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Storing bare root plumies
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Posted by karyn1 MD 7 (bhkalen@aol.com) on Wed, Nov 18, 09 at 9:13
| How well do mature plumies stand up to being stored bare root and what's the best way to do it? I have 30 potted plants that I'd love to unpot to make more room but have never stored plumerias bare root before. Should the roots be wrapped in something like burlap? How do you keep the roots hydrated? When bringing them out of dormancy should the roots be soaked in water with ST or anything prior to potting them back up? |
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RE: Storing bare root plumies
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| Very good questions and so many things can work actually.. Karyn, some have just hung them upside down in their garages and not have to water at all..But that is in Texas with such a short time out of pots and a more humid enviroment. Short dormancy for sure.. My friend in Florida, he just bareroots all of his but his favorite two or three, and throws them all in a pile protected from the rains and frost, and doesn't even look at them till Feb...His do well too. As for me, I have bare rooted one for experimentation pruposes, hung it upside down in a dark closet, sprayed the roots with water every couple of days, and that worked.. As long as you don't let the roots dry for too long a period of time to the point that the plant dehydrates more than it should, it will work. Remember to keep the roots deydrated since our winters are far too long and dry..Once it goes to the point where the stem is beyond wrinkled, it is almost always too late to save it..
That is how I lost a couple. Maybe someone else here has had a good experience with this method in our region.. If you can not get many here to help, then for safety reasons, since you have never done this, I would just try this method on a couple until you get it down to a science..See how you do..We would be honored to hear you report back at the end of winter if you should go this route.. Goodluck... Mike..;-) |
RE: sorry, typo error
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| Remember to keep the roots..."HYDRATED", sorry, typo error up thread... |
RE: Look at these....
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| Karyn, look at these plumies stored in texas..lol http://www.emersonsplumerias.com/dyncat.cfm?catid=3171 |
RE: Storing bare root plumies
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| I was going to say check out Emerson's site but Mike suggested above. No plastic on roots. I do not know but I think Emerson just leaves them dry. Don't know if roots are that active during dormancy until spring. Water could be more of a problem for fungus but I am just guessing. You might contact Emerson and ask him. He is a very nice guy. Bill click on link (same as mikes) |
Here is a link that might be useful: Emersons bare root plumies
RE: Storing bare root plumies
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| Thank you both for Emerson's link. I have one of his plumies that I've been waiting for a bloom for a few years now, Pink Nova. Mike your earlier post is what got me thinking about bare root storage. Mine are packed away from Nov - Apr or May. After looking at Emersons pics I wish that we heated the outbuildings at the farm. They all have those rafters and would be perfect for hanging the plumies but the buildings get way too cold and I doubt DH would go for heating yet another space for my plants. Do you think that sprinkling sulfur or some other type of fungicide on the roots would be a good idea? My storage space for plants in the garage shrinks as the kids possessions increase, especially sports equipment. Damn kids. lol |
RE: Storing bare root plumies
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There is a guy in north Houston that has several hundred plummies, he digs them out of his garden every year and hangs them upside down in his garage. Seems he's up around Conroe where they have freezes but not really harsh winters. He then replants them all in about March. So his are hanging from about November to March. I can't imagine all that work every year. Must prune a lot.
Good luck with yours.
Tally HO! |
RE: Storing bare root plumies
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| I don't know about spraying a fungicde on roots until I call my nursery and ask for you.. Making the call now...:-) Ok, this is what she said.. Don't do it!! They said there is no need too..In fact the owner there told she stores a few of her plumies "barerooted" too, and this is what she does.
She wraps them up in a thin piece of newspaper with an elastic, then sprays hers whenever the paper dries off.. Great idea..I am going to do this too...She says it keeps the roots "moist" while keeping them from getting overly dried out, and, not to wet..No problems for her yet.. I hope you get an idea from here some how... Sounds like you live in a nice area.. A barn?
Away from the city life.....Sweet..;-). Mike.. |
RE: Storing bare root plumies
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| Mike thanks so much for that info. I know what I'll be doing tomorrow. lol Actually I'm only 13 miles outside of DC but there's a lot of farmland here and I am surrounded by park property. Our farm is about 5 miles away. It's small, just 10 acres. I just wish my yard was bigger. |
RE: Storing bare root plumies
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| Awsome...I am sure you will have fun doing it to..lol Have a great weekend and pray for the winter to hold off a bit longer!! Mike;-) |
RE: Storing bare root plumies
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| Tally, I agree. I don't love anything that much to do all that work. I plant lots of things here on my 1-acre of land on Copano Bay, and what lives, lives, and what doesn't, gets replaced. That way I don't have to waste my time with plants that take too much work. My plumerias stay in the ground and/or pots year round. I don't dig them up, and the ones in pots are in the greenhouse with very little heat. They have been surviving for 13+ years now. |
RE: Storing bare root plumies
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Unfortunately, for those of us that don't have that avantage for our plumies as you do, all the work and effort in growing these beautiful plants is not just work, but a rewarding experience, especially when we can defy our cold North Pole weather and still produce amazing plants!!
Blooms a definate plus!!! Yah..I would love to do the same thing you do if I had weather like you guys. Just leave them alone and let them do their thing with no effort required....lol. But snow starts in October many times here.. The thing about replacing the ones that don't make it through a season or two in ground, is what I do to all my perenials, sbrubs, and trees.....lol.
If it dosn't want to be tough, and survive with little work, once they die, see ya...Survival of the fitest...I am not replacing the third plum tree I have lost through a winter...So I hear you on that one.. Mike.:-) |
RE: Storing bare root plumies
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| Mike I unpotted 15 plumies. I didn't realize how root bound some of my plants were. Some of the severely rootbound plants had developed what look like tubers. Some were the size of a small potato. I've never noticed that when I've transplanted plumies in the past. Was it a response to being so root bound? I couldn't hang them but did make some chicken wire "shelves" so there's good circulation between the plants and they are off the cement floor which does get cold. It certainly freed up a lot of space. I just hope they do well over the winter. If they do I'll store all of them bare root next season. Thanks for the info. Like Mike said not all of us live in climates that are appropriate for growing plumerias. I grow almost all tropical and sub-tropical plants but live in zone 7a so quite a bit of extra work is required but to me it's worth it. I'd love to be in zone 10 but that won't be happening until my kids have finished grade school and my youngest hasn't even started kindergarten yet : ( |
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