Rooting a Brug

Help! I asked someone for a cutting of their beautiful Brugmansia back in October------put it in a bucket of water and placed it on my glassed in porch along with a couple of buckets of my own Brugs. that I want to root. My plants have roots on them-----------but, the one I want the most has none! I will say that one of the stems is still green------but no white roots. Is there any chance for this to root? Should I try it in dirt? My porch stays in the 50's. Thanks for any advice.

Shirleyd
Zone 7b

Shirleyd, you didn't mention whether the cutting was a green cutting or a woody cutting? Green cuttings are harder to root and seem to rot rather than root. Have you gently squeezed that part of the cutting that is under water to see if it is still sound? If it is soft or if the bark sloughs off, it is rotten. Cut off that portion that was under water, first. Then look for healthy tissue at the cut end. If it is brown or dry, keep cutting until you get healthy tissue.

If the cutting is that valuable to you, take the trouble to sterilize the potting medium and pot. Use a small plastic cup or a small pot. Once you have potted the cutting, slip the pot into a baggie and provide plenty of light. Keep the soil on the dry side until you see new growth. Good luck with the cutting. By the way, what's the name of the cutting?

I have no idea what the name is-----just a pretty color. I will try your suggestions today

Thanks,
Shirleyd

Shirley---

I have learned over the years (maybe 5) of growing and propagating Brug cuttings that the Water method often results in slimy rot. I suppose that water is not clean, or sterile enough, and most of us tend not to change the water every 3 days as recommended.
The easiest to root are stem cuttings--no matter how thick. You could root the whole trunk--if you wanted to..
Taking your cuttings from above the "Y" will ensure earlier bloom.

Just get a soiless mix--like Seed Starting mix--dip the end of the cutting in rooting hormone and make a hole in the mix to accommodate the whole length of the cutting. Push it all the way down! Put it gently into the hole--trying not to rub off any of the rooting hormone. Firm around it and keep the soil BARELY moist until you see new growth.
Once you see leaves growing--increase watering just a bit--but not too wet....

I used to do the water rooting. Even bought the Bubbler and all that stuff. I will never do that method again.

WHEN you take your cuttings is also important. You did not provide your zone #.
An easy way to remember is that cuttings are best taken when the day and night are about the same length.
Usually--late August or September. If you wait until the time that you are having to bring the Brug inside for dormancy--it may not be the best any more to take cuttings....But I have--and they have worked.

Also--IF you keep your Brugs dormant in a cool basement--or such--please do not cut them back before you bring them outside. Many of thre branches will die back during dormancy--let them be--until it is time to bring them outside.
Repot if needed! Top-dress the soil in your pot id that is what you wan to do! Water and fertilize----
THEN cut them back and watch your Brug "explode" with new growth.

Hope this helps some, Gita

Gitagal----thanks so much for all your advice-----will keep this and try it next year

Shirleyd

I also think 50 is too cold for a cutting to root. As Gina said, water is not the best. I rarely use water from rooting, and only root when the days are longer. I have had good luck using T5 grow lights for 14 hours a day and keeping them at about 60.

Wow, Gitagirl! I am new to brugs and your guidance is fantastic. Just filed it away to use on mine.

Thank you!

Donna

I do NOT know alot about brugs but this has worked for me, alot better than water.

I do something similar to Gitagirl, but I lay my cutting on it's side in a shallow type container and cover the cutting up about 3/4 or more up the side, just leaving a strip exposed to the light. This way I don't get a stump and I can possible get 2 or 3 plants out of 1 cutting.

What happens is on the exposed side, leaves will form and start growing up (producing your new stalk) so on average I will get two stalks growing (depending on the plant and the length of the cutting. Once I determine that there are plenty of roots by each stalk I cut the cutting between the two stalks and pot them.

As far as container I use the clear plastic drip trays we use for plants. I can see the roots and I can also how much water is in there is at all times. So I don't over water it like I use to do.

happ--

I tried that once after I read about it here. It rooted all right, but something happened to the new shoots and they dried up. Maybe I did not have it buried deep enough?

A rhetorical question-----
IF you lay a piece of stem on the soil, and IF that piece of stem was taken from above the "Y"---will it still bloom sooner? Hmmmmmm.......

Gita

That rhetorical question is toooo deep for me...LOL
I will post a pic tomorrow cause I have several in trays right now. I have to admit I have lost brug starts everyway I have tried to start them, I read different suggestions and usually try. Usually I can't figure out why some make it and some don't. I just seem to have better luck with the tray method. Someone suggested that some of the harder ones to start won't work this way, but I still have had better success this way.

Any brug grower will also tell you cuttings root best during thier peak growing season. Cuttings taken fall and winter will often die. I joke that I can put them in water, damp soil, sand what ever and have them struggle. During the summer months when they are triving you can drop a cutting on the ground and find it rooted a few days later.

My favorite meathod is to take cuttings in the summer, put them right into the pot with the mother. I have the best luck with them this way. I know that does not help all of you who get them in the mail. I also like to take a fresh cut on new cuttings and add a little hydrogen peroxide to the water for the first day. I often wash any cuttings that where given to me in hydrogen peroxide as soon as I get them.

Here is a pic of whay mine look like when I am rooting the sticks.
theraglady, I have heard from the bruggers the same thing that growing season is the best. Biggest problem I think we all have is everyone seems to trim them in the fall when we have to drag them in....LOL When I purchase them I always do it in the spring for the reason you said.

Hope this image isn't large, on my DH's and computer ad he has NO editing software on here at all......
Like I said I am not that great with brugs, still learning but this seems to work for me. I have more control over everything.

happ--Your cuttings look great!

As I said above--I have had more luck rooting the thicker stems a bit ways down from the growing tips--not the tips themselves.
Just my experience. Then--I am not the most attentive person to my rooting cuttings. Kind od lax about things....

A brug expert once told me that the best time to take cuttings is when the days and nights are about the same length--so, that might be around the Fall equinox--yes??

But--i am guilty as well taking my cuttings ib=n the fall as bringing in the brugs looms in my mind.

Gita

I always remove the green tips when rooting, that is the first part to root.