One of my plumerias doesn't look so good! I've stopped watering since November 1st except 4, which just had a little drink (about a standard cup full of water) about 2 weeks ago
I've been pretty much letting them go dormant as they drop leaves. Once all leaves drop I put them in the sound booth in the studio. Some actually sprouted inflos around November 15th. Those are looking nice but still dropping leaves very slowly. There are also two that are still flourishing without inflos
So, I have them all on TV trays about 3 feet off the floor in the Studio. I bought 4 4ft T12 florescent full spectrum grow lights from home depot. Sorta wanted the two inflos to bloom to hopefully have them branching next year. See pics
I'm seem to also have some bugies now too. I got a couple of small hopper spiders. Then there are these white bugs that look like nats if I had to guess but I don't seem them fly plus the soil is really dry on top. They just walk around. I got the best pic of one that I could, so maybe somebody might know what they are?
But, I have this one that is now starting to turn blackish on the tip moving downward as the stems and leaves starts to droop down. But the leaves are not even brown yet. One leaf turned black on the very top. So I'm not sure what happening. This one has not had any water since November 1st as I was just waiting for it to go dormant. See pics
Congratulations on your inflos - but that one with the black stuff - that looks like black tip rot and should immediately be cut off or it will travel down the stem. Cut - clean your knife - cut again, repeat until you see clean wood. It will heal and sprout new branches in time.
Thank you Hetty,
Ready to do now, but not sure what you mean by clean wood? Is it going to bleed a lot?
Also, is this ok to due with an aphid outbreak?
I really what to save my plumie
After more closely inspecting my plants, I see I have lots of white flies and spider mites!
Ok, that works for me.
I'll snap a pic afterwards and post it to make sure I did it correctly
No longer going to let all the plants go into dormancy.
Cutting everything except inflo plumies
Lucky, I use an insecticidal spray made up of 1 pint 409, 1 pint rubbing alcohol, and 3 quarts water. I would spray both top and bottom sides of your leaves and then after 5 minutes or so, rinse everything off with clear water. You might have to do this again in 2-3 days and possibly a third time a week later to rid your plants of all those pests. I made this spray to use on orchids but when I brought all my (blooming) plumeria inside the solarium, I used it on them. The spray got all over the flowers and buds as well. I don't see any damage to those inflo, but I did mist the flowers/buds well with clear water, to the point of running off.
drdawg (Dr. Kenneth Ramsey)
The reason it's so hard to lose weight when you get up in age is because your body and your fat have become good friends.
Hows this look?
The 1st 1 to 2 inches bled bad. This cut is about 3 inches down from the tip. I wanted to really make sure to get it all out
(Ruby Star Surgery)
That looks perfect. Just let it heal and in time it will make new branches.
Some people like to seal the top with saran wrap or something similar. I haven't found it necessary.
Name: David Laderoute Zone 5B/6 - NW MO (Zone 5b) Ignoring Zones altogether
If you want to try something other than DrDawg's elixer, which I have not tried, but plan to, try Insecticidal Soap or Neem oil. They are both fairly tame. Sounds like you got a bad case of multiple baddies. Aphids, white flies and spider mites - all at the same time. Will likely require multiple applications.
When I have bad outbreaks, I start with the Insecticidal soap. In a week or so, if that hasn't done the magic, I try Neem oil. After a week or so, if that has not succeeded I move to Sevin. I know lots of people do not like to use heavier duty chemicals. I fully understand. I don't either. But over the years, I have lost multiple hundreds of dollars worth of plants to various nasties. I will not let the nasties win If I can prevent it.
I used to use Neem Oil and as far as I can remember, it was effective both as a foliar spray and a drench. I think I quit using it (2-3 decades ago) because I didn't like the odor. I still would use Insecticidal Soap. The only reason I make my own rather than purchasing it is because I am "frugal" and because I know the 409/alcohol/water solution is safe to use on my orchids.
drdawg (Dr. Kenneth Ramsey)
The reason it's so hard to lose weight when you get up in age is because your body and your fat have become good friends.
Name: David Laderoute Zone 5B/6 - NW MO (Zone 5b) Ignoring Zones altogether
Yeppers - it does have some odor. The Neem oil will also leave a somewhat glossy sheen.
FWIW - I have never found either insecticidal soap or Neem oil to harm any plants that I have used them on.
While it may not be obvious, I would never spray them on anything that has fuzzy type leaves. However, I have sprayed the soil surface. I usually go with systemics. You should never in general mist fuzzy leafed plants either.
Ken - I will definitely buy the 409 and give yer recipe a try. If it is not harmful to orchids, it will likely work on anything.
One question though. Have you found it effective against all the bad guys? Even Scale?
With scale, use it like you would straight rubbing alcohol. Dip a cotton ball into the solution and gently rub it onto the scale. That will break up the "shell" of the scale and then the solution will kill the beast. Don't use a toothbrush though. It will scratch the leaf's/stem's surface and possibly invite bacteria to enter the plant.
drdawg (Dr. Kenneth Ramsey)
The reason it's so hard to lose weight when you get up in age is because your body and your fat have become good friends.
Thanks, I actually used 100% cold pressed neem oil "Super Clean Neem' and soap with water and misted the plants that I didn't cut all the leaves off..
This morning I gave them another light mist along with the tips of the other plants that are indormancy.
Whats funny is that when I move the plant to spray it the white flies start flying.Then they land back on the plant after it's misted.
I tell them go eat the neem oil and see if you can reproduce now LOL
Lucky, can you get your plants outside for spraying? Simply spraying both top and bottoms of the leaves with a hose will get rid of a large number of white flies.
drdawg (Dr. Kenneth Ramsey)
The reason it's so hard to lose weight when you get up in age is because your body and your fat have become good friends.