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geminishenanigans

Deer Damage What Should I Do To Ensure Plumeria Blooms

GeminiShenanigans
11 years ago

In June, I moved to the Central Coast of Cali and moved from a 3a zone to and 11b. One of the first things I did was buy 3 semi-established plumeria plants. I chose to plant them in pots until I learned this completely foreign (to me) climate.

Two days later, my potted plants were ransacked by deer and some of the leaves were eaten from the plumeria. It was an especially low blow because 8 of my most prized, 10+ yr old, inside-their-whole-life plants were confiscated by USDA personnel at the Cali border. (Amaryllis, Easter and Christmas Cactus and a 4 ft tall variegated Jade). Someone saw an "ant" and it broke my heart. I actually cried like a baby when they set off the alarm and stole my babies. Ok, sorry. The Plumeria were bought to sort of fill the void. The deer destroyed just about everything but it all came back. I have mostly succulents.

Since then, everything has pretty much recovered because I cover my plants with netting at night and move some into a potting shed. The Plumeria that were eaten the first time had produced new leaves but they were still fairly small compared to the older leaves.

Last night, I heard coyotes outside around 0200, they were super loud and I didn't want them waking my 3 yr old so I ran out to scare them off., They were in the process of going after something near the netting but I assumed, wrongly, that when they ran off that would be it.

This morning, the netting had been pulled off, some pots of succulents were knocked over basically anything accessible had been eaten. Even Aeonium, Jade, Echeveria, and sedum. I know how to handle the rest of my plants, but am really worried about the Plumeria.

There are no leaves at all now, one has a light bite in the trunk and sap is running down from the tips. My first inclination is to give them some rest, maybe repot and start watering in a few weeks but I don't know. I really want to see these guys bloom! Learning that the growing season here doesn't seem to end was so exciting and I've never lived in a place where I would be able to grow these beauties. Please help! I just want to know what to expect and what I should do now.

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