I received some cuttings not too long ago (over a week ago, maybe?) and they are in 6" pots. I put them in my Dad's window sill where they get plenty of sun. All 4 cuttings appear to be doing well although I'm worried some have been compromised by our power outage. Our temps indoors got down to the 30s and suddenly two (the pinks I really like) aren't looking as good as the others. I'm trying not to worry too much due to Turkey Day being tomorrow.
For cuttings, in winter, how often should I water? Two arrived with roots and I think the other two started getting them after planting because I notice small amounts of growth.
I know you shouldn't fertilize brugs in winter but since these are cuttings, should I feed them? Any recommended fertilizers?
Should I expect to repot them before Spring time and if so, what size pot should I move them up to?
Also my mom warned me that these get tall and the only Brug I've seen in person was about a foot taller than me. (I'm 5'3.) Is there anyway to curb their growth a little and does height vary with cultivar?
The brug cuttings I received are Pink Perfection, Miss Emily McKenzie, Golden Dream(?) and Kong Mansia.
Brug Newbie Questions
Ang... well.. you have a great starter assortment... great flowering strong brugs..
everyone will have slightly different tips for you.. but alot has to do with the conditons there where they live.. heat..light ... humidity..
the 6" pots.. are they clay or plastic.. they wll do better in clay.. drying out faster.... so you can water them again.. they like the cycleing from wet to dry... if then they are watered.... if they have light ..and heat inside.. they will need food to grow strong.. during the winter..
I know it's too late now because the damage has been done, but never place any Brug that close to a window. Even with double and triple paned windows the temperatures will be too cold for them. When the power went out, the Brugs were the first to feel the cold and were exposed to the coldest temperatures in the house.
Don't toss anything nor cut anything just yet. If parts of them froze or were damaged by the cold, you will get some die back, but if they really have rooted, they may be able to recover. It depends on how big the roots got when they were damaged. When you make any cuts to the top of a cutting, there will be a certain amount of die back which is what you don't want right now. I never assume my cuttings have rooted until I get several inches of growth. If the cuttings are large and thick, there could be enough energy stored to send out small shoots without any or much root growth.
Unless the cuttings were very thick, they are over potted already. Cuttings that will comfortable fit into a 4" pot are better off in smaller pots. There is less chance of rotting the cuttings or their new roots in smaller pots. Keep the soil barely moist. Before you water, use a finger to test the moisture 1" - 2" below the surface. If it feels moist or wet, don't water. Water only when the soil down at that level feels almost dry. When you water do so in small amounts.
When the cuttings have truly rooted, the small shoots will continue to grow. Cuttings have to be kept growing though their first winter. They just don't have the stored reserves to come out of dormancy at this stage. If you keep them growing, they must be fertilized. Since there are so many variables, I can't tell you how often to fertilize. Use what they look like or whether they stop growing as a guide. Then use a liquid fertilizer complete with all the needed micro-nutrients, such as Miracle Grow all purpose at recommended amounts. Don't move up to a larger pot until you can see roots coming out the bottom of the drain holes.
Brugs exhibit 2 types of growth — vegetative and flowering. Vegetative growth is shown by seedlings and cuttings that come from below the mother plant's original "Y". Flowering growth doesn't start until that cultivar has completed the entire vegetative cycle. At that point, the tip of the growing shoot will suddenly start to grow out as two shoots instead of 1. That transition marks the beginning of flowering growth and is called a "Y" because it looks like the letter "Y". From that point on, that shoot will start to produce buds. Brugs naturally grow as rangy and a bit scraggly plants. Pinching will only delay the formation of the first "Y" as it forces the vegetative growth to start over again.
Your mother is correct. Brugs can get very large especially if they are planted in the ground. For the first year, the best thing to do is to let them grow and grow. Some cultivar's vegetative cycle grows up to 12' before "Y"ing. Once the Brug has formed that all important "Y", you can cut your brug down to the height you want the "Y" to be and root that cutting. Say you want the Brug to start its "Y" at 5'. Cut that branch 6' below the "Y" to allow for the part that will be buried under the soil. Trim the branches above the "Y' down to 2 to 3 sets of "Y"s on each arm of the branch and remove all but the tiniest leaves. The cutting is now ready to root. Here is a link on how to do this: http://cubits.org/Brugmansia/articles/view/458/
The cuttings don't have to be this short. They will still root.
