Brugs In Containers

Since I am very limited on space in my courtyard, I have decided to grow my brugs in containers. This may have been better suited on the container gardening forum, but this is where the brug experts hang out, so I'll post it here. I purchased two large pots today at Target. They're light weight plastic pots, unbreakable. I figured these would be easier to move around and inside and out. I'm just not sure if they're big enough. I'm planning on putting one unk pink and one grimaldi in them. They hold 37 quarts and measure 20" diameter and 22" deep. Any idea what kind of growth I might get with these? I'm sure weather and other factors matter, but are the pots big enough? I know they need gravel in the bottom as well and will drill some drainage holes too. I was also thinking of planting some annuals in them as well, to cover all the soil, like petunias. I'm guessing they'll have the same nutrient requirements? Any suggestions would be appreciated. There is a picture below, but it does no justice to the size of them. Use my measurements from above. Oh, and one more question. The leaves on one of mine unk yellows are about 13" long. Is this normal? Biggest leaves I've ever seen!

Thanks,
J

J... that sounds like a great size! I think you will get wonderful gowth from that size. Bigger than my 7 gallons that I use (according to the measurements). I do not put gravel in the bottom of mine (Im guessing you are thinking for drainage). During the summer (even though last year we only hit 100 once) I found I was watering some of my brugs twice a day (ones in partial sun). And I even dug some holes in ground, to put a couple pots in, and as you know with the clay here.. lol the water has no where to go. They did fine. I didnt lose one all summer to over watering.
I think the petunias would be lovely in with the brugs. Ive seen alot of things, from coleus, impatiens, to sweet potato vine. And MANY things in between.
I have a couple brugs that got leaves last year bigger than 20 inches, so I will say.. lol yup its normal.
You sure are in for a treat come summer!

J, Those pots should do just fine for you. Just remember it's best to place something heavy in the bottom like you said your using gravel. When yours gets about 6 feet tall this summer you will know why. They get top heavy and can blow over~ sometimes they fall gracefully and sometimes not!
Yes the leaves do get quite large on the plants it's normal. good luck

Thanks guys. Yes, the gravel is for drainage. I had to two hanging pots I bought at home depot last year before I knew anything about gardening! Well, I learned you can't water those things every other day LOL! Just doesn't work! I will be using something called terra gel? Water crystals to help retain water. I don't have time to water twice a day! I'm glad my pots are big enough, that makes me happy ;) Yes, we do have nice clay here don't we Shelly! 20" leaves! Whoa! I thought 13" was big! What cool plants!

Shelly, I'll get back to your email real soon.

Kin, I'll be in Salem between April 22 and May 1st. I'll let you know when, maybe we could me up for a drink or something! I am so excited to be coming out! But, I HATE flying, so I am really scared of that!

I knew I could come here for the best advice!
Thanks,
J

Great! J!!!
When the time get's closer to when your going to be here I'll email you my Address and Phone #. You may still have my addy. I hope your flight wont be to traumatizing for you. At least there is a big river to land in at the PDX airport. LOL

Kin - not funny ;)

haha

Ya, I'll do my best, really want to see all your plants! I'll let you know well in advance.

TTYS,
J

Your BLoom Story is great! It's Fantastic that your enjoying them now.
Sorry for the Airport Humor... I will Edit it so It won't Haunt you for the next few weeks...LOL
If the weather is nice during your visit to Salem I live a few blocks from this City Park. You might want to check it out.
http://www.cityofsalem.net/~parks/bush_park.htm

This message was edited Mar 25, 2005 10:34 PM

Thanks for the link Kin. I'm so excited!

Now, another question, how many brugs could grow comfortably in one of those pots I have? They are 9.25 gallon pots. Also, could I plant three different varieties into one pot? Say, a Golden Lady, Isabella and Uconn Treasure?

And, one more question! What do I do with spent flowers? Leave them until they drop off? My lonely unk pink flower is lookin' pretty sad today!

Thanks!
J

With brugs in pots, isnt having to water more often an issue? I hope to keep some in pots also - didnt someone say if the pots are partially buried you may not have to water as much or am I just dreaming that?

I'm adding TerraGel Crystals, hopefull that will help reduce my watering needs. The pots will be shaded as well, mulched and planted with cover plants as well. I hope this all helps me out this summer. I do remember Shelly saying she puts hers part way in the clay ground, helps hold the water in, so no, you're not dreaming it!

J

I think you would be better off just planting one brug to a pot. I'm sure it can be done three to a pot, but I plant most of my brugs as singles in 20 gallon pots. I can't imagine the amount of water three to a pot would require, especially if you are in a less than humid part of Colorado. When plnats can get huge, like all of those you mentioned, I'm just concerned that there wouldn't be enough room for them to grow. My Isabella from a cutting, got about 5 ft. high by 4 or 5 ft. wide in a pot of it's own. US Conn. gets huge. Not horribly tall, but very wide. Golden Lady gets fairly tall and maybe not as wide, but very dense with foliage and bloom. This is how they grow for me anyway. Good Luck.

