Do you remember the brug cuttings you sent me a few months back? well I need to ask you if you think I might have a problem here or not. All the cuttings are about 17 or 18" tall now and they only have about 8-10 leaves on them. It seems like the leaves are falling off of it too easy. I have them in my kitchen window where they get light from my floresant light 24/7. I have tried letting them dry out slightly before I water them again, and that didn't make a difference. I even kept them slightly moist and even that didn't seem to help. They are all still green and healthy looking except for the leaf loss. What am I doing wrong??
I really don't have any other place to put them right now, so moving them is out of the question. Do you think they will be ok??
Also, this might sound like a dumb ? but being as though my brug cuttings are only 17-18" tall...can they be cut into more cuttings? or do I have to wait until next fall after giving them a full season to grow and mature?
I was thinking about that b/c they are getting soo tall, that I have already had to move my shelf down b/c they grew soo tall that they were touching the light, and I thought that maybe I could cut them back and make more small cuttings and that way I wouldn't have to move the shelf again. sounds crazy I know, but I wouldn't know unless I ask.
Let me know what you think k??
tiG, I have a ? for ya...
Molly, I'm gonna hope someone comes in and gives us both an answer. I have a couple that are doing the same thing, but not the same ones I sent you. As for cutting them, I don't know that it would hurt, but again, I'm going to wait with you for an answer from someone who knows for sure.
Liz, Cala, Jeanne, Gloria, Eric???? anyone else?
Here Molly, have some tea and these good crackers.
Molly, it won't hurt to cut them back, but first I would check for mites. Look under the leaves.
Sometimes after plants have gotten a little dry, the leaves will fall. Not always immediately, sometimes up to two weeks later. They will yellow and fall. Brugs also shed naturally, especially in the winter.
I'm losing some leaves and buds now because they got a little cold(42*) and I let them get too dry, plus it's been cloudy.
Don't leave the lights on 24 hours a day. Plants take in sunlight and carbon dioxide during the day to make sugars. They use these at night for growth and give off oxygen. If they are getting light all the time, they can't grow normally. I would leave the lights on 10-14 hours a day, but no longer than that.
I know there are others out there that can help better than me.
I've possibly been leaving my lights on too long. I have checked and rechecked for mites, and haven't found them yet. I'll cut back on the lights.
mmmmm these are good crackers, and the tea has just the right sweetness to it also LOL
I think I am going to go check them for mites here in a second...and I hope I don't find any eaither!
To think I am worried about my leaves falling off and here Cala is telling me she has "buds"!! I haven't gotton that far with mine yet. but I will have my day of budding brugs and I will be soo excited that I will be shouting it from all over the threads! hee hee
Thanks Cala!
no mites here! thank goodness!!! But I think I will cut back on the lights too. as hard as it might be though, I guess I will probably have to just put them out of the light area instead of turning off the light, b/c that light is on allllll the time 24/7 so I will have to just move them out of the kitchen at night. hoping that will work, wish me luck
i think brugs are happiest at night, their leaves reach up for the stars. and of course that is when their blooms open.
This message was edited Sunday, Jan 20th 8:41 AM
Molly, can you do like I do my bird at night, cover them with a black cloth? We use black cloth on poinsettias when we can't get natural darkness for them too. Just string up a wire and hang a cloth over them like a curtain. It will save you moving them all the time.
Molly,can't you put a timer on the lights?
I leave 12 florescent tube grow lights on in the downstairs greenhouse 24/7 and the metal halide on 14-16 hours a day. You've all seen pictures of the brugs in my greenhouse. They grow like weeds, are super healthy. Maybe Molly's brugs need some nutrients.
Cala, do you think I should be turning the lights out. I leave them on all winter. Ummm....
Brugcrazy, they've always told us in the classes I've taken to turn the lights off for at least 4 hours, 8 is better because that's when the plants use the stored energy. But now I'm thinking about how fast things grow in Alaska where it's light all summer, so I don't know!! Your plants sure are beautiful, and I didn't even think about the fertilizer!! I bet they could use some nutrients.