In situations of long, hard rains, such as those you’ve experienced in SWFL, there’s a risk that some nutrients may have been leached from the soil in your pots, especially if the pots were thoroughly saturated. Nutrient leaching happens because rainwater can dissolve soluble nutrients and carry them away from the root zone, particularly in well-draining potting mixes designed to prevent waterlogging. Here’s what you can consider for your rooted cuttings and seedlings:

Assessing Potential Nutrient Loss

1. Nutrient Type: Additives such as Vitazyme with Mycorrhizae are formulated to release nutrients over time or improve nutrient uptake efficiency, which may reduce the impact of leaching compared to instantly soluble fertilizers. However, a significant volume of water passing through the pot can still affect their concentration.
2. Observation: Monitor your plants for signs of nutrient deficiency in the coming weeks. Symptoms can vary but often include yellowing leaves (nitrogen deficiency), slow growth, or reduced flowering (phosphorus deficiency).

Addressing Soil Saturation

1. Drainage: Make sure your pots have adequate drainage holes. If the pots are sitting in saucers, empty the saucers to prevent water from soaking back up into the potting mix.
2. Soil Aeration: If the potting mix has become compacted from the rain, gently loosen the top layer of soil to improve aeration and help it dry out more evenly. Be careful not to disturb the roots.
3. Moving Pots: If possible, move the pots to a covered area or somewhere they can dry out more gradually without additional rain adding to the saturation.

Replenishing Nutrients

1. Wait and Watch: Given that you’ve recently applied fertilizer and additives, it’s advisable to wait a bit and observe plant response before adding more nutrients.
2. Supplemental Feeding: If you notice signs of nutrient deficiency, consider a light application of a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer to replace lost nutrients quickly. Choose a product suited for plumeria and closely follow the manufacturer’s dilution recommendations.
3. Reapplication of Additives: For additives like Vitazyme with Mycorrhizae, consider the manufacturer’s guidelines on reapplication frequency. These products often work by improving plant resilience and nutrient uptake rather than directly supplying nutrients, so their effectiveness may not be as diminished by rainfall.

Future Considerations

• Weather Forecast: In the future, if you anticipate heavy rain, you might preemptively move pots to a sheltered location or use pot covers to reduce the amount of water that reaches the soil, especially soon after applying fertilizers or soil amendments.
• Mulching: Applying a layer of mulch on top of the soil can help reduce the impact of heavy rains by slowing down water penetration and reducing the force with which water hits the soil, potentially minimizing nutrient leaching.

Monitoring your plants closely after such weather events will help you make informed decisions about their care, ensuring they continue to grow healthily despite the challenges posed by heavy rains.