Hello everyone, we lost all power on 12-22 due to an ice storm that breezed thru here, we were finally restored with our power yesterday 12-30, before the storm hit, I had moved all my houseplants, including my Brugs and my new cuttings of brugs into my laundryroom (which was heated) to make way for the Christmas tree in the LR. wellllllllllllllllllll, with the power out, the laundry room as well as everyother room in the house was frozen, we have to replace the pipes to the washer because of this, but my main worry here is my Brugs!!!!!!!!! I had them all in there, the large one nearly 5 feet tall is now frazzled looking on top all wilted over to nearly1-2 feet tall and the smaller cuttings that were rooting the leaves have frozen and are laying over too, can someone tell me, do you think these will pull out of it?????? We only had 2 nights that temps were negative 3 to 5 degrees, the rest of the nights were above zero. any advice will be greatly appreciated!!!! I know the tops need chopped off the largest ones, but those cuttings under a foot tall, what can I do about them? Help please and thank you all so much!!!
~Laurrie
Desperate question :(
I had about 30 freeze in my hoop house when the circuit breakers blew..I will be waiting for someone to answer your question, too..
I am sure the roots are still okay but not sure how far to cut them back.
Kris
OMG, I am so sorry you both had trouble. I'm afraid that the cuttings that weren't rooted, are gone. If they are no good, they will soon become soft and mushy. The big trees in pots may come back from the roots. I wouldn't cut them back until you know what is gone on the top. It won't hurt them to stay like they are for a while.
Hi Kris, yes that is my worry, the large ones that came in from outside I think will be ok, my main worry is the 30+ under 12 inch cuttings that were just put out in the prior month to root :(
I am so worried I am going to loose them all before I ever got them really started. These are ones I bartered and traded for and with all the other worries at the time, didn't even give them a single thought until it was too late. I will keep my eyes on this thread, so far I haven't done a thing with them, just as they were, dont' want to do something until someone can come along and hopefully give me some starting advice here on what to do first.
~Laurrie
You poor girl. That is just terrible!! What a way to start the new year. I would do what Brugie said and do nothing for now. Time will tell. You may want to pop out a cutting and see if it had rooted and if the roots are still white.
The good news is I bet some of us can get you going again in spring if all are a loss!
I just cut mine down today. They were getting mushy and leaky in places, did not look good for the eventual survival. Now I am hoping they will grow once again from the roots. If not, hopefully there will be one or two here that will be willing to share what they have..
I'm so sorry but I know how you feel....
I lost almost 2 pods of seedlings last year,creamsicle X ep and Creamsickle x Orange hybrid.
They were 1 1/2 feet tall.The plastic of my GH came away from the base of the GH
Killed most of them deader than a doornail,I think 12 survived,I was sick over it,it was below 0 and I couldn't see what had happened because the snow was so deep around the outside
In spring I'm sure you'll be able to replace many that you lost.....
Hey guys,
You need to send your cuttings down here to vacation over the winter. Send 2 get one back in spring.
I'm sure there are plenty of southern gardeners willing to help you snowbirds. It would benefit both parties. You get a guaranteed back up rooted cutting and the caretaker gets to add to their collection in exchange for caring for the cutting all winter. Just a thought
Jan...
Shirley: Thanks I will keep them and go out today and check roots, I know one was mushy when I first looked at them, but other than that I left them alone. I will leave alone - water this weekend, (trying to keep them on the normal schedule) UNLESS SOMEONE THINKS I SHOULD NOT WATER THEM NOW?????? I will just watch them and see what happens.
Kell: Yes what a wonderful way to ring in the new year LOL, it wasn't sooo bad, but with all the mess in the LR I just totally forgot about them out there in the laundryroom!!! I am a terrible brug mommie LOL - You are all so kind and generous on this board, thanks for the helpful info, I truly appreciate it.
Kris: I am holding off cutting mine back, just in case, perhaps they will leaf out a little bit and I will know where to do the choppin!
CC: Oh my gosh! that would have been awful when the snow melted to find that "leak" in the greenhouse!!!
Jan: Now that's not a half bad idea!!! However I was just starting my collection and all but 2 were under 12 inch cuttings, but there is always this next winter!!! I just know these at least some, will perk up for me!!! Have Faith!!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!!
~Laurrie
Hold off on watering now Laurrie. Let them get fairly dry before you water again and then don't soak them. Right now they aren't drinking anything and can get root rot from sitting in soil that is too wet. I hope some of them will come back for you.
Oh Thank YOU Shirley!! I will just let them alone then for now. With the heat restored perhaps they will try to perk up a little bit, I removed all the dead leaves that were wilted like and hanging, but other than that I havent' touched them. Will keep an eye on the soil and go from there. Thanks again!!!
Laurrie....
I also was going to hold back on cutting them down, but they really did start looking bad, they were leaky from the nodes, and the skin would just slip away from the trunk when I would feel them. I did not think they were going to do much of anything but die back when they reach that condition. I am hoping they will react like the ones that are in the ground..and come back from the roots. I still have a few that were on the patio..I brought in the seedlings, so they stayed toasty warm. I was sick about the larger ones in the hoop house..those were the ones that were my trees....sigh
But they are just plants..we lose some all the time. I hate to say I am losing my love affair with them, but am wondering if all the work they need is really worth it. I want to have a life also..
