Overwintering HOWTO?

It's that time of year for me and I'm starting to think about bringing my brugs in.

I did some searching for some detailed information on exactly how to over-winter a brug, and didn't really get my questions answered. A good thread was here: http://davesgarden.com/t/200263/wintering but it still left me wondering a little bit.

So, here are some direct specific questions about overwintering that maybe other people are also wondering about:

1. I have brugs in the ground, and I want to bring them in. My idea is that I can dig them up, put them in containers and then stick them in my closet, which will receive no light at all and will stay around 50 degrees all winter. Is this okay?

2. How much water do I give these guys all winter? Can I let them dry completely, or should I give them water occasionally? I'm concerned about root-rot here, since they'll be dormant and not using any water. My guess is that I just need to keep it barely moist - true?

3. Rather than pot up brugs, can I just stick the whole rootball into a trashbag or burlap, and lean it against the wall in the closet?

Thanks in advance!

dave

Dave, I'm no expert and I'm hoping Monika or someone with lots of knowledge on this will jump in.I don't think it is good to just put them in a plastic bag as they need drainage holes even though you won't be watering them a lot. I think this would cause root rot.Water them about every three weeks unless the soil is still wet, just enough to keep them alive.They do need some water even though they are dormant. 50 degrees sounds like a good temp.Hope this helps you some.

Hi Dave,
if I only would know how many Grad Celsius 50 degrees are...smile.
I would plant the brugs in "winterpots" with holes. This winterpot you keep around the roots wenn bringing out next spring.
Next spring the roots will grow ( through the holes )into the ground.
This pot you will use every winter for overwintering.
As snow told you, I would give a little water from time to time.
Greetings Ludger

I don't know as total darkness would be a good idea either?? Seems like some light would be needed.

Some light would be good, but much Brugs you can overwinter dark.
Only versicolor and Hybrids with much versicolorblood need a bright and pretty warm place.
As(the) darker and cooler as(the) more dry.
GL

Ludger how big are the pots that you use?

This is easy to explain, young and small Brugs I grow in 3-10 Liter pots and large Brugtrees in 40-90 Liter pots.
GL

last photo is from last spring. It´s a Grimaldy and you can the the Y s.
GL

Do you have holes on the sides of the pots or just on the bottom? I think I'll sink all my pots next year. It makes bringing them in much easier!

Dave, you can put them in pots or plastic bags, it doesnt matter, as long as the root ball is not too moist (wet). They need water occasionally, the main roots should not dry out otherwise you will have a herbarium next year.

If the root ball is soaked with water, dont prune, let the leaves take the water out. When I have to dig mine out after heavy rains, the plants are placed in a sheltered stand and when the root balls are quite dry, then I start cutting back.
Temp. depends on species, versis not under +12°C, others from 5 -10°C.

Most I have holes on sides and bottom, more roots can go "outside"...
Attention!!!: Some holes must be large because Brugroots become very thick in short time.
Having only thin holes the roots can plug up ( to block ) the holes and you will have to much water in the pots.
Not a trafficjam but a waterjam......lol
GL

Ludger, these big side holes must be covered during the winter. Too much air will dry out the roots, light doesnt do any good either and when trying to water, it runs away out of these big side holes.

Mme Blin is packing hers in plastic bags and leans them against the wall in her basment.

Monika,
thank you for help, smile.
I use all ways for overwintering because I have different rooms. Cold and warm, bright and dark.
Right know the Brugs are all over the house because I have to place them in the overwinteringrooms.
The frost came a little to early........................
GL

I have a Frosty Pink, a Jamiacan Yellow and two unknown brugs. They all have big buds but it is suppose to Freeze here on Monday AM. Can these be put in a closet with no light over the winter? I know this was answered above , but I am new and don't know which are hybrids , versicolors, etc. Please bear with me. Also, if I bring the pots inside , in good light, will they go ahead and open the buds?Thanks for all the help. I have enjoyed watching them grow this year, even tho , only the Frosty Pink bloomed so far. Lou

Looks like you have some nice big, fat seed pods there Ludger! :)

Good information, thank you!

I'm going to keep my sanguinea in the bag (it's already bagged) and the others I will pot into various sized containers. Then next year I'll plant the container and all, just as Ludger does.

Thanks again!

dave

Better you put them in a dark frostfree room and keep them pretty dry. Only some water from time to time. Than keeping outside with frost....smile, mean that in the best way.
Keeping inside with good light they should open the flowers.
They need more water going this way.
After flowering send the brugs to sleep....they will flower better next jear.

Poppy, I have much dick and fat pods at my Brugs,lol
GL

Yes, half my house (we have two houses, and I'm referring to the one that I use as my office) is unheated, so in the winter it generally stays about 50 degrees F. I'll keep them somewhat moist, being careful not to overwater, but keeping them dormant until the spring.

Dave
I never have overwintered a sanguinea in a dark room.
I keep sanguinea in a cold and bright room.
Hope it will work.
GL

50*F is 10*C, I don't think anyone answered Ludgers question.

Thank you Calalily !!!