20 GALLONS! Were do you find pots that big!? I thought mine was a decent size! Thank you for that info Brugie. Ya, not very humid here. The info on the plant sizes was very useful! Is there a site which lists the average plant sizes? I was wondering about mine, but didn't want to create another thread for it. My Golden Lady is only about 10" tall right now and has only bud about ready to bloom. No "y." It's in a 1 gallon pot. Do you have any idea how big she might be by the end of my summer here? Maybe it depends on several factors then? If it's a fast grower, I'll pot her up in the big container. I need some fast growth for these containers.

Thanks again,
J

You will definitely need to plant her into a bigger container. She will probably reach 4-5 ft. for you this summer if you have good sun and temps. Mine is only about a foot tall now and I'm planning on about 5 ft. I think most brugs are fast growers. I feed mine a lot. At least twice a week with a good water soluable fertilizer.

J, what zone are you in??? The smallest pot I have a tree brug in is 15 gals, and I will move it up to 20 gal, and I wish I'd never gone to the trouble to put it in a 15. Just so you will know and have lots of options, I don't use gravel in the bottoms of the pots - I have never bought a brug with anything in the pot for drainage. I was always taught to add something for drainage, but I've had any number of experienced brug growers say that it is an unnecessary step, but I surely don't think it will hurt either, just your preference. And, I use rebar (green, plastic coated from Lowes) to stake the brugs to keep them straight and from breaking in the wind. Last year was my first year but I had enough brugs that it was plenty of extra work to keep potting them up about 5 gals every month, not to mention the stress on the brugs. Once they take off, they REALLY grow big. Good luck, if you do nearly as well with your brugs, as you have with your house, they will be show stoppers!!!!!!!

Where do you find 20 gallon pots??? I have a 9.75 and I though that was big? I don't know that I've ever seen anything bigger. If I need 15-20 gallon pots, I'm in trouble because I will have no room for them in this tiny yard! I'm in zone 5b. They'll be on the north side and maybe a couple on my south side deck as well. The north side gets about 8 hours direct light each day. I was going to add river rock, the smaller kind for drainage and weight, as I was told these can blow over in my size pots. How long is the rebar you use? And, any advice on the crystal for water retention? Oh, and also, some of my cuttings had suddenly shot out a new branch from below the soil, so it will be like another trunk if I continue to let it grow. Shoul I keep it or cut it off?

Thank you all SO much for all your help, this is the best!
J
PS - Sherry, thanks for the comments on my house, I love it! I think it added alot to its value both monetary and living wise!

J. your pots will work just fine. I started growing brugs in 5 gallon pots. They definitely needed something to stabilize them because the slightest breeze would blow them over. The 20's work great, but believe me....I've had a lot of them go over in a stiff wind too. Don't worry about the size. I think what you have will work fine. You might need to figure out a what to hold them up straight because of the bottom of the pot being so much smaller around than the top.

OK, I think I have a good way to stabilize them. Thanks Brugie.
J

You're welcome. I hope you have some beautiful brugs this summer.

Here is a trick that I had read about on another site. Mix up some liquid fertilizer according to directions and soak the crystals in it overnight. Then when you pot your brugs up mix them into the potting mix.

Hope this helps.




This message was edited Mar 27, 2005 8:24 PM

Ah, tahnks Dvaid, make sure they get saturated, and with the good stuff!

Thanks!
J

J, I get my pots used from a nursery that I've used forever and they give them to me, black plastic. Last year was my first year and I'm in zone 8a and brugs grow by leaps and bounds - I changed pots three times, small rootings, into 5 gal, to 10 gal to 15 gal on the brugs I intended to winter inside. I put the rest of the brugs in the ground, which are considerably less trouble. I thought you were in a warmer zone, so what works for me might not work for you at all. Even in small pots, 5 gal, I use the rebar that Monika uses, because the wind blew them over, broke limbs, etc. I get the green plastic over rebar at Lowes, but started out with the rusty kind, they are approx 5 feet tall. All of us adjust our needs to our area and particular circumstances. I had a tough time getting going last year - I was 'afraid' of my brugs - finally, it was do or give up and I then began to really learn, by my mistakes, and, boy did I ever make mistakes. But brugs are forgiving and I learned not to ever count one out. I do know I'm progressing because I went to the nursery yesterday and there sat 'pink', 'white', and 'yellow' and I was not the slightest tempted to bring one home, bless their hearts, I like mine much better!!! Have fun, J - that's what it's all about, ya know??!!

Well it sounds like most everything is covered here. LOL
J, Your pots should work great with just one of your cuttings and since they have the narrow base is why I suggested putting something heavy in the bottom. It's great watching them grow so quickly and set blooms. Then they become top heavy and a good wind comes to topple them over and break. I have done it and learned from my experiences.

Now for those crystals. I used them several years back and didn't like them. I thought it was a good idea at the time being that the brugs are heavy drinkers during the summer months. I think someone else has talked about them at one time but not for certain who. I found that the crystal stole the moisture away from the brugs roots and the roots died. That is the conclusion I came to but I only used them one time. So I can't say the crystals were totaly responsible. Hopefully someone else will read this and have some more information about them.

Kin