Then I plan on going to Florida during spring break with DD and DGD..and am wondering how many brug growers I can find while there..LOL......... I am sick..!!!
Kris
Kris,
All of the cuttings you shared with me are doing really well. Since I cut them into log cuttings there are quite a few of each of the varieties you sent. If your plants don't come back (God forbid) I would be delighted to share some of the plants with you that came from your kindness.
LMK,
Donna
Laurrie, I am sad to hear about your power loss and your damaged Brugs. I hope they survive.
Thank you so much, Donna.....I will let you know
Kris
Hi Kris,
We did a seed trade not long ago. I'm in Allen, remember? If you loose a lot of them, I have some white and some pink cuttings you can have. They aren't named, but are beautiful anyway. I started my subscription Jan.1, so now I can post too. I know it's not much to offer but they are yours if you want them.
luckpup
Laurrie, i am sorry to hear it but that ice storm came here too and alot of my stuff in the greenhouse was damaged. i had a propane heater back up but its not a really big heat producer.
i lost some of my brugs cuttings i was working on due to it. i really wanted these and even asked about them too.
everyone has given you wonderful advice up above so wont touch on it.
its sad but i know eventually i will get the ones i lost agian. just have to wait till her bush blooms agian.
wacky weather. yesterday it was in the 70s now its back in the 40s and foggy. mother nature for ya.
I want to thank everyone that offered to replace any brugs I may have lost. I really am hoping they will be okay, I do not think the roots froze, just the tops. I have cut them back and now will just wait until they want to start growing again.
It is so incredibly heart warming to find so many generous people willing to share what they have with others. Thank you all once again.
Kris
kris...just saw this & the cuttings you so generously gave to me are doing well, too....I can certainly give you some cuttings back...as a matter of fact, I have to check, but snow cone was ready to bloom !
Hopefully, your brugs will come back stronger than ever...
Please list the cuttings you need and I am almost certain you will beable to have them replaced by me and others here!
That's what friends are for....
Margie
It's great that there are people in warmer climates that can grow them year round and have extra for when things like what happened to Laurrie and Kris happens. I know there are a lot of people who are frozen in that would like to help to, but like me, have nothing or very little to cut on right now. In the summer, I'll know for sure what I'll have, and if you still need something then, and I have it, I'll share.
I "was" in a warmer climate till Christmas day, lol. Mine that were frozen back are putting out little sprouts, so I should have something to cut on later.
I just found this thread. Bless your heart and your brugs, I surely hope it has worked out okay. I'm afraid that might happen here too...
Susie, you had such a freak storm. I can't believe that the first winter you are there you get the first snow in over 100 years. That would be enough to send me over the edge. LOL! I'm sure glad things are coming back to life.
the Tennessee Gods must have been so angry that she left them all behind! LOL
I knew it would happen. One year we went to the Bahamas, coldest winter they've ever had!! I just can't escape the cold stuff! I told hubby that I'm going to Tahiti and if it gets cold there I will give up!
Laurrie and Kris, I will have some extras this spring and many more later on in the summer. I'd be happy to share and hopefully make up some of your losses.
Please remind me in the spring.
Kay
Hi all, thanks for the lovely offers, but right now I just want to hold off and see what happens with the ones I have, I am hoping that some will be ok, I don't want to give up all hope on them just yet!!!!!
It is just a wicked winter here! I tell you, winters aren't what they used to be here in OH, nor other areas from what I am hearing!! Used to be you could depend on having snow from around Christmas time till March, now, we get ice storms, right now we are flooding!!!! again!! then they say wednesday or thursday more snow, then freezing rain on top of that, what a mess, I am laying in supplies just in case we are without power again, I hate to say this, but honestly right now my poor pathetic plants are the least of my worries, we had a pig drown during the last flood on Christmas eve!!! a flood! I just don't get it, where has all the white snow flown too????? LOL I am tying to keep an upbeat attitude during all this and you all sure bring smiles to my faces when I get on here just to browse around!
I have my camera batteries all charged up now, I think I will show you the flood, so you can see why I am so frustrated right now LOL, here is the horse pasture, don't know if you can see the fence line down there in the water or not, but that fence is 4 feet tall and it's nearly all under water already, whew, what fun huh? LOL
~Laurrie
This is what the back of our property looked like when the ice storm hit, it was beautiful!!! But it cost soo many people to be without power and what a week that was!!!
The ice is beautiful when the sun is shining on it but I don't want to see any here. LOL
LOL yes it sure was stunning, I agree, I think I would have mother nature forget to shower us with any more of that!!
the ice storms are pretty until they start to thaw and the trees start to break then you have clean up. i hate it when it happens here. all the pine trees we have in the area nad the mess to drive in. my Blazer looked liked i played in the mud all day.
i am sorry you are flooding. the weather is so crazy snow in Texas. go figure. the horse is so pretty.
today for us its in the 76 range. last night it was 30. i walked in the yard today and a hyacinth is trying to bloom.
Ice is what we usually get instead of snow. I hope Mother Nature overlooks us this year.