Two of our plumeria plants put out seed pods this year.
This was unexpected. Mainly because we had no idea that they did that!
We’ve been growing plumeria for decades now and this has never happened before.
So I researched it and learned that if you want to harvest any seeds you have to let the pod ripen and split open on its own.
The first plant revealed its seeds and we were able to gather a few but it wasn’t much of a harvest. So, I fastened some netting around the second one which allowed us to catch many more. But even then they sat for a while, in the netting, because their owner forget about them.
Knowing nothing about the viability of sun-baked plumeria seeds I followed instructions on how to prepare them for planting.
After an overnight soak between two soggy sheets of paper towel, I poked the winged seeds into some potting soil, placed them in a plastic container (for greenhouse effect) and kept them in a warm lighted place.
And just a week later, look what happened!
Not to be greedy, but I’m hoping for a few more. I’ve read that it can take a month for them to germinate so there’s still a chance.
Whatever happens from here, I’m so glad that I took a chance on these seeds. I’m so gratified that my efforts have been rewarded with these beautiful sprigs of new life. I’m so thankful to be reminded that sometimes it’s worth building up my expectations so that they can be totally and irreversibly exceeded.
It’s worth starting something. Find your seeds. Help them grow.
DAVID BERRY is the author of “A More Daring Life: Finding Voice at the Crossroads of Change” and the founder of RULE13 Learning. He speaks and writes about the complexity of leading in a changing world. Connect with him on Twitter at @berrydavid.
