Our temps are down in the high 20s now & the brugs (Isabella & Kyles Giant White) are wilting, so I'll need to either get starts or forget about it. I was wondering, if I cut them off about 12" above the pot, can I take that in & have them restart from that or do I have to start all new? Just thought I'd ask. These 2 have been blooming like crazy the past month. 1st time for KGW. I've taken some pics that I'll post later.
TIA,
Jan
Question about cutting Brugs
bump!
our weather is fixing to go down in the 20s so am wondering how to take good cuttings from moms, my friends and my two in the ground.
Hosta, I know zero about your zone, so you really should talk to someone that knows more about your weather conditions. I'm in zone 8a and it's totally unlike yours. If you are talking about leaving the potted brug outside you cut it, I do not know. I had a couple that I didn't want, left in the service yard and they died back and came back bigger and much better this year. If I like the brug lots, I'd take a cutting just to do it, if for no other reason. I hope someone comes along that can really help you.
iszadi, I'm in your zone, in Arky, mine are all in the ground, and I was forced to take cuttings of some special ones today, and I cut them off pretty close to the ground and I'm going back out to paint the wounds. Then I put the cuttings in water, in individual containers, like cuttings will be in the same container. I will start bubblers for them tomorrow, in the GH. Then, sometime soon, I'll start shelling seeds to start them. Oh, I sprayed everything I took in the GH with Volek Insect Spray for Dormant plants. I had lots of other plants besides bugs. Ya know, my other plants never get bugs. Hmmm. Good luck...
I think Sherry is now the cutting expert here. LOL. Definitely the bubbler queen! She makes me want to grow them in winter like that!!
Jan, I sure hope the wilt you are seeing is not death due to cold. Yes, you can sure cut them off to 12 inch high and bring them in. You can keep them going in winter inside and they will just start growing from there. The root ball will push out new shoots also.
I do not know much about making the plants go dormant since I do not have to do that here, but people seem to cut them back all the time and bring them in to put in their cool basements. However, they cut them just down to a few Ys, leaving the trunks intact. This way they get to get them flowering much faster next year. If you cut the first Y off, you will have to wait till they grow tall enough to Y again to flower next year.
You can try to root your cuttings too or bubble them like Sherry does. Cut off the top mush parts if they have gotten frosted already.
I would seal the tops of any you cut to discourage rot and fungus and bacteria.
GOOD LUCK. Let us know how you do and what you decide.
Good luck to you to Imzadi! Sounds like you have lots of cutting to do!!
Thanks everyone. I left 12" - 18" on each trunk & put the pots in the garage for now. I'll bring them in in a few days & put in the basement where they can get some of the light from grow lights. I only cut 3 starts of each & have them in jars of water. I've never used a bubbler, so will try it the way I have in the past. If I find the time, company coming & have a lot of cleaning to do, I'll maybe do a couple in potting soil.
Jan