Did I do the right thing? After planting them I was told that another member who also purchased the plants was told to use a smaller container. Will they be OK? What do I need to watch out for? Over-watering? Also, should I wait for them to show roots out the bottom before increasing the container size to a larger one?
They will be fine. When you have to water frequently in one day, it will be time to move them up to their final home. I put a lot the same size as yours, directly in my garden almost a month ago. They are doing fine.
Gosh, Margie, that looks like the size pot I used. I will measure tomorrow and let you know. I've had trouble with root rot and, or mildew this year, but not with brugs.
Shirley, you mentioned that when you water three times in one day that it's time to move up in pot size. Oooops, I've been watering three times a day for a while, until rain today, the plants are in the ground, rather than pots. I have one in a big pot, but not nearly 25 gallons, which I cannot imagine using - 25 gals is the size of my cousin's VW, and almost as big as the state of Delaware, whew!!
I will do what I have to do...
I know theres a huge difference in the zones, and rain and such, but I have a few in the ground, and water them about every 3 days. I dont get much rain, actually last year we were on manditory water restrictions due to the drought. I have some now in a 1 gallon pot, but the temp maybe averages about 75 degrees, so watering once a day, to every other day is fine. I know when the "heat" comes in Im sure to be watering twice a day, after the brugs are moved to a 7 gallon pot.
Margie, just make sure you do not over water. I believe in pushing the size up esp in spring.
And I refuse to water more than once a day whether they need it or not. I do have a tiny life outside of brugs!
I do need to watch that I don't over-water. That is one of my biggest problems!
I look at my plants, and say..."they are moist I will not water today"...next thing I know, I have the hose in my hand and say..."a little water won't hurt, it might even help!"
HELP...all of this happens daily in within 2 seconds!
Any hints for me to know when my brugs need water or not?!
Margie, I'm going through a very similar situation. So, I've talked with any number who live in my zone, 8a. I'm told by two professionals that they leave them in full sun and feed every week or so, and one said, when I pushed, that the plants bloomed 'all' summer, starting in late September. Another said similar except that the plants were in shade and bloomed twice, neither person has had blooms this year. The third person, also a pro, is the one that seems to know our zone and these plants the best and waters three times a day, with a watering system because of having such a large number of brugs. I've also talked to zone 8a people from DG and others and all say they water and feed lots, at least once, often two times and when it's really hot/dry, three times a day. I've attached a photo of a row of young brugs that receive late morning sun. It rained last night and early this am and I did not water today (yet), but look at how sad they look. The larger of the bunch is my 'older' rescue brug, whitie, and while it is very dark green, it has been slow to set buds, finally, since I bumped up water/feed, there are some tiny buds. Of course some of the other plants have not Y-ed and do not have buds, but most of the ones with Ys do have buds. I don't want root rot, of course, but i don't want a bunch of big leafed, green brugs with no buds. So, what do you think, wouldn't you water my row of brugs???
Sherry, we often want to water when they look droopy when generally they are still damp. Stick your finger into the soil. If you feel moisture, don't water. It could be that they are reacting to the recent rain and the temps/sun. I don't panic when mine droop. Generally when they get some shade they will perk back up. You can do too much damage by over watering, so test the soil. If unsure, there is a water meter out there that you can buy for about ten bucks. No battery needed. You just stick the probe into the soil and it will tell you how much moisture is in the soil.
I was ready to go buy a water meter and I still plan to, but I've been out checking the plants and those little 'bruggers' have been pulling my leg and I'm surely glad I didn't water them uselessly because they have plenty of moisture. Thank you so much Shirley for walking me through this, sometimes I need my lead jerked because I've always tended to over water. Well, just so you will know I can grow something, I'm attaching a photo of my Natchez White Crepe Myrtles, or some of them, I have about 35 or 40+ and they are VERY large, very healthy and bloom over and over all summer. They are fast growing and I have NEVER had a aphid, bugs, mildew, or any problem with a single tree, and they let me groom them any way I like and any time, without missing a bloom and they have beautiful bark and multiple trunks. I use Epsom Salt on them and little else. I have other colors too, but they are a PITA and have aphids out the kazoo and mildew, and they are very slow growing and have a short flowering season, at least compared to the Natchez...
This message was edited May 29, 2004 4:43 PM
As we all know, I'm a newbie. All but a few of mine are planted in the ground, in wonderfully amended soil with soaker hoses and 4-6" of native, shredded mulch. It is hot, dry and terribly windy here, and last week I noticed that the soil was drying out each day (although the brugs were not wilting or showing any signs of stress, beyond bugs), but I did bump up the watering schedule. They get two hours of soaker hoses each night, and they seem to be thriving. No additional water beyond that at this point. If I find that's not enough, I'll bump up the time a bit.
Well, there you go Gretchen!! I'm 8a and I assume your area is hot/dry, more so than mine, and, it appears (I think) that you water more than I do, which I would think would be necessary. What kind of sun do yours get, Gretchen???
Hi Sherry: Most are in full sun. Some are in morning sun only, but they are all on the same watering schedule and they all seem to be doing very well. Its all trial and error here LOL!
I got ya, kiddo, trial and error here too!! I'm really interested in your night watering. I've alway thought plants shouldn't be put to bed with wet feet. Apparently that's an old wives' tale, huh???? Also, I really don't think my sissies could handle full sun, despite have been born and raised in it. I think maybe I spoil them...
Well Sherry, the way I look at it, night watering is okay if you're not wetting the foliage. Even then...it rains at night, doesn't it...since I'm watering under my mulch, I just think it has a better chance of drenching the soil before the sun and wind get their shot at evaporating it. When its this hot, dry and windy, as long as you have good air flow around your plants, you generally won't have those types of problems. Besides, it takes me a full 8 hours to water all the beds as I have each bed on its own system and want each to have the benefit of full water pressure. If I only did it during the day, I would still lose some to evaporation. My thoughts, and only mine... :) Gretchen
Yes, I do agree Gretchen, and I'm delighted to hear you say that!!! Believe me, I fight the battle with my aunt, who says I should NOT water at night, and i give her the, well, it rains at night speech. I too have my beds well mulched and i do not wet the foliage. And, besides all that, if it works for you/me, what's the problem. My aunt believes watering at night will cause more bugs. My reply - how in the world could we possibly have more bugs, and who would notice anyway, we have bugs out the kazoo, to say the least, whew!!!! Where do you live and how many beds/brugs do you have?? I only have about 20+ and I'm fighting myself not to get more until I have these going nicely and I just received my last five on Thursday. Thanks for your reply, I really like your approach!!!
Honestly I only have three unconnected beds, but one humongous one is interconnected to loop around the house, along the drive, up a fence line and around the GH. Its on four separate watering systems with each having its own timer. As of right now I have 75 brugs, 100's of lantanas, 100's of salvias and lots of native plants. I also have 1000's of annuals for color. And believe me, I'm not buying anymore anything, anytime soon LOL! This is the wrong time in this part of the world (Texas Hill Country) to plant. I plan to start seeds again this winter though :) I agree on the bugs. I spent so much time washing off mites yesterday, and I noticed that one plant I worked particularly hard on, still has them!!! You have a great day, Sherry!
Gretchen