Here is a link to what a "Y" looks like. The shape of the leaves also change at the point where the edge of the leaf attaches to the stem. The attachment becomes asymmetrical.
http://countrygdn.com/infosheets/yandsub.html
Thanks for replying and thank you for the links. I was going to reply sooner but got a bit distracted with the links you posted lol. To me the brug cuttings look huge but I've never seen Brug cuttings before. I can take a picture with a ruler and post it. I'll shop around for some 4 inch pots with the same height unless I shouldn't repot it.
I checked the cuttings and they seem to be doing alright. The growth on the two I was worried about is still growing. Since I'm new to brugs I won't cut or throw away anything unless I know for a fact that's what needs to be done. The only thing I have done is moved an ironing board into my Dad's room and put the plants on them until I can set up some shelving. This way they aren't in the window but they get the light from it and remain out of reach of sir Joey of Bear (small dog.)
I have a fertilizer by Schultz that says "Original all purpose formula" 10-15-10 plant food plus micro-nutrients. Would this be ok to use? I try to steer clear of Miracle Grow.
This fertilizer will do in the short run, until the cuttings are truly rooted, then go with something like 19-6-12. Phosphorus is good for rooting but a growing Brug does not like it too high.
Oh kenboy those are so cute!! Are those all Brugs?
I will look around for a more appropriate fertilizer. We are going to a nursery after New Years so I'll look there.
The thickness on the Kong (largest) was just over 1/2" and the thickness of the Emily (smallest) was between 1/4 and 1/2". This photo was taken in the AM well after the sun rose up. My Dad will close the blinds before the hottest time of the day.
They appear to be doing well.
The first three are doing quite well with the third, Kong, doing the best. Unfortunately the last one, Miss Emily, isn't doing so well. Either it's growth is small and minimal that I'm not noticing it or it's not growing at all. Of all the cuttings, I wanted Miss Emily to survive the most since I love single pinks. I wanted to hang one of my hummingbird feeders from her branches when she grew up.
I'm trying to stay optimistic and I won't throw away anything.
I know its difficult to see happen. Sometimes the ones you want the most are the ones that won't perform for us, look at the number that appear to have rooted. Good percentage of the total. I may be able to send you a good sized cutting come spring when they usually have a better chance of rooting.
I moved Emily to where Kong was and I noticed this evening she had 1/8" of growth today. I'm hoping alternating them every few days might help.
I've been watching for more brug cuttings being offered on here and in the plant trading forum. I have a few locations
reserved specifically for Brugs. I hope to one day be able to offer cuttings to my mom, that would be a hoot!
One thing no one has discussed so far is whether to ship Brugs in winter. The simple answer is only if you have a "fair weather" shipping window of at least a week along the entire route the Brug cuttings will be taking. If there are temperatures anywhere along the route, wait for the window or wait until spring. Even well wrapped Brugs sitting in an unheated truck will freeze as soon as the inside of the package dips below 32ºF. That doesn't take long.
Oh! I didn't think of temperatures! Thank you for pointing that out. I'm new to this whole plants/cuttings thing lol
Latest picture of Kong, taken the 2nd. The first picture shows Kong in the 2nd to last position. We are quite surprised at how quickly it's grown!!
I found a 20-6-16 ferilizer, will this work?
Yes, that would work. Just make sure it is not for acid loving plants.
Ang, those are looking really good!
They are much bigger. I'll have to post another picture. IF my son is well enough to go to school tomorrow I'll snap a few shots. I'm going to send cuttings of Kong to my mom, hehe.
I'm such a proud newbie brugnut.
awww, they look good. I rotate mine around under the lights . You have a wonderful Day lighted window sill. I wish I did. ;)
Dad wishes it was elsewhere lol. He doesn't like all these plants in his room. I have those plus two pomegranates, two yucca, and something else.
You have a pomegranite? Can you post me a picture in dmail? I am trying to grow some from seeds, and one I did grow went to my sons place. Prolly dead now.. :P
Your Dad might like those Angels when he sees them all a bloom.
These are dwarf pomegranates that I recently received in a trade. I believe she sent them after they went dormant so they don't look so spiffy now lol. Starting to grow new leaves. I can dmail you a photo if I remember to take one.