Tropicals & Tender Perennials: Charles Grimaldi VS Dr Seuss, 1 by Gitagal

Gitagal wrote:
Jnette--

Chiming in from Baltimore, Maryland....zone 7a.

YES! I grow brugs every year--but I have to dig them up and cut them back
and store them in my dark, cool shop, where they 'exist" in a somewhat
dormant state.
I plant my Brugs pot-in-pot. That means, I take a 3gal or 5gal black nursery pot
cut about 5--- 1" holes on the lower half of the pot--plant my Brug in it (I always use
Osmacote in the soil--takes care of the feeding)--and then dig the pot into the bed,
leaving about 3" of the black pot sticking up.
When it is time to dig it up in the fall--I dig up the black pot, severing all the
roots that grew through those holes--and cut it back and bring it in.
Remove ALL the leaves--except the tip ones. They will fall off anyway.

In the spring--bring them out--slowly acclimatizing them to light in stages.
Mine usually just go "POOF!" and get green within a couple weeks.
Every 2 or 3 yewars, I give them a serious root-pruning. They really do well
after that.

OK! After reading all you wrote--the only suggestion I would have is to stop
fertilizing them so much--as, it seems, it is contributing to a lot of growth at the
price of no blooms. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.......

I basically ignore mine--other than watering incessantly. I
f I have some MG mixed up--Also watch out for Mites.
I will feed them a bit with some MG if I have it mixed up.
The Osmacote does its job well.

It has been a hard year for growing anything here. too hot--and no rain now for 3 weeks...
We are, actually, in a drought right now.
I have pretty good luck with blooms---not that they ALL bloom equally well.
Dr. Seuss is the KING of my brugs! Hands down! Every year!
I also have a pink NOID and a Maya.

1--This is the 3rd flush of my Dr. Seuss. Spectacular!!!!
2 and 3--This is my pink NOID.
4-- Maya. She is still on the small side....
5--This is how my Brugs spend the winter....They do just fine!!!!

Gita