I think if anyone in our area is to grow these, they really should invest in a portable greenhouse...

Absolutely!

The ones with inflos are in it, and they will still get the full sun they need, along with, still hot temps, all the way till the end of October! No more worries about having to bring them in early. I keep the temps warm in there on cloudy cool days and cold nights by using a portable heater and a fan..
It was 90 degrees in that greenhouse today,with the doors open and no heat on, all the while it was only 65 degrees outside all day today, and down into the 40's tonight. I think they like that the protection from the freaky cool temps so early in the season. They also hate the cold rain soon to come. They are protected, yet happy!
I had another flower open for me today in there..

I got mine at Home Depot online.

Goodluck with yours, and I don't bring mine in either until nights average in the 40's... Your plants will tell you by dropping their leaves. The bottom leaves will start yellowing very quickly if left out in the cold, and due to lack of warm sun. But the ones with inflos, in the greenhouse they go...

Hope this helps someone...Mike..:-)

Dave.
I have yet not had a problem with mites on mine except indoors. I would say around Febuary, when the leaves start to grow back..

But as for outside my house, never.

Seems to me everytime I take them outdoors, all my plants with mites or any other pest, just take a hike for the rest of the year until December on my tropicals.

Not my plumerias though, I take all leaves off when they come in.

I dread bringing my tropical plants in.
But not plumeria, since they are bare when I store them. I just dread their leaves coming back in the spring before I can put them outdoors.

My greenhouse is only 8 feet by 6 and portable. Lots of available air in there I guess, and I hose everything down all over very often.
The fan might be helping, but I use it more to keep the heat from the heater evenly scattered through out the greenhouse.

How are yours? Do you always have a mite problem? When does it start? Now, or in the winter? Do you still have mites when they are outdoors?

Take care..:-)

With spidermites, it sort of depends on the year. During really hot and dry summers they can be a problem outdoors -- especially if the plants are under eaves where the leaves stay really dry. Indoors they're almost always a problem. Not so much in my garage though, where the temps are much cooler than in the house. But you're right, they're the worst in late Winter/early Spring when tips start to grow.

Every year I fight with myself on this one..Should I keep my plant room really warm for my tropicals to keep active growth, which I like, but put up with the possible mites and keep fighting? As the new grwoth comes on all my plants, boy would the mites feast if I didn't control them.

Or should I keep the plant room just above the 50's, and let everything almost go dormant, no active growth, hold back on watering, and pray for the best, but have no mites...lol....Sheesh..
The warm room always wins out though, along with mite battle! lol

Goodluck dave...Good to talk to you. Let me know what happens...What you decide to do...

I don't have a room in the house that stays cool. Well, the only room that is that cool would be my wife's walk-in closet, which I dare not enter -- HAH!. I try to spray tips and trunks with dormant oil in Dec - Feb BEFORE they start to re-grow.

I don't remember that post. But now I would say temps no colder than 50ºF to 55ºF are probably best, with humidity, some light, and good air circulation. As we get to March and April, increase temps to 75ºF, increase light, and spray, spray, spray for mites. I believe bad mites can contribute to black tip as much as 'cold and wet'.

I keep my biggest plants (and hopefully most robust) in the garage where temps approach the low 40s on occasion (yikes!). That's really too cold for them, but it's the only place I have that's big enough to accommodate the 8-ft+ plants (or should I say 'trees'?). This winter I may try to hoist some of them up above the ceiling joists instead of setting them on the floor. I think it's a bit warmer up there. I had stored cannas up there, some of which grew all winter.

I can't even begin to imagine the work it must take to do all that..lololol

I thought I had it bad bringing in mine, most in 2 gallon pots...

I have one, only one that is 4 feet tall in a 5 gallon bucket, plastic at that, and I hate carrying that one.

You know, isn't all this challange though worth it...How can you not love these babies...:-)

Talk to you soon, maybe sooner than we think..lol

Do you know how good it feels to look outside right now and see the clouds and cold, and yet know that my plumies with inflos are in a nice and warm greenhouse, happy, safe..lol.
Wonder how many flowers opened today since the sun did shine for a bit part of the morning raising the temps in the greenhouse into the 90's...I guess as long as the soil is warm, those inflos are going to be very happy!

Mike

You should see what I look like trying to hall these plants up onto the roof on my step ladder. I think my neighbors think I am crazy.
I spend most my time up on the roof these days....Sheesh!
I also sit in my greenhouse when I want to get warm and just stare at my plants..lol

I have about a half dozen plants at 7 or 8 feet. Most of the rest are around 4-5 feet. Only a few at 2 feet.

When I get home I will be able to pull up the pics..Can't wait...lol

Later....:-)