Can anyone tell me from their experiences, what brugs are well-suited for container planting? Are there some to avoid, that really only thrive in the ground? I would like to grow some in beds along with some in containers,so I need and appreciate suggestions on who to put where.
Thanks!
Jackie
Container vs. Ground
Jackie, all of mine thrive/grow/flower considerably better in the ground and my back doesn't hurt nearly as badly trying to keep them watered and fed. But, I live in zone 8a and it's possible that many would do well in your zone and containers, that wouldn't work as well here in south Arky......hope you get answers more helpful than mine...
I agree with Sherry, they don't need to be watered as much when in the ground, but where we have to dig them up in the fall............well, for me I'd rather water pots than have to dig and pot. You should be able to go both ways without any trouble. Just put those little guys to work digging. It will make your work much easier. LOL!
Jackie, this last year I rented some garden plots to grow brugs. I had to have a way to remove the plants easily if I did not rent it again. Because of this, I planted them the way Monika taught us. I took a large size 5 gallon plastic (probably more a 7 gallon by size) pot and I cut 4 holes in it along the bottom of the sides. I then planted it 3/4 deep in the ground. Come November I went down and took a shovel and went down the sides of the pots of brugs that were special. It cut any roots going out of the holes I had cut in the sides. And out came the pot, so easily!! And what a shock, I never cut back the tops of the plants to compensate for the roots being hacked off, and they did great!! No die back all winter!
Wow, thanks.
Sherry, I think that's why I thought about trying both ways, as I have read that most like the ground better, but like Shirley said, I don't know how up to digging I'll be in the fall. By September, I'm tired.
Maybe I can entice the kids around here to dig, but I have a feeling it'll cost me! LOL
Kell, this method sounds very interesting to me. I only have 1 that is 5-7 gallon size right now, the few others are much smaller. This leads me to another question, about potting up. What's the best way to do this? Can I put smaller rooted cuttings ( like 12-16 inches or so) in larger containers like that and then put them in the ground? I was afraid they would spend time putting out root growth to fill the pot, instead of putting out new foliage (although maybe that's not a bad thing, either.) I hope my questions make sense.
Jackie
Jackie, assuming mine live through the winter, I have the advantage of leaving mine in the ground. The down side of leaving them in the ground is that they are slower to bloom in the spring, but, when they start, they will bloom right up to the first hard freeze and they tend to grow wider, more blooms, more often, and taller each year. Right before the first hard freeze, actually a couple of hours before, I take cuttings to try to get some early spring blooms, this growing season will be my first, using my own cuttings and rootings and I have lots of seedlings too. Only thing left to do is hope for the best for the ones wintering in the ground, I cannot wait to see if they make it and I will be broken hearted if they don't, but I'll get over it, if they don't. I cannot wait to see how all this works out with your brugs and I wish you the best of luck, you're gonna have lots of fun!!!
Jackie, you can get away with a lot more things in srping than in fall or winter. In spring I pot way up and I use a dense soil. But I am then very careful with my watering until the brug fills the pot. In fall, I would never pot up or use dense soil for my chances of it rotting is too high then.
If your cuttings are not rooted yet, I would root them first in a small, deep pot then pot up once well rooted for cuttings can rot easily!.
I always try to use a deep pot too if I have a choice. Brugs seem to put down a long tap root first. I find they grow so fast in spring, you will get top growth as the roots fill the pot.
See that root growing right down!
Cool....thank you all very much!
Jackie