Growing Plumerias In The UK

July 2010

Isn’t This Sunny Weather Just Wonderful !!!

It really makes such a difference and should be working wonders on your Plumeria

All our varieties just love it, and by using one of our fantastic Water, Soil and Daylight Analysers, it’s just so easy to know that there all benefiting from the best possible growing conditions.

At this time of year when it’s hot, water is very important for a fully active Plumeria, as it is one of the main essential ingredients needed to fuel the growth cycle. We have always found that a watering regime that provides a regular and measured supply is always better that the flood or drought approach. When warm and growing strongly ½ litre 3-4 times per week should be more than sufficient. If in doubt, underwatering is preferable to overwatering, which can cause major problems, but the easiest way is to just use one of our Water Monitors or Water, Soil and Daylight Analysers as these tell you exactly how much moisture is present at root level as well as detailing Soil PH and true Daylight levels

Okay, so you’ve got the water regime in place, so what else can you do to get your Plumerias really thriving ? We’ll look no further than the world renowned “SuperThrive”. Used by ourselves and all the major growers in the US, it’s just perfect for getting your Plumeria into strong leaf, already for supplementing with our amazing Hawaiian Super Bloomer. Just add a few drops everytime you water and you’ll soon see your Plumerias growth increase rapidly. Combine this with a daily misting of our Leafdew Plumeria Mist and your Plumerias leaves and growth tips will remain fully refreshed and ready for action. It really is an excellent supplement, as it’s easy to use and doesn’t interfere with your feeding or watering regime

Now, lots of new fresh leaves are great, but you do need to keep a close eye out for the dreaded Spider Mite. These look like little red dots that move when you blow on them and just love sucking all the goodness out of Plumeria. Left alone, your pride and joy will deteriorate rapidly. But don’t despair, as a quick squirt of our Leafguard Plumeria Insecticide soon sorts them out. Leafguard Plumeria Insecticide is also an excellent cure for the dreaded Black Tip Fungus, which does like the “Whites” and can completely destroy a Plumerias growth tips. So be on the safe side and as the saying goes “A squirt a day keeps the problems away”

Whilst there is no guaranteed recipe for achieving flowers and everyone has their own little “Secret”, one simple way is to just use a High Phosphorous one. Now these are rare in the UK, so we import our Hawaiian Super Bloomer all the way from our sister nursery on Hawaii. But believe me, it’s well worth it, as its NPK of 10-52-10 is unrivalled and ideal for promoting Plumeria blooms and its results and reputation in the USA are legendary

So with the perfect Plumeria time upon us and our Catalogues simply bursting with a superb range of Seedlings, Cuttings, Grow to Order, Ready Grown Plants and all the Supplies you could ever wish for could there really be a better time to expand and develop your collection a little further

Best Regards

Neil Dimery
Plumerias UK

Foe full details of all our activities and the items mentioned above please visit our main website at www.plumeriasuk.com

Growing Plumerias In The UK

June 2010

So Summer Is Finally Here

And about time too, as I think my Plumeria were beginning to wonder which country they were in.

Still, were there now and my Plumeria are happily soaking up all the beautiful sunshine they can get. And for my part, a few drops of SuperThrive, a morning misting of Leafdew Plumeria Mist and a daily water with some Hawaiian Super Bloomer have soon got them all into top gear and well into blooming mode.

Off course being in the UK, a bit of intermittent wet weather is always just round the corner. But, do remember that a bit of rain will do your garden the power of good and will help keep the temperature up, especially at night, which is excellent news for your Plumeria. It’s particularly beneficial as the daily growing cycle of a Plumeria is based around absorbing sun and light in the day, which is then used to achieve growth overnight. And as mentioned above, this can be further enhanced by adding a few drops of SuperThrive to your watering regime and a morning misting of Leafdew Plumeria Mist, which will both help get your Plumeria up and running all the quicker.

