Pressiels book says:
To Over winter in a cool dormant state:
To over winter your Brug in a cool dormant state, leave it out to harden off with the lowering temperatures until near the time of a frost. Remove all the leaves that have not been shed and all vegetation companion planted in the pot, then bring it into its wintering home site that remains between 41-50F or 5-10C. [ B.Insignis prefers the upper limits of these ranges]
The area can be poorly lit or even dark but should have good ventilation.
Only water enough to prevent the root ball from totally drying out.
To Over winter in the warmth...
Bring the plant in when the outdoors temps reach daytime temperatures of 50-53F (10-12C) (but do not allow to freeze at night)
Keep the winter home between 53-64F (12-18C) and in good light, water and fertilize at a reduced rate and reduced growth will occur.
It may even flower sparingly.
So.....if I want to keep them growing for the ones that might have seed pods, I need to not let them keep growing outside when it gets cooler than 50 during the day?? Cause there might be a long period of time where it's like 45 or so but no frost. I do want mine to keep growing this winter (might come to regret that statement:)
planning for winter
Ya know what's really scaring me about bringing them if for winter?.... THE BUGS!
me too!!!!!!!!!!1
I was thinking that also, all the creepy crawlers that live in the soil. They will all come out and find new homes inside.
Back in first part of August I had really bad time with bug's, I treated with marathon after cala told me she had used it, it worked. Mine are in pots, but if you pot them up it takes 2 weeks for the plants to draw it up to the foliage. Downfall, it is very expensive so I am told, I managed to find someone using it and buy just a little from them....
I too was wondering about all the bugs that would be coming inside, so either we take cuttings and pot them inside with soil that hasnt been outside, or repot with new soil, and wash off the rootball kind of like we would to ship a plant. or....and this is what I was thinking: bring them into the garage.
there has to be a way to take care of bugs in the soil, there's no way I can afford all new soil for so many.
help????
I guess we're all afraid of the same thing. A friend put pieces of Vapona Pest strips in each of her pots and had no problem. She says don't hang them above the pot, poke them in the soil. I'm off to find where DH stored ours.
Mary P
never heard of those, what are they?
They are little yello sticky pest strips, about an inch wide and 8-10 long. They use these in greenhouses.
and I can get them where?
At a nursery supply place - don't know about HD, but a small nursery ne me sells them.
I have several of my larger brugs sunk in the ground in their pots. I wonder about earth worms and other critters in the soil. That happened with a lot of the brugs I brought in last year because I had mixed a lot of garden soil in with the potting mix. When I tipped one out of the pot in spring the root ball was riddled with earth worm tunnels and there must have been 3 dozen healthy fat worms in the bottom of the pot. I think they may be responsible for a couple of brugs that died over winter. I'm not too keen on re-potting them all with new soil either.
well wait, monika sinks her pots, and brings them in. there has to be an answer.