Meet Rothkirch

When I first started growing brugs a year ago this past March,I met some really nice people online. People from BGI and Daves Garden who just happened to be brug growers.
I hit it off right away with one person in particular. Over the past year we've become great friends and have shared many many plants of all sorts with each other.Though we have not met in person we do talk quite often on the phone.
Within 6 months of us meeting,and still then she really didn't know me from Adam's house cat she surprised me with this plant as a gift.
This is the first bloom it has had for me and I was shocked to see it open so quickly. The bud pushed through the calyx a few days ago and even yesterday when I got home from work the flower was out of the calyx but still twisted on the end.About an hour or so later I stepped outside for a moment to look at something and the flower had opened all the way.
Unfortunately I think I may have a major problem going on with this plant. As some of you know I had a problem, viral fungal or what ever it was with my brugs early on this spring. Rothlirch up to this point has been quite healthy. Two or three days ago though I noticed some spots on the main trunk and on the leaf stem(the part between the actual leaf and the plant trunk) today I removed the infected leaves in hopes that whatever it is has not penetrated the main trunk yet.
Well that's enough rambling and here is the pic!! By the way the plant is 48 and one half inches tall from the soil line to the top with the trunk being about 4-5 inches round.

One more shot. I'll get more in a few days or so when more flowers open.

Oh David! Shes beautiful! I sure hope she gets well. I hope things are going well for you!

Gosh David, she is pretty. I hope that what you are seeing on her is just a fluke and not more of the disease showing up again. I wouldn't get in a hurry to toss her anyway. Just keep her away from everything else and see what happens. I do really like her look. Good job on getting her to bloom so nicely.

What a beauty. Hopefully it's not serious.

That is a great brug. I would not toss it. Hope everything turns out ok with it. Sure looks healthy and happy.

It is a beauty! Looks so much better than mine. The leaves are huge!!! Is this in the ground??

Mine got rotten spots over th ewinter. I put rooting compound on them and they dried out and healed over. Have you sprayed it with a fungicide???

Beautiful David. I hope this turns out to be nothing serious. Will keep my fingers crossed. Can't wait to see more photos.

That is really beautiful..... Hope that little problem is not serious.

LL

I really hope the news is good on your brug, it is very pretty! Good luck!!! SherryLike

Sure hope you don't have a problem with this one, because it looks so healthy and is just beautiful. Makes me even more disappointed that I didn't get the one I ordered from NH. I don't think anyone else has it for sale. At least, if they do, I haven't seen it anywhere.

David, get some Subdue Maxx and spray the leaves and also drench the soil.

David she is a beauty!
saying a prayer that ALL stays well for you!!!

It's a beautiful flower, David... :)

Lucky you to have a friend like that. Hoping that it is healthy and stays healthy. You deserve it, buddy. :)

This message was edited May 19, 2004 12:47 AM

David your plant is beautiful. I cannot get over how big it is and with those large dark green leaves. You really know how to grow this one. I love the side view of the flower and can't wait to see the others bloom.

I would do like Susie said. There is a good chance it can be treated. You deserve some pretty brugs this summer.

Hoping the best for you! She's really pretty!

RK looks very healthy David. The flower is beautiful. You should treat her like Susie said. I dont think, that you need to worry.

Kell the plant is in a pot which I think to be around 10 gallons maybe. I had it in a 1 quart pot and taking Tracie's advice bumped it right up to this larger pot and it took off like a rocket.I also keep a shallow tub under the pot to retain water because it's quite hot here now and they dry out overnight.
For the underliners I use the plastic inserts that you can purchase at Home Depot or Lowes,used to line a half whiskey barrel.
I'll take more and possibly more clear pics of the other blooms when they open. Fromthe size of some of the buds it looks like several will be open on the same day.

Susie,i'll try and get some subdue maxx from a friend who owns a local commercial greenhouse and soak the plant. Hopefully it's nothing to worry about cause i'd sure hate to loose this plant after having to get rid of so many already.

It just seems like a bad year for plants everywhere though. A nursery in Fl is having major problems and has stopped shipping and a very well known nursery in California that ships all over the states has been banned from shipping to many states because of possibly spreading a potentially deadly disease.I don't know if I can mention names here or not so I won't until someone lets me know otherwise.
Thanks all for the good luck wishes and nice words about the plant and bloom. I'm almost at the breaking point with this problem i'm having with these plants and the thought has crossed my mind more than once to just eliminate evry single one of them from my yard and start over again next year.

I know how that feels David! I had a huge rare Japanese Maple collection years ago. One by one died over 2 months. I just watched and could do nothing! It was just terrible. It took the joy out of gardening for me for several years! Very traumatic.

You have the brug touch David!

What happened to the J. Maple? Disease? Bugs? I have a nice red one.

David, hang in there. You have put so much work and effort into your brugs (not only physically) I would hate to see you give up. PLUS.. they love you and your place... I have seen some absolutely amazing pictures from you.
Maybe this SB (or whatever it was) showing up was a sign? You know enough about brugs to maybe try experimenting with the stuff. Take cuttings, and try anti-fungal stuff on "A", on "B" try (just for throwing somthing out there) Superthrive, on "C" nothing. I think it would be wonderful if we could nip it. There maybe no "cure" but even treatment is better than it winning.

I got some subdue from work today and have saturated the plant both foliar and through the soil so maybe it will work. ALl I can do now is just wait and see.

Good luck! You have managed to save some of the best brugs. Others can be replaced. At least you will have some blooms this year.