First year with brugs-disappointed!

Someone sent me a bunch of cuttings last fall (so generous) and I managed to not kill many so I potted them up and put them outside in pots in the sun. I also got one rooted in a pot and that one bloomed but no one else. The man who helps me in the garden and lives in FL in the winter told me that in FL he has them in part shade and that he feeds them a lot and waters a lot, so I have moved them to a shadier spot, watered and fed them but I 'd love some info about what I'm doing wrong or right. Does anyone keep them in pots? Can you tell me how you take care of them and get them to bloom?? Pretty soon they'll go inside, but not if I can't get them to bloom!

WellBoo..
keep trying... so..whatexactly are you feeding them..
theyshould be in as much sun as you can give them. in MA.. they also like a spray of water .. any time you can manage to do so...
I start mine off with a bunch of cow manure it potting them in the sprng..feed a balanced foodforahile.. thengo to a bloom booster type pretty soon after.. lotsoffoliar feeding..seaweed concentrate..do you know of Spray-n-Grow... it's helpful..every week or two.. alternating with a messenger spay.. but then I baby mine.. and they getit all...cause I'm spraying some other things anyway..
SO when you bring them inside.. do you have them go dormant.. you can keep them up and growing.. perhaps a bunch of flowers all winter .. if they arrive inside all charged up.. they might loose their leaves going in or comming out...due to the humidity and light level changes
but you have to give them lots of light ..;plant lights .. or better a sunny window or two..
You'llsee some buds andflowers in the early part of the year.. then in hte summers heat.. a slacking off as yo are in the middle of.. and then again now a return to blooming.. that will take you through to moving them inside... and on if you keep them growing..
Mine have just started to bloom again... all are in pots the bigger the better...bigger yours will be.. actual mileage will varry.. with the individual...
also you'll find you need 20 or 30 of them to give them all plenty of company and good flowering models.. and you can kill off some in your efforts.. and not feal too bad.. stuff happens..
So good luck.. and write back with some more flower pictures... Gordon

I have nothing to add to Gordon's great advice, but I did want to say I am sorry you are not having lots of flowers. You are not alone! This summer has been disappointing for quite a few of us. If I were you, I would give it a try one more year. When they do put on a show for you, you will be thrilled!

I can't believe there's noting Kell might add...
I second what Kell says.. you'll be thrilled... and you have the best start..with a pink... Kell and I agree on that also...although the shredded whites have a lot going for them in my book.. fragrance to be sure..
Gordon

Oh Gordon, are you saying I am a Chatty Kathy Kell? LOL. I guess I am.

Another great picture too, Gordon.

Well... Thanks Kell
NO Kell.. I was saying that you have graciously not had anything to add to my sugestions... a real honor for me.... you've got a great storehouse of knowledge there ... and besides .. I love to chat plants... Gordon

Well, glad to hear that I'm not alone in terms of bloom.
The pink one bloomed over the winter. They are in lots of light. But the big problem indoors was that I had many battles with spidermites all winter so that's why I was needing a floriferous summer to balance my frustrating winters. I just started feeding them some stuff that I won at my DG Roundup-looks like miracle grow (blue crystals). I'll look up the proportions later. Would they like fish emulsion for foliar feeding?? I have some if they do. I just want to see what else I have besides the pink before the season is over. I think I just can't keep up with the watering in the sun. They droop and I madly water. Can you overwater them? I'm thinking they need water everyday so they never droop. They also don't like wind here much. The pots are good and big. Do they get rootbound easily?

I would like to add that last year I had loads of blooms and heavenly smells but this year it has been sooooo hot that my plants have gotten to to the point I thought of chucking them all, then one bloomed, and one I Pollinated bloomed and I am in love again, I will not keep as many over winter this year, last year it was over 100 but I find if you give them MG (Miracal Grow) at least twice a week and plenty of water they WILL bloom.


Doris

Things usually start picking up in the Fall.

X

My first, I had very few blooms until my original bush bloomed in the fall. Second year, i had lotz more blooms and a REAL big bloom through the fall. This year, I've had blooms all summer, not a day without a brug blooming, tho many melted in the heat. I have early blooms from rootings from the bubbler. Then Eternity and Pink Favorite start to bloom and go for almost three months, take about a month off, then bloom through fall. Tiara blooms early in the spring, with several flushes, takes some down time and has set a tree full of buds and so has Butterfly and Island Girl. What I'm finding is that where I sit right her in south Arky, that my brugs are like lots of other plants that I call repeat bloomers but I have some that are everblooming, but some of those don't have flushes as big at the repeaters. I bet that's clear is mud, which I haven't seen in a long time, but we did have lovely rain and their is a definite hint of fall in the air...

Oh Sherry, don't talk about fall yet, you know, how long ago was it that I told you my Pink Favorite you sent me Yd? Well, it still isn't blooming but has about 30 buds. For such a little fella it is going to have to have real big shoulders to hold them all up when they do open. I have about 30 brug plants and I think I am going on about 8 or 9 that are budded, none have bloomed yet this year.

