I finally started planting some of the brugs in the ground, but am curious. To those who live in a zone where you are able to let them stay out all winter (even if you have to cut them back) how do you pick which ones you plant and which ones you put in containers so you can take them in for the winter?? Is it a random choice? Do some handle the cold better than others?
Planting brugs.
Earthling: I cut my Chas. Grimaldi back last fall and laid a bag of manure (unopened) on top of the roots to keep them from freezing (although we don't get much freezing weather). It is coming back just fine. Two others I put in the GH and one is o.k. and one got root rot and died. So I think if you can provide enough cover for the roots, your plants could probably overwinter in the ground. I think the plants do much better planted in the ground. But I've only been growing these for a year so someone more experienced can probably give better advice.
I wouldn't try to over winter any of the versicolors. From what I've read, they do not like cold temps and from my own experience of having them in a garage that doesn't freeze, just the cold kills them.
I left a Tequila Sunrise in the ground and it is waking up now. I brought in my Whiskers because it is in a pot and I want it to be a 'tree' with one stalk instead of the multi-trunks that come back up from the ground. Plus it will bloom sooner. ;)
Yea, I also want the sooner blooms, plus I had the pleasure of my Whiskers blooming since Christmas, but its a lot of work dragging them in and finding a place for them to overwinter inside. I have 5 in the ground now, with 4 more to go that are now in 5 gal containers. Plus, I have about 75 in gallon pots scattered hither and yon around the back yard getting used to being out. Lord, what will I do with all these plants?
I need acreage here..LOL
Thanks to those who replied..its hard to get answers here, isnt it..
I agree with Shirley, be careful with the versi's, they deeply resent cold, and the first year with them is always so slow anyway. The easier to obtain ones would go in the ground first. Rosabelle, Butterfly, L'Amour were really affected by the cold when the heater went out in the greenhouse, but Rosamond took it as a challenge! Species is one that I think I would leave in a pot if you have it, because it is so dreadfully slow to get started, if mistreated. Hope that helps!
Kris, some folks have cut the whole stem, stuck a few to a bucket, and overwintered that way, for an "instant" tree. (I was going to, but chickened out, but swear I will try it this year!)
This was a method used by our late Gloria Lessner, and I had tried to get more info about it also.
As I understand it, you have to trim them up pretty good and keep them warmer to get them to root, and watch that they don't get their roots entangeled before re-potting. What I don't know is if you need a greenhouse to do this, if you keep them fertilized, how much water, etc.
I know one thing, it sure sounds less backbreaking than hauling all the pots! Maybe someone else will post about their success/failure ratio on this.
So, Brugie, you just take cuttings from those particular ones and start over?
Violabird, I will have enough by this fall to try that. I kept the ones in buckets in my patio that my DH wrapped with plastic to simulate a greenhouse. In fact, I kept ALL my plants out there this past winter with heaters in case temps dropped below 40. They did great, but we had a very mild winter, too.
TLynne, I just have the more common types, nothing exotic for me, yet. Hard to get anyone willing to give up some of their cuttings..LOL... But I understand that since I am a beginner and just learning. Hopefully one day I will be trusted to not kill off those that others hold in high esteem.
Earthling, I mean that I wouldn't overwinter them outside. I do keep some of my versi's in the garage for the winter and take cuttings just in case it still gets too cold out there for them.
Oh okay, now I get it. Thanks.
Ugh, is it just me or did I miss something. The title of this thread is 'planting brugs' and for the life of me, I do not think I found an answer. So, I'll ask how to plant a 'tree' brug that came from the nursery in a pot? Should I use Osmocote, and if the answer is yes, do I still fee them twice a week, with a double dose every 2 wks??? Yes, I asked most of this on another thread, but I need to plant two brugs today, the first of the season, so, if possible, I'd like a quick answer. I'll be digging the holes while I wait. Thanks!!! SherryLike
BTW, I'm in zone 8b
I just checked my 'tree' brug, that has 4 flowers. I notice at several places that are like the stems that my flowers are on, that it appears that someone has cut off a bloom, very close to the branches, likely with a sharp knife. Might that be what deadheading is??? TIA!!! SherryLike
Sherry,I always look to see how rootbound the plant is in the pot,if it has started to cicle the bottom of the pot,I would try to gently loosen the roots,be sure your hole is loosened enough to give it room to grow,as far as Osmacoat,I have never used it.
As far as the deadheading,it sounds like someone may have been taking cuttings from the plant.
Thanks, Rootdoc!!! Well, now I know how to get it outta the pot, that's a big help.
Rootdoc posted:
>>>Osmacoat,I have never used it.>>>
As for the Osomocote, sp, I figured that would be too easy, so I'll use the Peters, regular strength, right??? The Peters' is 10-50-10 - is that okay???
Root continued:
>>>As far as the deadheading,it sounds like someone may have been taking cuttings from the plant.>>>
That may well be; however, I found this cut place, between two small leaves, in a 'fork' and there are several of them and it appears to be where there had been flowers. So, what do I do to remove spent flowers and when should I remove them. They got pretty roughed up on the trip home, but should last a bit longer, and I think, hope my other plant will be in bloom by that time. This is fun, many thanks!!!
