large number of different answers based on each poster's experience and opinion. Here's mine.
I've used Green Thumb Blossom Bloom at a rate of one tablespoon to one gallon of water, along with one tablespoon of Epsom salt every two weeks throughout the growing season. This plant food has the high middle number (10-50-10) that tdogdad cautioned you about. The Epsom salt magnesium gives you greener leaves.
Other posters here have recommended a fertilizer such as
Vigoro all-purpose plant food (24-8-16).
Good luck with your plumeria.

This post was edited by jperilloux on Wed, May 29, 13 at 8:37

Hi Amerique2,

Although I'm relatively new to plumerias, I'll give my 2 cents. As the two posters above mentioned, you'll get a number of different answers as to fertilizer. I used a 10-50-10 last year mixed at half strength every week, and the plumerias seemed to do fine. Someone mentioned to me a few weeks ago that consistency is key with fertilizing. And I would have to agree. My advice would be to make sure and write down what days you fertilized and what make a note of the next day you should fertilize, whether every week or every two weeks or whatever schedule you are on. Otherwise, it is VERY easy to forget what day you fertilized last and all of a sudden, you haven't fertilized for a month or more.

Good luck with your plumeria growing!

(Smile) Amerique, I do not have much experience with growing plumeria, so I prefer to err on the side of caution, and use a diluted (and malodorous) liquid feeding of Bills Perfect Fertlizer (6-11-5), mixed with 1/4 teaspoon Superthrive per gallon of drinking water. But I ammend my potting mix with bone meal, and the recommended ammount of time -release Nutristar plumeria food, and in spring the second watering contains a pinch of epsom salts, so my plumies are getting nutrients from their soil, as well as once per month liquid feedings. The other 3 weeks per month they only get plain water, so salts don't build up in their containers.
Also, I'd like to mention that I think you're doing a very kind thing for your friend, I hope your plumeria thrives, and rewards you with blooms and multiple cuttings!

Thank you all for your helpful advice! I do have Epsom salts as well as fish emulsion and liquid seaweed on hand. Plus a sample of Superthrive. It appears from your responses that plumerias like a regular schedule of fertilzer. So, I will write down what and when I give it and, erring on the side of caution, will use a diluted feeding. I'm growing tomatoes in containers this year in Al's 5-1-1 mix. Would this mix with its excellent drainage be good for plumerias? I need to repot and wonder whether plumerias prefer to be a little crowded in a pot or able to spread their wings. Again, many thanks for your input. Looking at the photos of plumerias in bloom and imagining their sweet fragrance, I can see where it might be hard to stop collecting these beautiful plants.

Keep in mind that they are trees, and will perform better in a larger, wider pot. We keep new cuttings in a smaller containers to control the amount of water in the soil to prevent rot, but once they're established they can be grown in the largest pot you can haul inside.

Good luck!

Thanks, Jandey. I seemed to forget that they are trees. Will plant in a larger and a little weightier pot to help keep it from toppling over in the wind.