The cold weather had better hold off or I am heading south with my brugs. LOL

Jeanette

Jnette, I'm thrilled over your PF from south Arky!!!! I hope she blooms!! If not, whack off her best limbs and bubbler them, and pop them in the ground in the early spring. PF takes sun and hardships better than any brug I have - she has NEVER had a single bug or any kind of fungus, mildew, etc. She is truly a hardy girl, and I hope she tolerates your weather as well...so nice to see you!!! My situation is family oriented, all well, but working through problem with Sid's eye, working out very well, his mom's bladder problem and a cough with my aunt. Not to mention my driving my grands to cheerleading/football, etc. And, my grandson working for me (whew) for two months before football, he's 13. And, my oldest grand girl, 15, is working at my office, front office girl, and I started and keep an eye on her too. Then, I have the three twins at home. Not triplets, but my twin grands, 11, and my grand niece, 11, which makes the three twins, hun?? Later, so good seeing you!!!

Oooops. Should have mentioned that while PF is pink and lightly fragrant, she is not the most beautiful girl in the world, b-u-t, here in southeast Arky, she is dependable and blooms all year round (greenhouse in winter)...with very little care...

Me too Gordon, I have the best time when I am with my plants friends online or in person and we do plant chat. I just love looking at everyone's pictures also. It makes the world so much smaller enjoying gardens from all over like we do! Take your garden, so unique and so much fun. How many gardeners would have such a vision to make NYC work for them and in such a grand way?? I so love it! LOL

Oh Jeanette, I agree!! Sherry, no hint of fall yet, PLEASE!!! LOL. If it only were spring again, I could really do a better job this garden season. I still have spring bulbs to go in. I have been a total flop, I fear. Maybe Sherry will rent out her grandson to me. I so need help.

I took me 3 readings but I finally got your 3 twins at home. LOL Sherry! I hope your family all feel better too, those that are ailing. You always are so good to them all. I too prefer the kinds of brugs that bloom in flushes. They always give such a spectacular show. With all the multi crossed hybrids we should get one that blooms in flushes but constantly any minute!! LOL

Boojum, my brugs love foliar feeding and I have used fish emulsion also at times. Though I didn't like the dark stains on the leaves and esp the flowers. I am heavy handed though with all I use. If it is hot I do not think you can overwater unless they are way overpotted. If you think they are wilted due to water rot, they will not perk up when you water. Do not water again until you pull them out of their pot and check their roots. They do get rootbound fast. I have read on this forum, that some people where it is hot and windy, just give their brugs morning sun and they seem to be happy. At least with pots, you can move them around till you find a place that they like. Also, some brugs are just poor performers and others are great. The trick is trying different ones till you find a match for your conditions.

You know Doris, I am going back to the old kind of MG. I used to use that and my plants loved it. Now I have been using other things and also the new MG spray that has the low phosphorus and I can't see any change at all in my plants. The old MG really gave them a visible thrill.

OK Kell..what is the old MG?....I didnt know there was a new one other then the new spray....hmmm wonder if Im using the old stuff and I dont know it..lolol...Judy

Well shoot Judy, I guess they do not make it anymore. I just went to the their website and they do not have it listed. I saw it just recently too for sale so it must have been older stock. The new is 24 8 16, also the green dry stuff that stains your hands. Well at least it has micronutrients in it. LOL

The liquid is 12 4 8 that they are selling now. I saw Miracid is not on their list of fertilizers now too.

What is the old stuff have in it..maybe we still have it..I do know that our store called big lots had the buckets tis last spring and I wondered why they were selling it...it was the bloombooster...let me know exactly what it was and called..maybe I can still get it before its gone..I have used the tall plastic box with the blue stuff that stains your hands..I think the middle number is 53 but not sure...please let me know so I can start looking...Judy

Boojum hang in there you will get blooms eventually and then you will want even more brugs.

Wonderful info Gordon. Thanks for sharing it with us. I can always use more help in the way of info.

Kell, I think the more common MG used was 15-30-15. Then MG added the bloombooster which is off the top of my head I think is 10-50?-10. I do agree that I myself don't like the new MG. I have used Peter's 20-20-20 for the last couple of yrs but Lowes has stopped selling it recently and I am completely out of it. I had to resort to walmart brand (15-30-15) to keep from buying MG 12-4-8. I really really hate when they go messing around with products. I wish I could just go organic completely but I feel I am neglecting the plants if i don't use the blue stuff.

Dott

I used 2 bottles of the new MG spray, and to my old, tired eyes it didn't do a thing. I also purchased some of the liquid MG that you pour directly on the plants, and it didn't do anything either. It is much too expensive to use that way anyway.

Well, I thought I was doing the right thing by planting my brugs in the garden this year. Only one has bloomed. I think I should have left them potted. At this point should I bother digging them up to salvage their root systems or should I cut them at soil level and root? Last Winter (year 1 for me) I kept them in their pots and let them go dormant in the basement (heated at low 60's). What to do this year?

Thanks for the pictures, I live vicariously

Linda

I would love to hear an answer to this myself Linda. I planted a lot of my brugs in the garden but it was by way of leaving them in their containers and just sinking the whole thing into the ground and they did well. I did plant 1 regularly in the ground and it has been a complete disappointment and has just sat there all summer doing nothing.

Dott

I was told when they are first in the ground they are working so hard putting out roots that they don't hve the energy to put out flowers. There was a thread a while back about this. I'll see if I can find it.

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/601677/

This message was edited Aug 15, 2006 11:35 AM