50*F are fine for most Brugs in winter.
Thank you again
Greetings Ludger

Ludger, here is the easiest way to quickly convert Farenheit to Celcius: (*F-32)/(1.8)

Woh, for this I waited and asked for many times.
Thank you very much Calalily.

50*F - 32 = 18 18/1.8 = 10°C

Each F -32 / 1.8 =°C

Did I right,smile?
GL

Ludger, yes you did it right!!

Here's a newbie question...I've got Isabella(thanks tiG) and it hasn't bloomed this season. It was quite small when I got it the end of June. Now it's a healthy plant between 3 and 4 feet tall and has y'd. It's supposed to get cold the next few nights and I'm bringing tender stuff in. I have no room that is completely dark. How do I compensate? My unheated garage will not freeze,can I just put a large box over it? and when do I do this? It's still green and lush.

Melody, I don't keep mine dark. I just stick them in the cool garage, and water when dry. Don't let them go all winter without water though, I killed one that way. My garage doesnt freeze and the ones with buds went ahead and bloomed in there.

I searched Google for ovewintering brugs and this was the second hit (next to one at "that other site", but it was an expired link!). Does the above still hold true, or have y'all discovered any new tips since this thread of 2002?

I have a semi-finished basement and the room I was thinking of putting mine in gets pretty chilly in the winter, probably around 50 degrees, maybe a hair cooler. There is one tiny window. Would my brugs bee okay in there? How much should I cut them back for bringing them in for the winter?

I do NOT cut mine back, unless they are too large to get down to basement, they keep growing some until Jan-Feb, then stop making new leaves and go dormant. When I bring them in they are usually full of blooms, so sight and smell is Heavenly coming from basement. Water small amount, maybe once a month until bringing up in March. Basement is 62 degrees all winter, one small basement light(not).........edited to say basement window!

This message was edited Aug 16, 2004 11:49 AM

I know people, that cut them down in all kinds of heights. If you want them to bloom as early as possibly next year it is best not to cut down below the Y. Brugmansia is funny in that way. If we for an example take a tree that has its Y 2 m above the ground and it is cut down to 1 m. it will have to grow further 1 m. before it form a new Y. Cut to the base it will have to grow 2 m. etc. I am not the best drawer, but let me make an illustration showing a cut below the Y :)

All this growing can take most of the outdoors season and the flowers come very late. On the other hand, if you only cut back in the flower region (above the Y) the time that the plant spend on growing is minimal and the flowers come early in the season and enables you to enjoy them sometimes from as early as in late June.

Tonny: if they live outside and have to come back from the roots, I guess it doesn't make any difference where you cut them, right?

Gretchen, in my experience, they have to start all over going through the growth stage, but say, those that come back from the roots ... aren' t they growing much faster, than those placed in the garden in springtime as they already have a large established root net? I had two coming back (zone 7), but only barely. Those that I set out in pots - depending on the weather and species - spend some time putting out new roots, before really taking off :)

Kim, if you have to cut your brugs back, leave about six leaf nodes above the Y. Anything you cut off, depending on the size is rootable for more plants to use or share. Just be very sure if you cut your brug back to not overwater it. Without leaves to take up the water, the roots will rot.

Should I add hydrogen peroxide to the water I give them? Should I give just enough water to dampen the soil without it running out?

Tonny, you are a good artist, actually. You used shading to show dimension, and that's great!

I guess it is whatever you want to do. I've not used the HP to water with, so can't tell you if there would be any benefits.

Going back to the discussion regarding winter temperatures and overwintering Brugs, are you saying that they should not be kept in an un-heated garage that will definitely go below 50 degrees F? We usually have winter temps. in the 20's, but sometimes they drop down to the teens.

I agree with Tonny about where to cut brugs for overwintering. I live in zone 8b, same as Dave. Last year I cut two brugs down to the ground, covered the roots with a bag of manure (still in the bag) just to have lots of insulation. You could use a bag of anything to keep the roots from freezing. This year the plant came up beautifully. It has been beautiful all summer and is just now beginning to Y. I see a few blooms setting at last. Both the plants I cut off at the ground did this. The other has not bloomed yet either. The parts I cut off, I rooted and planted in pots and placed in the GH for winter and then outside in spring. They have bloomed twice but I have to confess, I rooted some cuttings above the Y and some below and all 5 of the potted plants have bloomed already. This is a Dr. Suess. However, they all got about 5-6 feet tall before they Y'd and bloomed.

Shirley, you can't let them freeze, don't know if they would come back. Anything above freezing, think would be ok if they are dormant in winter. Roots will still be in dirt so will not get that cold. Our garage has no heat and is not insulated, so I am sure they would freeze in there.

I was afraid that they might freeze in an un-heated garage. What a shame.........our cars wouldn't have minded their company! :~)

Good info here! I will not cut them back any more than I have to, then, and I'll keep the nodes above the Y. So far, they're not all that tall, but who knows what another month will bring!

I wonder if our infamous basement vent (see http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/410598/ ) would help me overwinter a brug in our zone 5 winter. It would be fun to take one of these guys and try it. Maybe I could make some sort of cold frame and put it over the vent. That, plus the heat retained from the brick, might just keep one alive. We had an elephant ear survive the winter alongside our house one year.