Potting Up Brugs

I'm getting ready to pot up a couple of brugs into their new 10 gallon homes and had a question. Should I bury the oringinal cuttings, all the way up to the new growth? Will this cause the cutting to rot, or will it sprout new roots to make an even stronger root system? Also, some of the cuttings have a new "trunk" developing well below the big new growth. (Not pictured). Will this continue to push on through the soil if it is buried? That's what I would like to have happen, two trunks in one pot.

I hope this was all worded correctly and understandable! If not, beat me with a ruler :)

J

Good question, I've wondered the same thing and am interested in hearing from the experts.

My 6 buggy brugs are outside and doing well, thanks to Raid House & Garden!!!! I have approximately 30 more which were not buggy that I will be moving outside within the next few days.

A very big "Thank You" to all of you who have shared cuttings with me. Especially MS Jen who went out of her way to make sure I had a good variety.

Judy

This message was edited Mar 29, 2005 2:45 AM

I have personally always buried as much of the original cutting as I can into the potting soil (because I had your same thought about strengthening the root system and didnt think to ask lol) and can say that I have never had anything bad happen. I did read somewhere that if you bury a plant at a different level than it is used to growing that it will slowly die-something I have never noticed with my brugs. This is just my experience- not any expert opinion!

And as far as the 2 trunks in one pot- it will continue to grow as is even if it's buried (again just in my experience) but it will divide the plant's resources between the two stems and will normally slow the growth of both, compared to if you only had one stem from the plant. Not that anything's wrong with that- its just a matter of what you like. Please, someone hollar at me if I'm wrong. :-) Susanne

Hey Susanne!
Thanks for the tips, we all learn from experience! I'm just scared to make a wrong mistake, that's why I ask so many questions on here! I'll post a pic of all my babies really soon.

Thanks again,
J

J, I think the theory is sound in burying the cutting deeper for an improved root system based on two observations.

1) when you root the cuttings in water, the nubbies develop all allong the stem that's submerged. Not just from the cut end or a wounded portion.

2) they are related to tomatoes which behave the same way. In fact, when transplanting tomatoes, I use the technique of stripping off leaves up to the top 3-4" and burying the plant at a horizontal angle in a trench and propping up the tip.

I've seen another recommended method of starting brug cuttings from a thick piece of trunk of just laying a section on it's side and pressing into the medium so about half of it is covered. Looks like you'd end up with roots all along the bottom half touching soil, then have a node sprout on top and become your new plant.

I like to get part of the new shoot under the soil line so that it will develop roots and possibly be stronger at standing. I'm thinking that until that new shoot is rooted in, there is always a possibility it could snap off.

Ooooh, I like the idea of laying down the cutting flat in the soil, might have to try that sometime. I potted most of them up last night, and buried all new shoots and old stock. We'll see! From the sounds of things, it should all be OK. Thanks for the tips everyone!

J

Great information....thanks. I have had that question, too.

Carol