Some pictures you might enjoy

Hi Dawn! I live in zone 5b and my sun my not get as intense as yours, but yes they are in sun all day except for a few morning hours. You really don't have to baby the brugs, they are pretty hardy. Take a cutting at any time it won't hurt the mother plant at all. I don't pot mine up until it's time to go outside in the spring, in my zone after June 1st. They stay in the bubbler all winter long and most of the spring. they will even leaf out and throw an occasional flower in the buckets. Keep the bubblers going and add fresh water when needed. The root system will be a little different than growing in dirt but when you put into the fresh potting soil next spring it will grow additional finer roots and be just fine. I'll be putting all my tropical's to sleep for the winter in the next couple of weeks and will take pictures of what I do. (not saying what I do is right, it just works for me). It is much easier to store brugs in a bubbler than a bunch of big containers, up here space for plants is a premium.

This message was edited Sep 28, 2006 3:37 PM

Thanks Diamond. I will be "watching" this thread. Your poolside is really pretty. Excellent planting combinations. I hadn't thought of sun intensity in the different zones (duh).
Dawn

Hi Diamond123 (Dan)
It's me june_2007 I was your secret trade in July. Would you tell me the name of your yellow Brugmansias? I have just got to have a couple of them! I have checked some web site's but am afraid it might be too hot right now to ship plant's. But if I knew the name of your's I would try and order one as soon as it cools down some. Hope you don"t mind me asking, but your's are beautiful and I have to have some! LOL

Thanks
June

HOLY MOLY! Looking and reading through your thread, I had tons of questions and comments, but I see that most have been made and answered!

OHIO????? You MUST be joking............. no?

I LOVE your Brugs, your chairs, your pool, the floatation devices... well, pretty much EVERYTHING!

Thanks, too, for the instructions on developing a standard brug. I have one that's 8 feet tall - is it a candidate?

Hi June, Most of the yellow brugs I have are Unknown, I do know that one of the crosses is Dr. Suess. They are very similar, but there are some differences.

The standards are now three years old, I overwinter them at 55 degrees along with a ton of other tropicals. Two of them have reached the eight foot mark this year.

This year I will be underplanting with the same zinnias as last, just different colors. (my seed got mixed up somehow so I have all colors underneath).

If I were to do again I would use known Dr. Suess brugs, they are easy to grow and give alot more fragrance and a brighter yellow than my unknowns.

Dan

Wow!!! Diamond123,
I think you have the Midas touch! I want your yard!!

Hi Teresa, I think eight foot certainly does qualify for a standard!

thank you for the compliments! this year I have alot of the same and some more!

Right now, as I sit at my computer writing this, the whole house fan is bringing in the most fantabulous smells from my back yard. The strongest is the night blooming Jasmine, then the brugmansia. It's like each open window has it's own fragrance.

I love all the bright colors of my backyard too! each morning I take my coffee out to the pool area and just sit and take it all in. What a way to start my day!

Thanks
Dan

allgr8dogs, not the midas touch, just alot of miricle grow and water!
Thanks
Dan

I still say you have the synerginistic touch - thanks for sharing these beautiful pictures. Now I have a goal.....

Thank you Dan. Dr. Suess it is then.

Gorgeous Dan. But, you threw me there. You say you pot them up around June 1st? Then you probably put them away for the winter around mid September or the first of October?

I am in the same zone and find that the brugs truly do not take being winterized for 7 months. Do you have light on yours in the winter? The one year I had mine in a lit, and fairly warm basement I lost a lot of them to aphids. I just couldn't keep up with them.

How do you keep the spider mites down with that many brugs so close together?

They are a lot of work for about 4 months of enjoyment aren't they? You must feel they are worth it. I am still wondering.

Jeanette

Hi Jnette, I really don't have any problem with overwintering, in october before a hard frost i take them to the shop, strip all the leaves off and then let them go dormant, no lights, very little water for the next six months or so. I do lose some of the branch tips do to dehydration, but they grow fast when they come out of dormancy. In the spring when the day's get longer they automatically start to put out leaves even with the little light they get from the windows. I think all brugs are mite magnets, but as soon as growth of any kind starts up, I hit them with a systemic and nip it in the bud, I have also been know to spray with orthene. Once they get going they seem to take care of themselves. I really don't find them alot of work anymore since I put them on automatic watering and fertilizer. The ones I have were potted up to the next size this year, they will stay that way for the next two years. I think its worth it, I get a beautiful show all summer long.
Dan

I lost a lot of mine to dehydration even though I watered several times. I'm debating whether to try it another year. I don't mind the work in the summer if I didn't lose so many in the winter. 6 or 7 months in "hybernation" is a lot for most living things I think. I am surprised that yours don't put out weak growth at 55 degrees though.

Maybe that was my problem. I tried to keep the temperature between 45 and 52.

Jeanette

Hi Jeanette, there may be a little weak growth during dormancy but not much. I just forget about them, maybe water once a month. They are a strong bunch of plants. I think you should give it another go, it's worth the show. Maybe try some of the easier ones like Dr. Suess. My Golden lady is the same way, she is a easy growing brug, although this year something bothered her and she sent her first two flushes to the ground. But her third flush is starting off real good and I have high hopes. I did lose my Herrenhauser Garten over the winter and I really don't care, never did in three years give me one flower!

Dan

By the way Dan, may I ask what size the pots are that your beauties are in? Thanks.

Well, my 2 favorites are Tropical Sunset and Grimaldi. Both yellow and I am not a yellow fan.

Jeanette

Hi Teresa, I use the 22inch plastic utility tubs and drill the bottoms outs, alot cheaper to use since I have so many. This year I found them in green.

Hi Jeanette, both of those are great brugs. I had to stop collecting, ran out of space and my yellows filled the need for the yellows, I also have white and pink, singles and doubles.

