Category: Growing desert roses Adenium plants

It’s a great time of the year for a plant health check up.   Now’s the time during plant dormant to clear up weeds in the soil, check roots, growth space and do a general assessment of your plants.

First, Happy holidays to all and we wish you the best for the New year.  Thank you for your support, questions and business.

Plant Health Check

Many plants are in full dormancy by this time of the year.  Even plants that do not drop their leaves go into a slow growth phase (not all during winter) and need a plant health check.   During dormancy, slow/no growth periods, reduce watering to once a month.  Check root space and if the plant is getting to large for the pot then its time to re-pot in (roots fill up more than 70% of pot).

Please note for very slow growing plants  you may not need to up size the plants pot. However, you still need to check the soil and roots.

Roots need some space to breath and to grow. They grow to search out new nutrients and increase watering intake. Plant health check includes determining next growing season needs. you need to  prepare the plant now  for the new season growth.   If you wait until the season starts blooms, fruits, berries and overall plant growth will suffer.

This is great time to re-pot adeniums, most tropical and other succulents. Old soil gets depleted of nutrients and ability to retain moisture.  Have you taken a plant out of a pot and just get a big root ball with very little soil?  Why- because the plants takes all the nutrients and whats left is very little if any soil.  Soil is a general term which includes soil-less mixes too.

When you replace the soil, consider mixing in a time released fertilizer.  The fertilizer releases nutrients over several months to replenish the soil. Also, it decreases the recovery time of the plant.  Mix the time release fertilizer in the fresh soil . If you top water the plant them place the fertilizer on top of the soil.

AdeniumRose Company LLC uses the soil and the same time release products offer on their website www.adeniumrose.com    We are testing other products and plan to offer a 8 -9  month time released fertilizer in 2021 for tropical and other plants.   If you overhead water (water from the top of the soil) or if the plant gets a lot of rain then the time release fertilizer is a great product.

Adenium desert rose problem question:   Hi, Please tell me if it’s normal for my Sabi Star or Desert Rose to change from from being tall and thin to suddenly start leaning way over curling up? I’ve had the adenium 1 year. No flowers yet. It’s very tall and has another shoot at the lower part of the main stem with leaves on it too. All the leaves appear to be healthy. Please tell me what i need to do to promote flower growth. I fertilize and water according to the directions I was given at the time I got it which is the same as your site. Thank you!

Desert Rose problem

Answer:  Adenium plant should not lean over unless it has a heavy flower causing the branch to bend. The desert rose problem could indicate a lack of water which gives the branches strength to support itself.  Or possible root problems.

Fertilizing a Desert Rose problem plant does not always solve problems.  When was the last time you re-potted the plant?  Have you check the adenium plants root system for rot?  How old is the plant?  I’m assuming “Sabi Star” was the name given when you purchased the plant. Was it a seedling?

The image to the right shows a large seedling about 1 year old.  Its starting to produce lower branches which will increase the size of the caudex.  The desert rose problem on this one is that it needs cropping. Cropping the top will force more growth at the base of the adenium plant.  Plus the lower branches will grow faster.

I would the main branch 1/2 down. Once the desert rose plant is cropped keep it out of the sun for 7 days to let the cut heal. You do not need to put anything on the cut.

AdeniumRose Company crops plants all the time. The plants are left in a shade area with indirect sunlight for 2 to 3 weeks or until we see new branches form.

Adenium seedling growing question. I have several adenium seedlings recently received. I did exactly like the directions said and I now have 4 seedlings that seem soft.  What do I do?  I removed the adenium seedlings from their pots today thinking they needed to dry out but I’m at a loss.

Adenium Seedlings Soft answer

It sounds like the seedlings plants need to hydrate.  As long as desert rose seedlings are not discolored or mushy/oozing then it’s most likely a hydrating problem.  If you are using the correct soil you can increase the watering.  Be careful not to over water desert plants. The soil must be airy and quick draining. Sometimes it may take a plant a week or more to hydrate properly.

Are you keeping the adenium seedlings in a warm area between 75 to 85 degrees?  Does your pot have holes so the water drains out? Does the plant get at least 8 hours of strong sunlight a day?  If yes to the answers, then you do not need to wait for the soil to dry out. The soil can remain a bit moist for the first month or so.

Not all Sunlight is the Same for Adenium Seedlings

Direct sunlight is not light through a window facing south. Glass filters out the sun rays strength.  It may seem bright but some of the wavelengths are filtered out too.  It’s better to give the adenium seedlings plant 65 to 80% direct sunlight than through a window.

AdeniumRose Company LLC grows its adenium seedlings (once 1/2″ thick or thicker) in 70% sunlight under a shade house. What’s a shade house?  It’s an outdoor open growing area that has a fabric cover on top only.  The fabric filters out a percentage of the sun strength but lets everything else in (rains, dust, bugs, etc.). The purpose is to protect the plants from too much sun strength in SE Florida.  Our growing zone is 11 which is harsh on young and old plants. We are 100% tropical with bunches of rain every day plus sweltering heat and humidity.  Needless to say is harsh on most plants not native to the area.