I won't have that problem, Tarev. I have the two greenhouses and a soon to be built 32'x18' sunroom. The sunroom will be 100% climate-controlled. These babies will have all the TLC they require during the fall and winter months. Shoot, I have fluorescent fixtures in the greenhouses that produce as much light as the midday sun. I actually have to keep my sun-loving orchids two feet away from these fixtures.

Well, from what I have seen with them, these plants knows it is time to sleep or slow down growth during our winters. So just monitor them, as climate controlled your set-up will be, they have different growth pattern than that of orchids and other tropicals.

When I say climate-controlled, I mean the sunroom will have electric heat in the cold months and have AC in the hot months. It will be comfortable for humans.

Does not matter I think, they want to sleep in winter. They just know they have to. Sure comfortable for humans..but not for Adeniums. I think it is the combination of light and temperature, but who knows, I don't have a greenhouse, I just haul them indoors. Something I realize now, why do I want them to be awake in winter when it naturally wants to sleep, to preserve itself.They will just come back later on in late Spring anyways, just have to keep them safely warm without getting too dried out especially when they are still babies.

My mature obesums don't sleep in winter. They do slow down as they are kept outside and winter temps regularly dip down into the 50's °F at night. However, they continue to put out new leaves and even bloom.

I do not let them get dry. If the top inch or two of soil is drying out, I water.

Of course, Tarev, you have a much different climate there than we do here, so YMMV.

But since my Adeniums continue to grow and bloom during winter, I expect if they were kept warm 24/7 they would grow faster. My opinion, of course. I don't have a heated greenhouse or climate-controlled space where I can grow Adeniums during winter, so this is all conjecture on my part. Relative humidity may also play an important role in dormancy/semi-dormancy in winter.

Ken, you'll have to keep us apprised of your Adenium's progress through winter. Take photos to document! It will be really interesting to see how your Adeniums progress climate-controlled during winter.

Oh, I see another "experiment" coming. Half the adenium in my "Everything Else" greenhouse (super-bright, T5HO lighting) and half in my sunroom with natural, fall and winter light.

Oh not a problem Ron, I have long understood those differences in growing conditions. It is good to discuss about it, since there are tidbits we can get or avoid and apply if possible.

Now back to Djavid, who originally started this thread, as you can see we have varied growing conditions and challenges, but on the general aspect of it, it seems most of us agree to keep the young ones just moist but not soggy, and still allowed to dry out. Take photos as well as it goes and update this thread later on. I find it really educational how Adeniums thrive in different countries and weather conditons.

Love it!



I think that needs to happen, Ken!

Yes, Tarev, I guess the thread got a bit sidetracked, which often happens as more people join in the conversation!

Djavid, consistent moisture available to seedlings/young plants is important. Wet will rot the roots. The soil needs to retain moisture when watered, but needs to drain well so the roots are not wet. Wet soil will cause the fine feeder roots to rot. Keeping the soil on the dry side of "moist" will also prevent the "mildew" growth you are experiencing.

Also, I agree, definitely do not root prune. Not while small. You are only damaging your seedling and inviting rot. The long root is more an anchor than a feeder, but fine feeder roots will develop off the side of that root and are definitely important during early development.

You said you rarely see sun, so give your Adeniums as much light as possible. Adeniums come from arid tropical areas with little/no protection from full day-long exposure to intense tropical sun. Luckily they don't REQUIRE that much light to live and do well, but they definitely need bright light. Bright light will be especially important for good blooming when your plants are larger.

I also agree with the advice to not pinch, not while the plants are small. Pinching typically just involves removing the apical growing point. On typical garden plants with tender, watery new growth, grabbing the smallest leaves at the growing tip between the thumb and forefinger ("pinching") and pulling will break the tender stem just below those tiny leaves. This will encourage the dormant side buds to start developing. On sturdier plants, the growing tip is snipped out using the fingernail, scissors, or a sharp blade. It does not involve pinching to simply wound (crush) the tip. A clean cut can heal quickly, but crushed tissue invites invasion by disease.

Good luck with your Adeniums and welcome to ATP!

Ken, I wanted to add a couple comments. A couple of times you mentioned using clay pots for your young Adeniums. I would advise plastic instead. Porous clay wicks the moisture out of the soil, which is great for orchids, but not so great for young Adeniums.

I lost a number of seedlings from two different batches this past winter, even though in plastic pots, because the soil dried too quickly. Other seedlings I had in the same type plastic pots thrived because the soil retained moisture better.

I currently have three one-foot tall Adeniums in 8" clay pots that need to be repotted into plastic pots. They were not thriving and were practically dormant, even though the weather was warm and they were regularly watered. I realized the soil was drying too quickly. I set the pots into a second 8" pot as a barrier to moisture loss until I could repot. Within a couple weeks the plants were all developing new leaves and buds.

They are still doing well, so I have procrastinated the repotting, but I am in the process of repotting many of my seed-grown plants, so intend to address these larger plants while in the swing of repotting.

Just my thoughts. I have read where others have stated to NEVER use plastic pots, nor glazed ceramic or clay pots, and if you MUST use plastic add dozens of additional holes. But my experience says otherwise. Standard, unmodified plastic pots work well for me.

By the way, here is one of my 9-month old seedlings in a 6" square platic pot, just repotted. Plant has never seen other than a plastic pot.

Thanks for the advice. I never even considered using plastic. All my jade and "pony-tail palms" (Beaucarnea recurvate) are in clay pots and I just assumed that these cactus-like plants needed clay. I have plenty of plastic, about every kind in the world in fact since I propagate so many tropical plants, so moving these Adeniums to plastic is no problem.

That is a huge 9 month old seedling, Ron.

rattlebox said:
I lost a number of seedlings from two different batches this past winter, even though in plastic pots, because the soil dried too quickly. Other seedlings I had in the same type plastic pots thrived because the soil retained moisture better.

By the way, here is one of my 9-month old seedlings in a 6" square plastic pot, just repotted. Plant has never seen other than a plastic pot.

Ron, clay pots don't work for me either in my wet tropical climate because of the wicking during nice dry warm days.
BTW, your 9-month-old looks like it will give you a bouquet of flowers from the multiple branches on the caudex. Cool! Please do post pictures when it blooms.

-Kadie

Thank you everyone for great tips and advice I love this forum, you are all so helpful and enthusiastic
So I haven't watered since I started this thread, and now finally the top half of the pots are dry. I'm thinking maybe I will water (from the bottom) tonight or tomorrow. Also I scraped off the fungus.
The ones I root pruned are still growing so luckily I don't think it's done too much damage.
Again thank you all and I will post new pictures (and probably new questions) in about a month =)