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drewcarb

How do I store a cutting for Winter?

drewcarb
15 years ago

Can someone give me a heads up on how to store a cutting for the Winter?

Comments (14)

  • john_luvs_frangipani
    15 years ago

    I just sit mine on a shelf in the laundry room.

    Then in early spring put some root tone on the cut end, stick it in a black pot with 50% cactus soil, 50% perlite.
    Stick it out in the sun on the concrete and before you know it you'll see the claws forming into leaves.
    Didn't mean to go beyond storing....Got carried away!
    I'm in zone 10 also...S fl.
    JLF

  • Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
    15 years ago

    I 'store' mine fairly dry with the end in a pot of soil/perlite mix. Quite often they are rooted by Springtime. I think if you store them in very dry, cold place you might lose them. Maybe not. Depends on the size and health of the cutting. Best place is to store them is where there is at least some humidity and above 55-60 degrees I think. That way they won't dessicate as quickly. Hope others chime in.

  • houstonpat
    15 years ago

    Same question. Looking for more ideas from the experts.

  • mcbdz
    15 years ago

    I am no expert but, last year my sister gave me a cutting potted up and I put it in the room with my other plants and maybe once a month watered it a little and put it out in spring and it started growing and has split into 3 new branches with it's first blooms just before bringing it in this fall. I have 3 more cuttings this year I'm planning on doing the same with. Wish everyone luck.
    Pattie

  • damsel07
    15 years ago

    I too need help with info on storing a cutting for winter.
    My plumeria is currently potted and has done great this year outside. Last year I took the planted pot inside when it got cold but this year it is way too big for that. Should I dig it out of the pot, then store the plant possibly in my shed? The leaves are still on the plant but the weather is getting colder here. I'm in zone 9a in Louisiana. Please respond asap. Thanks

  • greekman
    15 years ago

    same question (damsel07)
    John

  • daperrin
    15 years ago

    A cutting just need to be placed in a cool dry location. It will remain viable for many months. Many people stick it in a pot with proper soil mix, no watering, and by spring it will often times have rooted and will be ready to start taking daily watering when the temps come back up.

    Here is a link that might be useful: plumeria care, plumeria cuttings

  • damsel07
    15 years ago

    Not the same question John, the difference being I have a potted plumeria and wanted to know if I can dig it up then store unpotted in covered shed. The plant is absolutely too big to move to shed as is.

    So, my question is can I dig the plumeria up, store in covered shed and hope is remains alive til spring. Any tips on doing this? What are the chances it will make it? The plumeria is at least 5ft potted and I don't want to loose this beautiful plant. Help would be appreciated.
    Thanks

  • greekman
    15 years ago

    Hi damsel07,
    most people in Athens living in apartments (like me) and as you can understand we have space problem to store potted plumerias in the house, so, for many months I was looking for more informations about storing plumerias bare roots for winter time.

    After contacts with many experts and thanks to Paula Furtwangler President of the Plumeria Society of America http://www.plumerialady.net/dyncat.cfm?catid=3186 and to Richard and Linda Samples, www.frangipani-farm.com, I learned the following :

    About seedlings must be more than two years in the pot (or ground) and after developed / integrated their root system I can dig up and store them bare roots for winter.
    I guess the same for rooted cuttings.

    Some friends at North Greece (zone 8), have seedlings (thanks for the donation of seeds by Richlin) in pots and are waiting for the next two years to plant in the ground and of course to dig up at winter storing them bare roots in a garaze.
    Of course in that case the roots must covered with a blanket (to keep them warm) this is I think the most important.

    So healthy plants with strong roots and bare roots protected, remains alive til spring.

    Of course more ideas from experts, would be appreciated.
    John
    from Greece

  • ascott13_stny_rr_com
    13 years ago

    Hey John,
    Thanks for that info and I think I may have read something similiar before. Aonther article I read on the internet was saying that storing cuttings in non tropical areas is diffrent than storing them in areas like zone 8 to the tropicas. I read that there dormancy time was less in those area. My friend Mimi in Hawaii had said that Plumeria are in bloom there constantly so there dormancy time there is considerably shorter than like my plumeria.

    I live in western NY officially zone 6 I believe. I always consider us to live in a micro climate zone 7 for parts of the year because Lake Erie is around 10 mintues away and for the most part it keeps us considerably warmer than the rest of the area. Even at that, my plumeria come indoors around mid to late September, but they will go out for the occasional warm weekend if I can get temps in the 60's for the day and even 50's at night. I know the fifties sound cold but my Dwarf Singapore Pink maintained both of it's two inflos. Both of my I.R. plumeria would also have kept them if I would have given them proper lighting. All my other plumeria are growing under a 600 watt HPS light. I initially let them go dormant for a couple weeks but according to the article, it stated that norther n growers should try to keep first year cuttings going to avoid root rot.
    All of my plumeria are continuing to grow. I only have my Dwarf singapore pink with the inflos but I also got a 'Penang Peach' that I bought a few weeks ago. It came with a new inflo and loaded with buds and actually right now it has bloomed. I had lost around 4 leaves but nothing else has dropped and even the second bud that opened up around the 3rd day I got it is even still there!
    Do you think that if they are first year cuttigns this is a good way to grow them? How long do yours go dormant?
    Andrew

  • ANNAMARIA VECCHIO
    13 years ago

    A couple of weeks ago,I received two Lei Rainbows from Mimi, I don't have any room left in my living room(where I keep my "dormant" plumies).
    -They are 22inch. long and 3-and-1/2inch. in diameter, would they be safe potted both in a #3 black container? Using a raw egg under them would increase the success!!!
    -Last year I kept all the 'manageable' potted plumies in my living room and the bigger ones under my patio(covered with linen and plastic), they flourished very well in spring and summer, even managed to get all of them bloomed!
    -I also have two cuttings started in two separate pots,the Kauka started an inflo a couple of months ago and it's still growing(both cuttings are on a heat mat 24/7 and I mist them every day with distilled water and Vit. B-1)!
    -Bill can you please let me know a.s.a.p?
    Thank you
    Annamaria

  • kiriba
    13 years ago

    Annamaria,

    I know Mimi provides some robust cuttings, but "3-and-1/2inch. in diameter" is mind blowing.

  • Andrew Scott
    13 years ago

    I can attest to Annamaria's experience with Mimi! I too got 2 of her cuttings and mine are monster cuttings! One of them is easily 22 inches if not more and the other is just shy of that.

    Hi Annamaria,
    I wanted to share with you what I have done. I cut the top off of a 1 gal. milk jug. I put about an inch of soil in the bottom(oh I forgot to mention that I also poked wholes in the bottom first.) and added the egg. I then filled about 4 inches of pea gravel into the milk jug. I then took 2 bamboo stakes and pushed them to the bottom and then tied the plumeria cutting to that. It holds up the cutting and the stones keep it from toppling over!

    I also did something similiar with a juice bottle. I have them both under my 600 watt HPS. Soil temps are in the 80's so I am hoping for rooting to happen sooner. Thanks for the tip using B-1 in the spray bottle! I never thought of that!
    Andrew

  • ANNAMARIA VECCHIO
    13 years ago

    Andrew..I'm using your advice on storing my cuttings 'til Spring....do you put your cutting directly on top of the egg
    then a little more soil
    then the cutting....and then the 'gravel'? How far down Do you insert your cutting?
    You did not mention where you store IT!!! Sorry about being such a Pest, I also sent you an email regarding this posting, sorry if I invaded your 'privacy'!!
    Thank you for being patient,
    Annamaria