These are also 1 year old seedlings (12 inches) but they already have grown out branches. As a beginner I think that is what I would want right? Chop off the top to encourage more branches? Or should I just let them do their own thing?

Here are two other 7 inch 1 yr old seedlings that have also branched out. Also, I have been feeding them the miracle gro bloom buster diluted to more than 50 percent. Is that okay for them?

Sorry, last question. I have a very skinny cutting. Do cuttings stay the same width as when they were cut or do they eventually get thicker? I have had this for a few years now and it still looks the same, just a little taller (not in picture).

Thank you.

This is one of the plumerias in the first picture. Over the winter it developed a black tip and is now forming new branches. That is, I hope they are new branches. This plumeria got me thinking, if it is going to take 3 years to bloom from a seed to create more branches, should I just take a short cut and chop the top off now? Please let me know your opinion or pros and cons. Thank you.

There are 3 plumerias that are 18 inches tall that I was planning on cutting.

Hi!!!

I was just looking thru the forum and wanted to try and help you...

Hopefully , others will add their two cents too! ;-)

Personally, I would not chop off the tops to encourage branching unless it was a natural occurrence .. ( deer, wind, etc) seedlings do seem to take their time to bloom, but if you cut the mature stem to encourage branching, you are only setting the tree back a year or so to have mature branches to finally send out Inflos. Let the tree naturally form branching by letting it grow and mature and finally bloom. This is the best way in my opinion and I would guess to say others would say to wait as well...

I see the one stem forming new branches.. This is good, but I wouldn't cut all of those beautiful tops of your trees. Let them Grow as Mother Nature wants them ...let her decide or if you get tired of them being to tall and lanky, then make that decision. Not now while they are small and healthy...

Hope this helps.

I would also increase to full strength in the fertilizer according to the bottle during the summer months. This is when they need the fertilizer to continue to grow and hopefully produce Inflos this year or next. What we do now does have an impact on what happens next year.

They will get thicker as they mature ...

Good luck and they look wonderful!!!

Great job!!!

Laura

I agree with Laura, leave it. Some plumie varieties are known for being leggy while others are more compact. Seedlings tend to branch out early on, but some do not. Even if you chopped the top off there is not guarantee it would branch out (again might be a leggy grower). Ive had some plumies that I pruned a branch and only one new branch replace it, so it looked like an ugly center cut. Usually you will be more likely to get an inflo from a single tip vs multi tipped cutting/plant. So as Laura stated just leave it be and have patience.

Good Luck

Thank you for your advice. I will leave them alone and play with some other plants. Have a nice week!

Here's my tall one. It's over 4' tall now and no inflo in sight. I've threaten to cut if it doesn't bloom but keep hoping. Maybe this year! Peg

Peg

Maybe yours thinks its a coconut palm, lol.

Im in the same boat. I have a few seedlings myself that are single tip. They are almost 2 feet tall and just now a year old. At this rate they could be 6-8 feet tall before they flower. I think Ill just see how tall they do get before flowering. Might be a record!

Mike

I think your right Mike "LOL"
I hope I get the coconuts soon.
Wish I knew how to down graft :(
Peg

Don't discount the single tip seedlings - I was tending to favor my seedlings that were multi branched...I ALMOST THREW AWAY one of my single tip seedlings thinking it was nothing special and whadda ya know - IT BLOOMED!!! I will never look at the single tips the same way again.

Dourbest - I think your seedlings look good, I wouldn't cut them either. Give them as much sun as you can to limit legginess to genetics and not due to reaching for more light - I have seedlings that are not even 5 inches tall and they get a LOT of sun.