Being pro-active and getting maximum sunshine on to your Plumeria really is the name of the game. Just work out where those best spots are at different times of the day and move your Plumeria into them accordingly. A morning and afternoon position is all you really need and don’t forget the evenings, as the suns setting rays can be particularly invigorating for a growing Plumeria. But, whilst all this extra sun will work wonders, do keep a close eye out for any unwelcome visitors. Red Spider Mite are a real curse and just love sucking all the life out of Plumeria leaves, undoing all your good work. So at the first signs, just reach for some of our Leafguard Plumeria Insecticide and Zappp them! I know I do.

No doubt sooner or later the usual talk of "Droughts" and "Hosepipe Bans" will surface. Thankfully my Plumeria like most of yours will be inside and not really a drain on our water resources. Off course Plumeria are not exactly unfamiliar to drought conditions, but you still need to make sure your soil, positioning and watering regime are evenly balanced to avoid stop / start growth. Our Water Monitors and Moisture, Soil PH & Daylight Analysers are the perfect way to achieve this, as they give you an accurate reading of you Plumerias environment, telling you exactly when water, soil balancing or better positioning is required.

Now you’ve probably already got an abundance of leaves on your Plumeria, so now’s the time to adjust its feed to promote blooming. To do this you need a feed with a high phosphate content and our “Hawaiian Super Bloomer” with its unique NPK of 10-52-10 is the ideal choice and the one our Nursery use and recommend. Off course nothing will guarantee blooms, but the extra boost that our Hawaiian Super Bloomer provides is ideal for kick starting the process and putting your Plumeria straight into blooming mode.

So with the return of Wimbledon, it really is the perfect time to make that final choice, get your order placed and allow your new Plumeria to fully benefit from all the sunny days to come. Our Catalogues offer a fantastic selection of Ready Grown or Grow to Order Plumeria to choose from, including our Extra Large Plumeria Plants which make a wonderful feature in any home. Then just add in your Essential Supplies and you have everything you need to give your Plumeria every chance of blooming this summer.

Go on Treat Yourself, Start Summer Early!

Best regards

Neil dimery.
Plumerias UK

For full details of all our activities and all items mentioned above please visit our website at www.plumeriasuk.com

Growing Plumerias In The UK

May 2010

Having just spent a very pleasant week in Sicily, I can tell you that we are not the only ones to have experienced a late Spring.

Clearly most of Europe has had the same problem. Thankfully, I’m pleased to say that this is definitely now changing, with the warmer weather moving northward and hopefully bringing a touch of the Med to the British Isles.

With the rise in current temperatures, coupled with the lighter days and strong spells of sunshine, I've certainly seen a noticeable change in most of our Plumeria, both in and out of the Nursery. It may not seem much warmer, but believe me a few degrees can make all the difference to a Plumeria and they certainly sense it. A daily misting of your Plumerias growth tips and leaf’s with some of our Leafdew Plumeria Mist is a great way to help them “greened up” and refreshed. But despite this optimism, do remember to still keep your Plumeria away from any windows or panes of glass overnight, as temperatures can still drop very low and you don't want all the benefits of a day in the Sun to be ruined by a frosty night.

Now Sunshine is lovely and you should always strive to get your Plumeria into as much of it as you can. But, when doing this inside, via a window or conservatory, it is essential that the sunlight is not allowed to become too intense and burn the leaves or cause your Plumeria to wilt. Whilst it may seem unlikely, it can easily happen. If it does, just remove your Plumeria to a shaded spot and if wilted, water thoroughly with some added SuperThrive and then leave alone to recover naturally. Unfortunately, burnt or scorched leaves are generally beyond repair. So just carefully remove any burnt bits and try not to worry about them, as after all they will soon drop to make way for new ones.