SherryLike
My own climate zone doesnt allow me to leave my Brugs outside during the winter.
If the flowers aren't pollinated, they fall off. They leave a teeny little scar where they were attached. That could be what left the mark between the branches/leaves.
Meant to add this for Earthling: My versicolors never came back in zone 7 when I lived there. Charles Grimaldi, Shirley's Peach, Tequilla Sunrise, Jessie Noel...those all came back. I was too afraid to leave Rosamond out. During the move south, we went thru a whole night of below freezing(26*F) and many of the brugs died back to the pot because of that. The versicolors and Golden Lady were some of the worst affected, while others came thru with minimal damage, even Creamsickle which really surprised me!
This message was edited Apr 4, 2004 11:51 AM
I was thinking the same on the scar Susie,could be an old bloom.
I think Monika said you want a lower middle number on Fert.
Sherry, I wouldn't use the Peters with the high middle number. I believe Monika said that you are better off using something like 15-5-15 or close to that. The higher middle number stuff builds up in the soil and should only be used like once a month. There was more reasoning behind not using it, but since stuff is scattered all through the threads, I wouldn't know where to look for it. Maybe Monika or another member will come along and tell again, why it isn't good to use it. I use a lot of 20-20-20 and get along fine with it.
I agree,after seeing yours Brugie,I put away my 15/30/15 MG and got some 20/20/20,I could not believe a seedling could become a tree in one season.
We have ten foot ceilings in the familyroom and ForeverMorr is about an inch from touching it. I will have to cut her back when she goes outside. In fact, I may do that tomorrow so the new growth can begin.
Save those cuttings, Shirley. LOL
I will Ada. She is a hard one to root in late fall and maybe now she will root easy.
Best of luck on rooting them. Maybe they'll root better in the Springtime.
Crossing fingers for you on that one,great Brug!
Thanks. I got lucky!!
Shirley, I don't know how much luck played into Forever Morr, but it is certainly a beauty! You did GREAT! Please share some pics with us when she blooms!
And now you can root them in a block of rockwool, Brugie. Root got get results doing that!
I just cut her back this morning. I'm hoping to get some of the cutting material to root, but I won't hold my breath.
Thanks Brinda. When she blooms, you know I'll be taking pictures....I'm even going to label them this year. LOL!
This message was edited Apr 5, 2004 10:21 AM
LOVE that one. Good luck with the cuttings. Linda
Oh Shirley! She is just beautiful!
Thanks Liz. Linda, I'm going to do my best. Maybe since things are in the growing mode, the cuttings will root easier. Let's hope.
Love that brug Shirley ... you have a beauty!
WOW, what color! And I just love the long calyx!
Phosphor attaches itself on parts of the soil and is available all the time. Too much if it in the soil causes a deficency of minors.
I'm going to drive you all nutz, sorry. Do you mix the 20-20-20, 1 Tablespoon, per gallon of water?? Zero mixing instructions on the sack, Peters, which cost almost 33 bucks, 25 lbs, but looks like I won't have to buy any more for a while. I'm having problems finding the 15-7-15 locally, so I guess I'll order it from the www. Also, is the 20-20-20 okay for other plants??? Of course it says general purpose, but if there is a better one for blooming plants, I'd like to try it. And, finally, should I feed all my plants twice a week until the bloom, or is this heavy feeding a brugmansias thing????? TIA!! Sherry
Oooops, I forgot, that is a beautiful photo Shirley, just lovely, I am most impressed and I hope the 20-20-20 will do the same for me!!! Can plants like yours be purchased???
Sherry, didn't you get my email? You wrote me asking all of the above questions and I wrote you back with the answers. If you need me to write again, I can copy my email and re-send.
Gosh Shirley, you even give private tutoring! Don't you ever get tired of being so helpful?
I don't mind helping out, but if my mail isn't going through, I need to know. Stranger things have happened.
Happy Tuesday Shirley, et al!!!
Shirley posted: Sherry, didn't you get my email?
Yes, I received it and saved it to follow very closely.
You posted: 1. Ideal numbers are 15-7-15 or near there. Excel is one of the fertilizers that is excellent. Just make sure your fertilizer, no matter what kind, has minors added. They will say and Peters does have minors.
I looked all over Arky, and called any number of places, drove to several and searched the internet: Closest I could find was 20-7-20 and they didn't have it in stock. Finally I read here yesterday that 20-20-20 was okay. Then the calling, driving, etc, started all over again. I found ONE sack at a nursery, the last one I called, and t was from their own supplies, but they let me have it. I thought I had struck Gold, whew, was I a happy girl!!! I also looked every place for Excel and have yet to find it. Oh, and I didn't know what minors were (but after looking at a hundred boxes and sacks), I finally figured out that they must be the other stuff in the mix, but not the 20-20-20 stuff, right? I asked two or three people and they looked at me like I was crazy.
I really would like to get the 17-7-15 and, or the Excel. Do any of you have any idea where I could locate some??? I've called the nurseries in Little Rock, Memphis, Jackson, no luck. I'm going to Greenville MS tomorrow to look further.
So, thank you, sweet girl, I could not have gotten this far without you sharing your knowledge with me, Shirley - I will be forever grateful!!! SLike