I have a white double brugmansia (The one Logee's sells as "Species") with about 3 dozen baby blooms so far, but the first one to begin to open turned brown before fully opening. I cut it off. Boy am I disappointed. I've been inspecting those buds for weeks now, just waiting...I'm sure you all can relate.
It's treated with Bayer Rose and flower systemic according to directions, and I inspect it often for bugs. I've been fertilizing once or even twice weekly as recommended here at Dave's. Lately I've been using Miracle Gro Bloom Booster. I also Messenger every 3 weeks with Superthrive and Spray & Grow mixed in. I have it growing, potted, under a tree where it receives morning sun and dappled afternoon shade. Could it be some kinda fungus? Mildew?
Boy, it's always something, ain't it? I'm just catching my breath after rescuing my favorite gardenia from aphids, (and it's starting to grow buds as a thank you!), and now suddenly another crisis. Those people who think gardening is boring just don't understand!
Browning of blooms before opening?
It's not bugs, white brugs are bad about turning brown when it's hot. You might try growing in in afternoon shade and see if that helps.
Lilla, I failed to water one and the buds turned brown, one by one, to remind me to never do that again. It was misery for me...I hope it doesn't happen to you!!
Calalily---I've wondered just how much full sun these babies really need down here in zone 10...The first time I visited my fiance's house I noticed the most beautiful 12' mature pink, brug I'd ever seen growing in shade, thriving and blooming like crazy. It's been my experience that a lot of white flowers are sensitive to too much sun and heat...I'm going to move it into shadier conditions as you suggested.
SherryLike---Yes, it got dried out a bit last week...The weather suddenly became hot one day, summer is upon us, and I neglected to up the watering to accommodate. And now, a week later, we've had rain for 3 days so it's waterlogged. If the rest of the buds drop off all I can do is hope that it grows new ones.
It's a huge monster with 3 trunks. I can't believe that 3 months ago it was a baby in a 2" pot. Would now be a good time to cut one of them off and try rooting? Should I wait for fall?
Thanks for the help!
Liila, I agree, I've seen some nice brugs growing in the shade down here. The Rosenquartz that is so pretty gets shade in the afternoon from a large banana tree.
Liila, I'm putting more and more of mine in shade, hopefully they will bloom!! If not, I'll dig them up, yet again!! I managed to save several buds that were starving for water, but they are curled, I don't expect much, if they make it. I always over do it or under do it, drats!!
If my Rosenquartz seedling is half as pretty as yours, Susie, I'll be thrilled, yours is dreamy!!!
Liila, if your brug does not peform it sure won't be your fault!! What a regimen you have it on. True love. I hope you will take a picture for us when it puts on a great show for you. Which I bet it does soon!
I would like to know if Susanne likes lots of water?? Hated to start a thread, just for that question. I have her in a large pot, mostly shade, there are a number of potted brugs there and they don't seem to need as much water as she does. TIA, for any information you might have about her.
SherryLike, I also have a "Charles Grimaldi" receiving the same conditions, but it's been plagued by mites and has never seemed happy. It's managed 2 beautiful blooms, (should have dozens) but I've wondered why it's so stressed. I bet it's been too much sun. I'll be moving it to shadier conditions, as well. They sure seem to be forgiving plants in spite of being a bit persnickety.
Thanks for the kind words, Kell! It just seems to me that if you really want an outstanding result, you have to be willing to give a little "something extra"... South Florida is chockfull of gardens that could have been really special, but suffer from neglect and lackadaisical care...And it really shows. Dried out, scraggly plants and shrubs in need of water, good pruning and a little fertilizer...And it's a shame because this is one of the few places where we can really grow a lot of the "good stuff", year round!
I'm constantly on the lookout for new 'stuff' that will make my plants healthier/more beautiful and/or my life easier. At this point I swear by Messenger, I swear by Spray & Grow for increased blooms, and I'm beginning to be a firm believer in Superthrive, too. I water new transplants with Superthrive and hydrogen peroxide (1/4 tsp. and 1Tbsp. per gallon of water, respectively) and they all take off like rockets. I'm planning on trying kelp or seaweed next, and possibly alfalfa...
Come heck or high water, I will post photo's when my baby is in full bloom. ;-D
Good! We want to see it. Ma Vie also believes in superthrive. I have never tried it with cuttings, I will!
I'm about to give up on the double white. I moved it to a spot where it will receive partial shade all day long, but every day I cut off more brown blooms. It's so disheartening! We've had torrential rains all week and that isn't helping. Yesterday, I pulled one of the brown blooms apart and it was chockfull of little, white worms. Some of the leaves have these wierd yellow mottled streaks on them and I'm stumped. I think it may become one of my "plant suicides"...It'll break my heart!
On a positive note, my Charles Grimaldi is putting out a few more buds. I'm cutting off all the suckers as they appear, and I underplanted with mini orange petunia from Logee's, and I'm hoping at some point they look good together...
Chas. Grimaldi will definitely look beautiful with the mini orange petunias as an underplanting. Looking forward to seeing a picture.
BrugNanny, almost every day I curse my bad luck at not having a digital camera that actually works with my machine. It causes my computer to reboot every time I've tried to use it. I look at all the beautiful pictures y'all send and it just kills me! I will figure out something, whether I have to snap pictures with a real camera and have them put on disk at Walgreens, or even buy another camera to try with the computer. I *will* send pictures! ;-D
if you've got a digital just take the memory card down to walmart, walgreens... whatever has 1hour photo. You'll be able to pop that memory card in a machine, do any editing if you want then have prints OR just have them dumped to a CD.
I've got a big white david austin rose and some nicotiana thats white and they both brown around the edges when they get wet! Last year it rained, like non-stop through the end of May into the first rose flush and she was skanky the whole time. This spring she's loaded and bright white except for me and my passion for wandering around with the hose and a beer.
Speaking of watering plants with hydrogen peroxide or H202 - I have been told that if I do that, I will be washing the good stuff in my soil away. I don't use hydrogen peroxide in watering but I thought about it. Is it correct that by using it, the soil could be damaged??
8ftBed, I don't even know where it is anymore. I've got stuff stored in 3 different places and it could be anywhere. I always figured when I got another computer I'd dig it up and try again. It cost me $150 and I made the mistake of buying it from AOL, when I was with AOL. Nothing I've ever bought from them has worked the way it's supposed to. I also signed up for the highspeed DSL they offered, and I could never get that to work, either. Bah!
Glad to know I'm not the only one who waters, beer in hand. I also weed, pot and repot, beer in hand. (But only in the evenings!) A girl gets thirsty. I'm not thrilled to hear that nicotiana turns yucky. I have 4 plants in various stages of growth and now I have nothing but more misery and despair to look forward to. I also have a fragrant white miniature rose "Constellation" that's been looking funky. I wish I didn't love white flowers so much ;-D
SherryLike, from everything I've read H2O2 actually increases oxygen to the roots and will even help a plant recover from overwatering and root rot. All it is is water with an extra oxygen molecule. Oxygen is *good* for plants and roots! (I'm no scientist!) Dave's is *full* of threads about using it, and you might search the forums for "hydrogen peroxide", which is what I did when I wanted to learn more. It's fascinating stuff, and I'm all for inexpensive solutions! ;-D
I do know that it works wonders when sprouting seeds, and in helping new transplants. These things literally zoom when I use it!