Plumeria

The plumerias had one week of below normal temperatures in December. Lucky, we did not lose too many but one did freeze and I had to cut the dead stump off.

It survived and now the stick has leaves growing out of the nodes on the side of the stick.

I had another stick that was only 6 inches long and no one thought it was going to live.

It is budding out as well. Plumerias are such interesting plants. It's hard not to love the beautiful flowers of assorted colors and sizes.

I used to purchase the plants/sticks from the local nursery but it's better to ask a friend if they have a tree that you can get a cutting from. Keep the stick in a pot with pebbles on top and water it once until leaves develop. I stopped using the rooting hormones. The rooting hormones are dangerous for the environment, especially for our water source. Some of the rare ones are very expensive. Unless you are a collector, don't spend too much money on them. You might ask a neighbor for a cutting as well.

Bye Bye Minnie Royal

There was a cherry tree I got last May. It fared pretty well over the summer of 2014. The Minnie Royal eventually died but I kept taking care of it thinking in due time the tree would bud out. I chose a weak one because I thought I could save it. The cross-pollinator was bought at the nursey up the street on sale. The "Royal Lee" is doing beautifully in my patio near the fruiting mulberry tree. He is lonely because there is no one to pollinate his beautiful white delicate blooms. Anyway. I haven't blogged in a while because I have been so busy with other things. The stephanotis is getting ready to bloom as well.

I bought two to place it in two different climates. The one at school just grew and grew. The one at home grew but it started to send out buds. The school one got attacked by scales and mealy bugs. I brought the school one back home after a severe cut back and I am taking good care of it. It has growth buds now.