Growing Plumeria and Frangipani in the UK – May 2008

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Month by Month advice and tips on how to grow and care for these beautiful plants in the UK

Having just spent a very pleasant week in Southern Italy, I’m relieved to tell you that we are not the only ones to have experienced a late Spring. Clearly most of Europe has had the same problem, But I am 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 great 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 and Plumeria certainly sense it. Just remember to keep your Plumeria away from any windows or glass panes 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 to intense and burn the leaves or cause your Plumeria to wilt. Whilst perhaps unlikely at this time, should it happen just remove your Plumeria to a shaded spot and if wilted water thoroughly with a few drops of SuperThrive and then leave alone to recover naturally. Unfortunately, burnt or scorched leaves are a little more tricky and generally beyond salvage. Just remove any burnt bits and forget about them, after all they will soon drop of anyway to make way for new ones.

Now as we plunge headlong into the main growing season, that age-old question of “Feeds & Fertilizers” 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 and how confident you are. From a very practical point of view if your not sure what your doing then don’t do it. Okay, your flowers may not be as big or abundant as others, but at least your plant will be safe. Overuse of feeds can be very detrimental indeed and cause all many of anomalies. In the wild a Plumeria really just receives water and sunlight, so by ensuring your Plumeria gets as much of these commodities as it needs, your won’t go far wrong.

For the more adventurous of you, the world of feeds & fertilisers colourfully beckons, with as you may expect, unlimited promises of bigger, better and longer lasting blooms. In truth if you know what your doing it’s pretty straightforward and just a case of using certain types of feeds at certain times of years. SuperThrive is excellent in the Spring as it promotes leaf growth, which in turn increases light absorption. Then as Summer approaches, our Hawaiian Super Bloomer 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, but at this stage just concentrate on getting your Plumeria nicely into leaf.

So with Spring and Summer quickly approaching, it really is the perfect time to make that final choice, get your order placed and allow your chosen Plumeria to fully benefit from those sunny days to come. Our Catalogues offer a fantastic selection to choose from, including our new range of Adeniums, any of which would be a wonderful feature within your home and a stunning addition to any exotic collection. Go on treat yourself, start the Summer early !!!

For further details of all our activities and available Plumeria, please visit our main website at www.plumeriasuk.com.

Growing Plumeria and Frangipani in the UK – May 2008

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