My first Brug - I planted it in the Spring, and it's grown a LOT larger than I thought it would. It's crowding out other plants, and is being hemmed in, as well.
As you can see, it likes the cooler weather here in central FLA.
Can anyone give me advice on transplanting? I have the perfect spot for it, where it can grow as large as it wants. Do they transplant well?
Steve
mine do
phicks - even big ones?
I find I can take off quite a bit of the root and even if it wilts badly it does perk back up. I used to be much more careful about taking off the same amount off the crown that I thought I was taking off the roots but of late I have taken much less off the crown and they still did great.
If you do feel you took lots off the root ball, I would trim the crown a lot also just to take the added stress off the the plant trying to recoup.
However I am not sure I would to it at this time of year. Brugs seems to naturally slow down a bit in winter and it may have trouble. I find spring is the ideal time to repot and to replant for even if I do take a lot of rootball the plant is in growth mode and just wants to take off and recover.
I do not know how cold you get there but here in winter it is too cold and wet to cut them. That would encourage rot.
Good luck and you brug sure looks pretty!
Kell,
Thanks. Waiting for Spring isn't a problem - I was thinking ahead, and planning. I'm going to wait until Spring, cut down the crown considerably, dig out the entire rootball, and probably split it in two before I replant.
As you can imagine, Summers (and early Fall) are hot here, and the plant has flowered a lot more since the weather has cooled. We've had a few nights in the 40's, but nothing colder than that yet. We usually get 2 or 3 nights during the Winter where the temp dips just below freezing.
Steve
I notice too they like the cooler weather. I get frost here too just once or twice and that is all that is needed to take my leaves off my brugs! Shoot!
You really do not have to dig out all of the rootball. It is amazing how fast they recover and it will just take off in spring. Also I wouldn't cut below the Y whatever you do, it sets you back too much for your early blooms. I also try to leave at least 4 nodes to each branch but 6 is better. You want it to shoot out at each node to form a dense canopy. Is this a tree form or a bush? I do not have much experience with digging out bushes. But I assume you want to preserve above the Y as much as possible also so you get flowers soon.
I find my in grounds love steer manure added heavily to their hole.
Good luck, Steve!
Kell,
Thanks for the advice; I'm new at all of this.
I need to remove the plant from it's current location - there's just not enough room for it where it is, and surrounding plants are being stunted. I'll make sure that I trim well above the Y.
I have access to as much horse manure as I want. I'm going to get a truckload soon, and let it ferment before spring planting.
Steve
They should love your horse manure! Your whole garden will.
If yours is a bush form, you may want to cut a sucker off near the roots to root to make a standard. Or trim off all but one straight shoot where it is located now to control the size. I have a small yard and the lollipop form really helps brugs not take up my whole yard. If I let it form a bush I am in trouble. Brugs get huge if left undisturbed in the ground in warmer areas.
Here is a thread on how to make a standard brug. Fast and easy especially in spring. Hey I can see spring is on its way now...............
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/554205/
Here is a new standard in my courtyard. You can see how by just keeping 1 trunk it stands over my other plantings but not taking over! I also get to underplant which is great to have room for more plants.
Kell,
This is great info.
I'd love to make a couple of standards from my plant. The only straight branches on it are about 10 feet tall.
Can I cut them a few feet from the roots? If they're not too tall, I can keep them in the GH, which I keep heated, until things warm up here.
Steve
