I'm VERY new at Brugs...
I bought one a few days ago, no idea which one it is. However its about 2 foot tall and in an 8 in pot. I think I read somewhere that when you pot up to put your Brug in a container the size you want it to remain in at full growth.
I have a nice container of which I don't know the gallon size however, it is 18 in across and roughly 14 in deep. I have my potting medium all ready to go in, and I'm afraid my new Brug is screaming for a new home..
Will someone please guide me?
Thanks,
Tracey
New Brugger Question
HI ..Tracey.. welcome to the Brugmansia obsessives forum..
I can't say I've heard thay it should go right into it's final home... although I do try and pot them up before the rooots get too wound around inside a small pot.. they are growth sencitive to a too small container... stunting growth .. but not impeading blooming too much.... just limb thickness and height.... for me..
you won't harm it in a big container.. if you watch the watering... and let it dry some... a smaller container will take care of this for you.. drying out fast.. and requiring more frequent watering.. it's my belief this cycling is a spur to the overall growth and viggor... I'd lace the potting soil with some nice organic manure.. like cow.. rabbit...chicken ..horse manure that's packaged or fermented .. this starts them off growing nicely.. and feeds " N " for a long time.. it will slow flowering down somewhat... but when it does it's on a bigger stronger plant... with more branching ..leaves ..and blooms..
I'm glad to see them sold in nurseries more now... they even had them in the farmers market here... at about $2.00 / ft... and blooming... big 5' tall blooming brugs.. listed as pink..and blooming for $10.00 were there... what a deal... considering the pot and soil it takes for one that size..
Gordon,
Thanks for the info. In it's current home it is honestly requiring water 2 times a day at minimum.. if not watered that often the leaves are drooping. The roots are swirled around and growing out of the pot.. I'm of the understanding that they appreciate alot of water but don't like wet feet.. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Would you suggest I put something in the bottom of the pot to take up space and then at a later date remove it and fill with more soil?
I have some pebbles that I could fill the lower part of the container with.. that would also assist with drainage.
Believe it or not pebbles do not help with drainage. This time of year, you will not need to worry about over watering, not where you live. I would repot it as soon as possible and cut back roots that are twisted up and keep in shade until it springs back. You may want to even plant it in the ground were you live. I keep most in the ground and most come back, unless we have a Winter like last year.
I want one of everything at that Market!!
Ken,
I have a lovely place to put it in the ground but was not sure about doing that.. Was afraid of losing it, but you give me hope. Come to think of it my neighbor has one in the ground on the other side of her house. Question here though... You said to keep in shade until it springs back.. the location I'm considering is part sun.. It gets some morning sun and in the evening it gets dapple sun/shade through a very large maple tree. Do you think that is still too much sun for a healing process?
Never ocurred to me that pebbles would not assist in drainage.. Not being a smart aleck, but can you help me understand why that is? Seems many people have that misconception.
Thanks,
Tracey
Tracey, I think morning sun and dappled shade in the evening would be as good as you can get. If in the ground it will not go dry as fast and will make a quick recovery. There may be Brugs in the future that you would not want to keep in the ground through the Winter, Sam and Naughty Nick both do not like the cold. But just starting out with a NOID, what do you have to loose. This will make it so much easier for you and that will make it more enjoyable. They do much better in the ground during hot spells, which for you may be about four months a year.
Now to the pebbles in the pot theory. I was of the same mind set but my wife Maggi, says no. She has a degree in Horticulture and when she was in school, her professor did a demonstration and because of the laws of physics the water stops in the soil and does not move onto the pebbles. They had clear pots and she said you could see how the water just stopped. There are a few places where I out shine her in the garden, mostly vegetables, but not often. Now that we are growing our own food, she is catching up in that area also. If you have a large whole in the pot, you can lay something over the whole but not a layer of pebbles.
Thank you again Ken.. Looks like I asked the right person about the pebbles. : )