It
is very disheartening to check on newly planted plumeria cuttings and
plumeria plants just to discover that they have been knocked out of
their pots either by nature.... strong winds, animals.... pets, or even by accident.... the gardener himself or herself knocking it over .
The
initial roots of plumeria cuttings tend to be very brittle and the
slightest movement or shift of the cutting from its planted position may
break the newly developed roots. The roots get stronger as they mature
over time.
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| Plumeria Cutting with Developing Roots |
Newly planted plumeria cuttings have no means of staying steady and balanced when planted either in the ground or in pots.
It
is therefore very important to stake plumeria cuttings at planting
time. This is usually done by inserting a plant stake right next to the
cutting itself and tying the cutting to the stake with tie-ups which are
readily available for purchase at hardware stores and garden centers.
It's
best to tie the plumeria cutting at strategic places along the
cutting.... (1) just above soil level .... (2) just below the tip,
and...(3) in the middle of the cutting to the stake making sure the
cutting is firmly anchored in the pot or in the ground.
Some
plumeria cutting may dehydrate during the rooting process depending on
the rooting method that is used. If dehydration occurs, causing the
cutting to shrink in size and the tie-ups to loosen, then one needs to
re-adjust the tie-ups or apply new ones to re-establish
secure and proper placement.
But what can be done if the cutting is tall and has multiple branches?
In
this case, it is best to start staking the plumeria cutting at the main
stem and tie it to the plant stake as described above.
Depending
on the number of branches and their individual height above the soil
level.... staking each branch with a proper length plant stake and tying
them just below the tip of each branch to the stake secures the cutting
in the pot or in the ground.
The
following two pictures show one cutting of Plumeria 'Teresa Wilder' I
recently planted. The main stem is tied to a stake and each of the two
top branches is secured tightly to an individual plant stake as well.
This cutting is unable to move even if I tilt the pot at an angle of 45
degrees.
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| Cutting of Plumeria 'Teresa Wilder' |
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| Cutting of Plumeria 'Teresa Wilder' |
The same principle of staking applies when planting rooted plumeria plants.
I recommend inserting the plant stake(s) before covering the roots with the planting medium.
By gently inserting the stake(s) between the roots one avoids injuring
the roots which might occur when the plant stake(s) is inserted after
the roots have been covered with the potting medium.
By
following staking practices for plumeria cuttings and plants gardeners
avoid unnecessary delays in enjoying their beautiful scented plumeria
flowers.