Now as we plunge headlong into the main growing season, the age old question of “Feeds & Fertilisers” raises its head. Opinions do vary on this as to how much, how often and to what extent. I really don’t think there’s any standard answer, it purely depends on your own preference, experiences and how confident you are. From a very simplistic point of view, if you’re not 100% sure about what you’re doing then don’t do it! Okay, your flowers may take little longer and may not be as big or abundant as others, but at least your plant will be safe. Overuse of feeds can be very detrimental and cause all manner of problems. So, if you’re not sure or just want that added peace of mind, do as we do and use our tried and trusted combination of SuperThrive, Leafdew Plumeria Mist and Hawaiian Super Bloomer and you won’t go far wrong.

For the more adventurous of you, the world of feeds & fertilizers does colourfully beckons, with as you may expect incredible promises of bigger, better and longer lasting blooms. In truth if you know what you’re doing it’s pretty straightforward and just a case of using certain types of feeds at certain times of years. SuperThrive is an excellent all year supplement as it promotes root growth, strengthens the core and generates leaf growth, which in turn increases light absorption. Then as Summer approaches, our Hawaiian Super Bloomer with its high, balanced Phosphate levels is the perfect feed to really give your Plumeria a boost and get those flower buds going. Next month I’ll expand on this further, so for now just concentrate on getting your Plumeria fully awake and into strong leaf.

So with Spring and Summer quickly approaching, it really is the perfect time to make that final choice, get your order placed so your new Plumeria can fully benefit from the sunny days to come. Our Catalogues offer a fantastic selection to choose from, including our New Extra Large Plumeria Plants which make a wonderful feature in any home, inside or out and a stunning addition to any collection. Go on treat yourself, start the Summer early !!!

Best regards

Neil Dimery.
Plumerias UK

Please visit our main website at www.plumeriasuk.com

Growing Plumerias In The UK

April 2010

Just When We Thought Spring Was Here, Mother Nature Surprises Us Yet Again!

Cold, Frosty nights and Blustery, Sunny Days! Truly an interesting and challenging combination. Still as they say, "These things are sent to try us" and looking on the bright side, in another 60 days we'll be into June

My Plumeria And I Just Can’t Wait!

Now with stronger daylight does come higher temperatures, meaning you can safely expose your Plumeria to more direct daylight for longer, without the worry of sudden temperature drops. Now I know overcast rainy days do not help, but these are quite often interspersed with spells of sunshine, which you Plumeria will benefit from, especially if you don’t have to worry about it catching a chill. On this note thou, whilst it is definitely warmer, it is still too cold to put Plumeria outside and I would certainly refrain from leaving any Plumeria next to a window pane overnight

These weather variations may only seem subtle, but will make all the difference to your Plumeria. As with the birds and spring flowers these little changes are nature’s way of signaling that winters over and Spring has started. Somehow this message goes straight to the heart of a Plumeria, causing it to slowly awake or go from tickover straight into first gear! A greening tip, a fattening stem, little claws appearing and slowly opening are all signs that your Plumeria is waking up and can be helped and encouraged by gently misting the growth tips with some of our Leafdew Plumeria Mist, whilst down below revitalizing the roots with a nice drop of SuperThrive

With the onset of Spring, your Plumerias thirst will increase as it starts to grow. Now it’s important not to go watering mad, as turning your Plumerias cosy pot into a marshland can have disastrous results! If you’re unsure, then use one of our Water, Soil and Daylight Monitors, as these are the perfect way to ensure your Plumeria gets just the amount of water it needs, whilst also helping you keep an eye on the amount of Quality Daylight and Soil PH that your Plumeria is enjoying. Using a drip tray is an excellent way to administer water, as this allows the Plumeria to drink what and when it requires, whilst also enabling SuperThrive and its first few granules of Hawaiian Super Bloomer to be added, giving your Plumeria that little extra boost

Off course if your Plumeria is still dormant or like many of ours has been packed away for the winter, now’s the time to be bringing it out into the daylight and gently waking it up. The best way to do this is to give it a small SuperThrive enriched drink, mist the growth tips with some Leafdew Plumeria Mist and then place it in a warm position in as much sunlight as you can or under a Spotlamp fitted with one of our Natural Daylight Bulbs. Likewise using one of our Plumeria Warmers to gently revive your Plumerias roots is a great way to raise it from its slumber and will soon have it awake and raring to go

