In fact, I'm not even certain if I've ever ~seen~ them before, believe it or not. BUT, after lurking on here for a few weeks, I do believe that I've got to give these plants a try.
So, can you recommend good varieties for a complete beginner to get her feet wet with?
Thanks!
I've never grown Brugmansia or Datura
You know, I do not think there are brugs that are easier than others to grow for beginners to start with. I know other kinds of plants can have beginner ones. I have been researching Amorphophallus this week as my latest need, and I have run across a few that say in their descriptions that they are not for beginners. But in brugs, I think it is more what is available and also your taste. The flowers can be quite different looking in their presentation and characteristics. Though my DH swears they all look the same to him. LOL
I would not buy the sangs though. I think most people love Frosty, Rosamond, and Charles Grimaldi. These would be my picks for beginners in that are probably readily available too. And free flowering. But there are so many that are just great!
It might be good to see which ones can withstand heat more if where you live gets real hot in summer. I think most can kind of droop in the heat. By nature the flowers open wider at night to encourage moths to come and pollinate them.
WELCOME to the brug world, wrightie!!! I bet you fall in love with them.
This message was edited Feb 15, 2007 2:56 AM
Thanks, Kell. Your information is a good starting point. I've been looking for plants with height, fragrance, and "drama" to put in my Big containers on the patio.
Our summers can get very oppressive with heat & humidity, but I do have some shaded (high filtered as well as deep) areas where I can place them if they need protection.
Edited to Note: Btw, by "beginner" I meant that I'm new to Brug's, but I'm not new to gardening as a whole. :>)
This message was edited Feb 15, 2007 6:40 AM
Just following up to say that I picked up some Datura Blackcurrant Swirl http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/49910/index.html seeds today. They are soaking now and I'll sow them tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing what pops up!
Now that you have posted here you know there is no turning back! Once you feast your eyes on these plants it's all down hill from here. It becomes an addiction, & the folks here don't help you keep from that addiction, actually the opposite, you get sucked in , pots, soil, trowel & all!
I came to DG looking for info. on Tarro Root (Elephant Ear), here it is 3 years later & 140 Brug plants, a new Kubota tractor & a huge greenhouse to over winter them in. Yep! It's an addiction! A well loved addiction tho. Oh, there's only one Elephant Ear in that greenhouse.
You won't meet a nicer group of enablers any where than here at DG.
Welcome to the world of "Brugmania".
Bj
HOORAY! HOOOOOOOOOOORRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!!!!
I didn't think that this day would *ever* arrive. But, alas, it has... My first Brug' bloom - Cypress Gardens.
Congrats. She looks great and so pretty with the blue pot.
wrightie Congratulations! I know how excited you are! This was my first year for blooms too and I can say it puts a big smile on your face for sure.
Deborah
Congrats! It is always exciting, even after your first blooms! I agree, the blue pots look great!
Thats when you really get hooked after that.
Great Googly Moogly, I went out last night night to give her a whiff ......... I had to sit down. I really didn't know what to expect regarding fragrance but I sort of anticipated "sugary sweet," if you know what I mean. Sheesh. This smelled like a bottle of perfume to me. In an understated and elegant way. Heaven. ... and I think I read over here that Cypress Gardens isn't even one of the better smelling brug's, is that about right?
I do have several other brug' babies, but they aren't showing signs of flowering. This is fun! It's *your* fault, all of you, because it was reading *your* posts that got me curious. lololol
The blue pots - I struck gold at "Tuesday Morning" last year and bought up tons of similarly colored, but differently shaped, sized ones. Yummy.
Last summer we had a new grandson and bought our first brugmansia plants for our new garden. I knew how to overwinter the baby, but the 3 plants baffled me. I took them all in and had dropping leaves and aphids all over the place. I have read about overwintering them in a place that stays around 40 degrees in the winter, but our garage and shed get much colder than that and the basement is heated.
Can someone give me a "Brugmansias for Dummies" course on how to make them small and keep them somewhere safe.
Another problem I have is that if I am not home all day to water them at least twice, they droop. I have read that this drooping state severely limits the number of flowers that I get. Any advice to help with this.
I am new to DG and am loving it. So helpful and the dialogue is worthy of being published.
What a cute baby. Leave about six leaf nodes on all the branches above the Y and cut the rest off. It will resemble an umbrella without the cloth. LOL! Let it get rather dry but never bone dry. If you take it to the basement and put it in a dark spot, remembering to water it once in a while, it should remain semi dormant. Next spring, remove the weak growth and let it grow again. You can root some of the branches for friends or for a spare in case you forget to water the big one and it doesn't make it. I have to tell you that I have a Mountain Magic brugmansia in my garage that I didn't want this year....I had two. I left it in there and it has had no water or light since very early spring and it is still growing. It even has some big leaves, so I guess I should water it and let it remain right where it is until next year. LOL!
Thanks so much Brugie.
One of my plants bloomed a month ago and now the other two are starting to bloom. I realize now that I have another one on the deck.
I will try cutting them back according to your instructions and I will put them in the basement (even though it doesn't get cold down there...right. Just mostly dark in one of the back rooms.
So if I want to root some, I should do it now, right?? Do I just cut off a piece and put it into water, or is it more complicated than that.
Regards
Teri
You might have a little better luck doing it now, but later will work too. Water or soil...either should work. I personally, have better luck with soil.