WARNING: THE PICTURE BELOW IS NOT FOR THE FAINT HEARTED PLANT ENTHUSIASTS!

They say a picture is worth a 1000 words so:

I bought this Plumeria as a 6 inch stub in a plastic "souvenir" pack when I visited Hawaii in 2008. I was very doubtful about my neighbor's overwintering method when he first told me about it. After struggling through the first winter to keep mine alive (and barely alive - despite my best efforts)in a pot, then seeing how healthy his plant looked, I decided to try his method last winter. Surprisingly it worked great. Here it is today:

Here is a pic of my neighbor's plant:

I bought 4 more Plumerias at Home Depot this year, they are so pretty and low maintenance, this is something I can handle!

Nikki

I hope I don't sound dumb, but what I get out of the pictures is that the leaves are taken off and the "stalk" pulled out of the ground and placed inside for the winter. Is that correct? If so, when do you put it back in the ground and what do you do - just dig a hole?

When the temps were projected to dip below 40, I just gently loosened up the dirt around the dripline (outer edge of the leaves) and pulled it out of the ground (easy to do because it is planted in very sandy, gritty soil), then I put it in the garage. I did not pull the leaves off, I just let them fall off in their own time. The plant sheds them itself when it goes dormant.

Once the temps are unlikely to go below 40 again in the spring (April? May?), I just dug a hole in the same area it had been and planted it again. The original instructions said to plant it in 1/2 sand 1/2 dirt so that is what I try to keep it in, but I think my neighbor just puts his straight into whatever soil his yard came with and it seems fine too.

If you want more educated care instructions, there is a plumeria forum, but I am sold on this method!

The gardening friend who gave me mine has used this method successfully for many years. She has many that are "trees" now.

I have one also, however, the friend who gave it to me said it was a 'Ti' plant. I just discovered this year, from this forum, that it is a plumeria. It has yet to bloom, however & I've had it about 5-7 years. I never take it out of the pot, just stop watering it while it's in the garage, then it starts showing life again in spring, I start watering again. I recently put it in a bit larger pot, super bloomed it, & keep it in the sun....still no blooms. What now?

Thanks a million, granburyflowergirl. This gives me the courage to try a plumeria. I have always thought they are beautiful. I will look at the plumeria forum, thanks for that tip too.

Carrie751, now that some of the plants are "trees" now, does your friend still dig them up for wintering?

Yes, and when they get too large, she makes cuttings of them and shares. I have learned so much about tropicals from her. She gave me my start of brugmansias, lo those many years ago. My Dr. Seuss that she told me to just stick in the ground, now makes four to five trunks when he emerges in the spring, and blooms non stop. He is also one of the most fragrant that I have.

Glad to help Walnut!

They are really easy to grow. I grow mine in pots. Then when winter hits I just put the pot and all in the garage and I dont water it at all till spring. I bring it inside the house a few weeks then take them back outside.

I have 2 that are about 4-5 foot tall

On a side note. Those that go to Canton,Tx (First Mondays) there is a lady who sells them by the main pavillion. She sells them and other exotic plants. I think the name is Exotic Plants. I actually purchased 4 from her. I will say though you can find better knowledge around here than asking them.
Thanks

www.northtexasgardening.com