So with the clocks having already gone forward, creating lighter evenings and eventually lighter mornings, it’s an ideal time to visit our Essential Supplies webpage and ensure you have everything you need to get your Plumeria fully up and running. Our full range of Hawaiian and Far Eastern Plumeria are all now available in our Catalogues, So go on, take a quick peek and see if even you can resist the ease of our "Grow to Order" service or temptation of our new “Extra Large” option

Kind regards

Neil Dimery

http://www.plumeriasuk.com/

Growing Plumerias In The UK

March 2010

Now Do I Detect The First Signs Of Spring ?

Yes I know it still feels cold and dreary, but I do believe Spring is starting to appear and the snow is slowly becoming a distant memory. Brighter days, lighter evenings and dare I say Snowdrops and Daffodils !!! We’ll if this is the case, I'll be the first to welcome this with open arms, after my Plumeria that is, which will have no doubt already been sensing these changes

As mentioned above, Plumeria are very sensitive to changes in the seasons and with spring imminent, you should now be taking a long hard look at the tip of your dormant Plumeria for the first signs of it waking. The main thing to look for is a very subtle change in tip colour, from brown to green. But you may also see other clues, such as a stickiness around the tip or the first signs of “little claws” (baby leaves) developing. If you see none of the above, then consider your Plumeria to still be soundly sleeping, give it a drop of warm water and return it to its place of rest for a few more weeks. If it does appear to be stirring, then bring it out of its resting place and get it into as much sunlight as you can. Gently misting the tip with some of our Leafdew Plumeria Mist, which simulates dew, will also help wake it from its slumber. And remember whatever you do always ensure it’s kept warm and out of the cold at all times.

Now whilst I appreciate that some days are still very cold, with these crisp conditions do come some great spells of sunshine. So it’s just a case of getting your Plumeria into position quickly and then back out and into safety when the sun disappears. Yes, it can be a pain, but it is definitely well worth it, as if your Plumeria is awake you will notice a difference. If your Plumeria is dormant, a few hours bathing in direct sunshine will soon start to rouse it from its slumber. Just make sure your Plumeria is kept warm at all times, protected from any draughts and well back from any cold window panes. Glass is a great channeller of the cold and the cause of many a problem. I know I go on about this, but take it from me there is nothing worse than having nursed a Plumeria through the long hard winter, only to see it killed by the cold because it got forgotten

So to summarise, whilst our weather continues to be changeable, do try to make the most of any available sunshine. If your Plumeria is awake, starting to gently mist it’s growth tips and leaves with some of our Leafdew Plumeria Mist, whilst also adding a small amount of our Hawaiian Super Bloomer when you water, is a great way to start building up it’s strength and boosting it with nutrients in preparation for Summer blooming

As Spring approaches, adding small amounts of water dosed with SuperThrive and Hawaiian Super Bloomer to your Plumerias medium is a great way to build up its nutrient content already for the summer. Getting small amounts of SuperThrive and Hawaiian Super Bloomer into the soil at this early stage will ensure it’s fully revitalised and give your Plumeria a really rich feast. But don’t over do it, as no one likes waking up in a swamp and too much water at this stage will cause your Plumerias roots to rot. If in doubt, just use one of our Water, Soil and Daylight Analysers to safely work out when its roots are wet or dry, allowing you to react accordingly.

So with the first signs of Spring tantalisingly close and the prospect of warm sunny days becoming more and more vivid, what better time to start planning your own 2010 Plumeria program. And there’s no easier way than to make use of our Plumeria Grow To Order Service. Just choose the Plumeria variety you like and we’ll grow it for you over the next few months in the safety of our Climate Controlled Nursery. When it’s ready we’ll let you know and post it out, already for the Spring and Summer. No fuss, no worries, just a great way to beat the cold and guarantee having a Plumeria all set up and ready for Summer blooming

Kind Regards

Neil Dimery

www.plumeriasuk.com