Yes your yard is a true paradise!!! i hope you are retired to be able to take care of the beatiful garden and pool. Bellie

Hi Bellie, not retired, in fact, business owner and real busy this summer with work. But I still find the time for my little corner of the world. It's a work in progress and I'm never done. That's the fun of it. No idle hands here!
Dan

Beautiful Dan.
I'm in Florida and am now jealous of your pool deck!
You've done a great job.
OHIO.....Seriously!
I feel a little guilty when I hear of all the fuss people in other climates have to make over their brugs. I have 10 along a fence that I have to prune to keep the flowers out of the neighbors yard. They get the least attention of all my plants and grow over 10 feet tall constantly. They must just love this hot as heck and humid as a jungle climate.
Again, wonderful place!
susan

Just discovered this thread today. Wonderful, Dan. I have 4 little seedlings in one pot that I started from seed this spring. Today plan to put into separate pots. Have a white and a double yellow datura but they cannot compare with the brugs. You have inspired me.

Click on his screen name and it will take you to a page that will let you view threads he has started. There you will see many more photo's Dan has taken of his "Garden Of The Gods".

Just to let you know Dan, I felt guilty and gave my "trumpets" some extra care today. I also purchased 2 night blooming jasmine a few weeks ago that I haven't put in the ground yet. Night time here smells wonderful, just hurry before the mosquitos eat you up!
We too, take our coffee out on the deck on the weekends and love the scent and the view. I have an amazing array of butterflies this year. apparently my "butterfly gardening" is working. Thank you Mother Nature!
Susan

you know when the floridians and the texans like your tropical garden, you must have done something right, thanks you guys.

Thanks June! I like that, "Garden of the Gods" a fitting name with the tikki gods I have displayed. Things are a little different this year, I moved alot of plants around and added some more tropicals. 2007 pictures are sure to please everyone too. I am going to wait until my plants get a littler larger to start showing pictures.

Sanita, those night blooming jasmines root up pretty easily, just put some of those branches in water and wait until you see some nubbies, then plant in potting soil. My mother plant is now in it's second season and I have started at least ten plants this year off of her. I know what you mean about the mosquitos!
Dan

diamond 123, you give me hope. I don't have the pool . . . but I am trying for the look on my driveway (lol). This is my first year for brugs. A friend gave me one that is currently sitting on the front verandah; it has 12 buds that I hope will bloom before I go on vacation Aug. 3.

I then bought 3 Ecquador Pinks (3 for 1 sale from Parks). They are in pots on the driveway. They won't bloom this year - but maybe next.

Any secrets in overwintering them?

Hey Seandor, no real secrets, I pretty much ignore them in the winter. I keep them at 55 all winter and water about once a month. I do have bubblers going all winter long too, for the one's I cut off at ground level. They usually put out alot of roots during the winter in the bubblers. This last winter I did experience tougher rooting than normal though.

Dan

okay . . . what's a bubbler and is it legal? lol

An aquirum pump and air stone placed in a bucket of water to keep the water fresh, just add occasional water. Just lke rooting a plant in a glass of water. And it's legal as long as you don't smoke anything in it.
Dan

You're right - it sounds like a hooka (spelling?) lol

Dan,
Thanks for the tip on the NBJ. I've never tried rooting them before. I had 3 I bought for a buck a piece in Sarasota years ago when the K-mart there was closing their gardening center. They were pathetic looking things when I put them in the ground. When we moved 4 years later they were at least 8ft. tall. I'm going to try to root some of these 2.
Again, your place is marvelous. I've only been to Ohio once, 14 years ago ( Cleveland in December) and I have to admit, I was not impressed. You've done a great job.
Susan

Hi Dan!
I for one am anxiously waiting for your pictures, this year!!
You make our zone 5 look like we're tropical!!
I'm happy to see you are still prettying up your neighborhood!
I can't wait to have your "unregistered Pink Mist" bloom. I'm about to fertilize it more!!
Bonnie

Bonnie good to hear from ya! So that big ol' stick I gave you made it through winter, glad to hear it. My "Pink Mist" are planted in the ground again this year. I just kept two for standards and gave the rest away, got to pass the brug around.

I have yet to have a bloom, but it is giving way to alot of buds. Both pinks were put in the front yard this year and I put my yellows and whites in the back yard.

I put a new flower bed in the front this year and put "Pink Mist" as center piece. It is a full 8' tall from the ground and looks real good where I put it. Just waiting for the show. I know my "Pink MIst" brug wouldn't do that well on the show table, if there were one, but I grew it from seed and I like it. Let me know what you think of it when yours blooms.

Hey! I miss your company, you and Dave are great people, we need to get together soon and chew the fat. Maybe drink a beer or two. My place or yours, think about it let me know. I know your at the lake alot.

Talk to ya later!
Dan

Hey Dan, I have my first bloom on your Pink Mist!
It has 6 points and I loved watching it bloom!

OMG Ladyblue! That's going to be GORGEOUS! Please post a pic of it when it's opened!

Here's pink Mist, opened.

Here she is coming and going
Bonnie

Wow Ladyblue! Those are beautiful... Do I see a hint of blue tones?? Such a nice touch... about now, it is very much appreciated to see your photos of beauty! What is her fragrance like? Congratulations!

I agree, from the photo it does look like it has lavender tones. Very dainty and pretty, makes me want to sit down next to her with a cup of tea ;P

diamond123 - your backyard paradise is FANTABULOUS!!!!

Thank you Amanda, those are last years photo's, I will be taking photo's here in a little while. Pretty much the same, but still different from last year. Here is a photo of a tropical Hibiscus I received in a trade.

This message was edited Aug 29, 2007 3:51 PM