Kristi it is just a bad year. I really haven't had that many blooms except on Rosamond and FP. Monster hasn't even preformed very well. Last year was drought and this year we have had plenty of good rain so I don't understand it myself, unless they are trying to recover from the Tropical Storms and Hurricane we have had already.
Losing interest in brugmansia's or a bad season?
It has been a nice year so far. Must have y'alls weather up here.
I'm waiting on this seedling to expose itself! Joelle
I really regret all the brug problems which seem to be making the rounds. If not for ever faithful PF, and the unexpected buds on 2/22/05 seedlings (after surviving severe chemical burn and wind/limbs), I would have tossed in my hat, called calf rope and headed for the hills! Thank you 'old timers' for sharing your grief, if you had not, I would have continued to think I'm just snake bit(ten)...
With all the problems we have we must be crazy (Brug crazy) and now I have found a new bug eating the heck out of my Brugs, and they bury themselves right down the throat of the flower. these + ANTS are swarming over my blooms, I just purchased some spray that you attach to the hose, Farm store manager promised it would KILL just about any kind of bug. it is called CUTTER Bug Free back yard.
And this is what they do, note all the leaves are stripped from the top of the plant
The heat humidity and bugs here have been really bad this year. Pale colors, few blooms, no pollen, little fragrance, and too hot to enjoy the short time they last. I know if I bide my time it will change, but for the time being they are nothing to be excited about :(
kareoke, great picture of that insect!!! Yep if it isn't one thing, it's another. But mine have either started to bloom or are starting to set buds so I'm excited. Then again I'm easy to please.
Judy
lagata your right on the pollen, I tried to get some from an un-named yellow and there was nothing there.
I checked about 6 different brugs (about 20 blooms) to add to a breeding kit thingy, and out of ALL of them, there wasn't a single anther with enough pollen on it to see or feel; even those not yet open were bare! I suspect this might mean that the flowers are not in accepting mode either; anybody know??
I'm sorry that happened to you, lagata, but it happened here too, brug pollen is very scarce here too!!
It's just been a crappy year for everybody. CHOCOLATE all around, we NEED something to cheer us up! The only thing that I've had a good flush on is your white, Kristi (which I was supposed to send you a cutting of, by the way). I haven't forgotten, just haven't gotten to it yet. Shoot me your address, and I'll get it out to you. It just bloomed for the second or third time, and had over 50 blooms on it at once. That's not impressive most years, but since I've only had blooms on a handful of plants, and then it was one here, a couple over there, it seems like A LOT!
"not impressive" Uh-- don't forget us newbies. Do you get to leave them in ground? Got a pic? Please?
Hey all,
Thought I would chime in here....from hot and humid Baltimore....
This is only my second year of growing Brugs. Last year I had 2. My Dr. Seuss and my Rose Souvelons. My Rose S. did OK for a while, started blooming and then the mites hit! And hit.....and hit! They destroyed the whole plant!!! My Dr. Seuss, on the other side of the house, had NO bug problems. It didn't do much until late October, when it presented me with it's first full flush. GOD!!! It was great! You could smell the fragrance down the street!
I kept the original Dr. S. dormant in my basement over the winter. I was going to toss the Rose S., but decided to save the best stem on it and rooted it. It was also dormant in my basement.
WELL!!! This year, I have 6 Brugs (thanks to Shirley (Brugie)]. She sent me cuttings of "Rosemond" (2), "Species" (I am waiting to see what the blooms are like!) and her own "Forevermorr". I have NO idea what color the flowers will be! They are ALL growing like crazy--5'-7' tall. r. Seuss is over 8'! Heaven help me!!!!
All are healthy so far! Knock on wood---I have not had to spray any of them. I am almost afraid to say that--like--tomorrow I will go out and there will be a king-sized infestation on all of them.....
Here's the weird thing! The only one that has bloomed so far (3x) is the Rose Souvelons! She must be applogizing for last year! LOL!
The Rosemond has a bunch of buds on it soon to open. I have a "top" and a "bottom" of the Rosemond. Shirley couldn't get the whole thing in the box, so she cut it in half. The top is ahead of the bottom as far as buds are concerned. "Forevermorr" has just "Y"'ed and there are 2 buds. The Dr. Seuss also just has made some buds. I can't wait!
Anyway! The heat is horrible! I have to water every day--my whole garden. It takes me about an hour. I am just so grateful that none of my Brugs have had any bug problems so far. Maybe I should spray them anyway--sort of anticipating some? Maybe it helped that a while ago, I put Systemic Granules around each one. I had forgotten that......
Ther is NO WAY that I will be able to keep the Mama plants over the winter!!!! Maybe ONE? I will try to take cuttings and see if I can give away the 6-8 foot "trees" to someone with a garage or space to keep them. It will kill me--but I must do, what I must do!
I will post pictures when they bloom. So far, the only one I have is the Rose Souvelons. She was beautiful! Say "Hello"!
This was her at night--in the middle of a Thunderstorm. I had to put a basket over my head to take this picture. She looks almost translucent!
Fun post, Gitagal! She is so pretty!! I'd do a bubbler to winter the brugs...works like a charm, the way I figure it, regardless of where you live, with little money and little space, you can root cuttings over the winter, pot them up fairly early in pots not so huge, and have bloomers during the growing season - assuming you don't have a bug problem...but this is only me 2nd growing season, so I won't know until next year if it works, lol!!!
Here she is in all her misery last Summer--She never recovered!
Sherry,
You snuk in between my 3 posts!
I have been reading about the bubbler. I have not yet been to wall mart to check it out. I have already takrn 2 large cuttings and have them outside "cooking" in a shaded spot in a bucket of water. The made bumps almost immediatly--without a bubbler. One of them started rotting on the bottom and I had to re-cut it. I am not too vigilant about changing the water--I must attend to it!!!!!
I am thinking of re-cutting these cuttings and re-rooting the tops, as they are a bit long. I wonder if I could lay the "bumpy" pieced in a pot in a log-fashion to root? Like--I do not really want any more Brugs, but you know us gardeners--we have to ALWAYS experiment!!!!
Any input welcome! Gita
I heard about logs enough on here I had to try it as well. Cut out one big sucker and saved theses 2 sections that both a a couple of node. They laid in the garage for a day or so till the ends were calloused (more because I didn't get around to taking care of them). Then as others as said, just pressed them halfway into the mix. They've set here with just a little dappled sun in the early morning. Didn't take long for a node to sprout and it's never wilted.
Your logs look great Blaine, easy huh?? Gita, the beauty of the bubbler is that you don't have to change the water, all winter, I never changed mine a single time and all my cuttings rooted. The bubbler keeps me going in brugs, what I learned last winter is invaluable - due to real life interference, ha, the bubbler was my only choice and the best brug choice I've ever made and it's funner than holy heck and oh, so easy, and, best of all, made me look like I know something...best of luck!!!