Another newbie question...

My brug babies are growing in leaps and bounds. Evidently very happy in their present home :)

When they've outgrown the one gallon pots, what's next. I plan on potting them in large nursery containers and then planting the whole container in the ground for the warm season. They'll be easier to water with soaker hoses when I'm not here, and then in the Fall I can easily move them in. I just don't know what size pots they'll be happy in, so I'm all ears and eyes for you guys! Thank you!!! Gretchen

if you are planning on sinking them in the ground, you can do one gallons, I put all my seedlings last year half sunken in one gallon pots and had some that grew to 10'. almost all bloomed.
If you want to do 5 gallon (or even 3) you can drill extra holes and sink the entire pot.

Thank you tiG! I didn't think a five gallon would be large enough, but that's great. And, that's what I'll plan to do. I'm amazed that they can be happy in a one gallon pot to the point that they get that large!!! Thanks so much...Gretchen

I got tickled at the *easily moved*---luggin them things in was a job last fall, lolol

Gretchen, you may not need to move a lot of them inside. I have two that are planted in one gallon cans sunk in the bed. One of them has been there for 3 years and comes back every year and grows to about 8 ft. tall. I realize that not all varieties might come back, but the hardier ones will. Since you only live a few miles from me, you should have the same luck growing them that way. I really think the roots probably get more protection if the brugs are left in the can and then planted that way. Of course, I'm certainly no expert and these 2 brugs are obviously 2 of the old gold varieties.

Thank you for the information Sylvia. I think I'd be afraid to leave them out. We have very strange weather right here at my house. We are in a really low valley on a creek and we get frost here when my neighbors, one mile up the road, don't. Maybe when I have plenty of them, I'll try it. I may anyway with a duplicate. I am utterly amazed that they will survive in a one gallon pot! I'm assuming that the roots will need to be trimmed occasionally? Also, wonder how I can find out what the hardiest varieties are? PS how are your babies doing? Better, I hope! Gretchen

the one-gallons were half sunk in a nicely tilled bed. When i dug them to bring into the gh, i cut the roots that extended outside the pot. They are all doing wonderfully in the gh and will be ready to bloom once spring comes. I didn't put extra holes in the one gallon pots. I didn't trim any roots from spring to fall though, I left them in the ground.

Thanks tiG -- I'm liking these beauties more and more!!!

Good Luck Gretchen!

Thanks Shelly!

I spent some time reading old posts and find that Monika grows her alley trees in 5 gallon pots. I think that's what I'm going to try. I'm afraid they would dry out too quickly in the south Texas heat if they were in anything smaller. Thank you all for your help!!!

http://davesgarden.com/t/362328/

http://davesgarden.com/t/311740/Brugie

I think you made a good choice Gretchen, this will be less watering from what I understand. Im sure there will be many changes in the years to come, you will find what works best for you.

You can't go wrong following Monika! LOL

Thanks Shelly... I kind of figured that, Kell :)

LOL, hard not to seeing all those huge trees in dark pink!

Wish I had a good set up so I could grow them like Monika does and then take them inside for the winter. I just can't deal with the basement steps. Otherwise, I think I could do it.

I love the way Monika does it, but I don't think I'd want to tackle basement steps either, Shirley! What about trying it with the one gallon size like tiG does?

My DH has promised me a real greenhouse for them, to be built this Summer. I'm not holding my breath, but I am starting to do some research. We'll see...Anyway, that's what I'm hoping to be able to do. Keep them in the containers (purchased 5 gallon nursery pots today -- will add holes before tranplantation)sink them in my beds and then bring them in before the first frost. The little portable greenhouse just won't hold them once they're that size.

Gretchen, I'm going to do my seedling, or at least part of them in one or two gallon pots sunk in the garden. I think I can manage getting some of them to the basment. I'd love to be able to get away from having so many cuttings growing around the house.

That sounds like a great idea -- Can't wait until I someday have some seeds to start. I bid on some at e-bay, but don't yet know if I'm going to be successful in obtaining them...

Why don't you get your free seeds from the seed bank at BGI? Go check that out.

They have GREAT seeds Gretchen!

And the Seed Banker is cute...

Ok... take the jammies off John!!! Time to wake up! :o)

Shelly!!!!.......... *blush*
:O

John, did you give the job up?? LOL!!!!

lolol now you have me blushin scoot!!! LOL I meant it was time for him to wake up from his dream

nooo post of pic of the jammies??---we want jammies we want jammies!!!!!

Okay...not sure how to do that, but I'll check it out. Thank you, Shirley!

Gretchen, if you need help, just write me.

Thank you, Shirley! I just corresponded with Pardancanda and gave him my request. Just waiting for his addy so I can get the SASE in the mail :) What would I do without you???

Gretchen, you will find Shirley to be one of the nicest people here and always very helpful. Of course, that goes for all the others as well. You are very fortunate that you stumbled onto this forum, as it is the greatest.

Thanks Sylvia. I try, but some days I can't seem to get all the post read and I get behind.

Sylvia: you are so right! I have never had so much fun gardening! Don't know how I'll keep up with the forums once I'm outside all day, every day, but I hope I can find a way to. You and Shirley and all the other people I've "met" here are awesome!

PS from the seed bank, I've ordered:

Eric's Butterfly cross X Insignis Gold
Goldtraum X Pink Beauty
Pink Beauty X Ecuador Pink

Hope these are good ones :)

All are good crosses, especially PB x EP.

Good luck.

I've got a bunch of brug seeds as well that I need to start. I just haven't figured out a place to start them indoors yet. DH is rather bah humbug about my starting seeds in the house, or bringing cuttings in. When it gets a little warmer maybe he'll start playing golf again, and I can sneak them in and find a place he won't notice. lol

You need to get them started now Sylvia or they might not have time to bloom this year and then you would have to keep cuttings over the winter or mulch and wait for the next year. I'm not patient...I want to see mine bloom this year. LOL!! Also, if they are versicolors, they might not make it outside over the winter.

mini- put your foot down! LOL My dining room has become my greenhouse and my husband can eat dinner at the coffee table or the kitchen table. That way he will be more apt to help you build or finance a greenhouse for them! ;0)My heater broke and now I'm chicken to stick em back out there in the GH. LOL I followed great directions on making a propagation table over at BGI, but I'd always used the top of my refrigerator before that. Think he's see em up there?

I dont put my foot down,LOL, I just put them in the dining room with the rest and he dosnt even notice that something new is there. The kitchen window is pretty packed too but its easiest in the dining room since I dont even have a table in there. Without the plants in the summertime when I put everything outside it looks pretty bare in there. Oh and yeah Ive got stuff on top of the frig too. heehee.
My DH is pretty bah humbug about my plants too but as long as he dosnt trip over them he dosnt complain much.

Plants are good for the indoor environment. They help replenish the oxygen in the air. Everyone should have a plant or two unless they are allergic. I can't imagine my not being able to have my plants inside. I've told my DH that I can get rid of them, but that he will have to give me $1500.00 every spring to buy them back. He says nothing anymore.

ROFLMBO!! Oh I like that idea. LOL