I have a number of seed grown adeniums and have over wintered them under a light in the basement. I continued to water and feed but I wouldn't say that they look great. I was wondering if anyone has a good recipe for over wintering these plants? What temp, water or no water, any help would be great. Thanks Jamey
Adeniums need as much light as you can supply. Unless you have expensive metal halides or sodium vapors, it is difficult to give them what they need. Larger, older plants tend to be more forgiving with regards to this, but young seedlings tend to suffer a bit. Dormancy timing with adeniums tends to vary with species and age. Smaller plants with less energy reserves tend to come out of dormancy later in the Spring. My larger A. multiflorum never had a true dormancy, my larger A. arabicum bloomed through the winter and went dormant in March and is coming out of dormancy as of the second week in May. My young seedlings of every other species all dropped leaves and were dormant from November until the second week in May. My adeniums are placed right up next to my glass patio door with full southern exposure. Even so, it is not enough to make them thrive over the colder months. Most often, the first week in June they will be moved outdoors where they will spend the summer, eventually in full sun. I will use heat mats for my seedlings while indoors. Watering will vary from plant-to-plant based upon the soil mix, size of the plant, dormancy cycle, etc. No recipe, just paying attention, and when in doubt, do not water. When the overnight temperatures are above 55*F/13*C then they can be introduced to the outdoors. Adeniums during their active summer growth period should be treated more like a tropical. They love water, provided the soil drains quickly. When dormant, they will not take in water well, so just give them sips when the soil is dry. In between times, you really have to pay attention because some will be coming in and out of dormancy at different times. Right now, they are seedlings and as such, their behavior may not be able to be predicted. Know thy plant. How I grow my adeniums may be slightly different than someone further north in Canada and certainly different than those south of me. Mark
