If you get the juice in your eye it will dilate your pupils for several hours or even a few days! Looks very weird!!
I think I'm going to lose my Brugs! What am I doing wrong?
Thanks for the information. I know that I shouldn't mess around with the leaves etc, but never gave it a thought about rubbing my eyes. Go figure!
Well, one month after starting this post and I've got some results pics for you!! NO blooms yet but here is the pic of the one on the left (first pic in this post)
And here's the one on the right (second pic in this post)
And here's a pic of both of them together (in the back behind the newly transplanted Philodendron)
I don't think the placement was well thought-out. If I can get these to bloom for me, I might move the Philo ...
These results are from doing nothing more than Peter's 20-20-20 water soluable (sp?) fertilizer 2-3 times a week in the evenings.
Anyone have any idea on getting blooms?
When I bought these on eBay, the seller (from Houston) said they were yellow then orange blooms. I'm totally new to brugs ... what could this one be? Might it not bloom for me this year or does it only bloom at certain times?
Amanda;
From the look of things, you're doing great with your brugs. Keep it up. Brugs in general do bloom later in the season. Many brugs' fans will overwinter them indoors to get a longer blooming season out of them, for they bloom late in the Fall. With that said, I've a white one that gave me the first flush of blooms a week past. Then they're setting tiny buds again on new growing tips, and branches. Having your Philodrendrum there maybe just what it needed, some filtered shade. Brugs will bloom at their own leasures, and I too, am learning to be patient about their own internal timing of blooms. They look that healthy in the mid. of summer. You're doing something right. Luckily, you've found a reliable e-bay seller that sells quality products. I've found one too, and she belong to our MSF circle, I'm tickled pink with her brugs as well.
Before I found this lady, I traded with someone from Ca. Her brug's cuttings that I traded my plumeria cutting for -- isn't doing too great. None of the cuttings she sent out had any "nubs" on them (too young/green wood). One has bitten the dirt, and the other one is barely alive! No leaves sprouting yet. (sorry, if I sound like I've hi-jack your thread to vent my frustration. I don't want to give this DGer a bad rating; I afraid it's due to lacks of experience on her part, or too greedy trying to get more bugs out of her own few brug's cuttings). Back to our locally found ebayer's brugs vendors. My gratitude is to them dedicated folks. I'll create threads and send out compliments for them in the future. At the mean time, enjoy your brugs.
Awesome pic!!!! WOW!! Yeah, I hear you with frustration on the seller / trader. Mine came in pretty good and put on new growth FAST. I can't wait until they get woody and begin to look like trees. In order for them to do this and grow tall, do I need to pinch off the new growth that grows out the side?
I've a few seedlings from another source, they're growing like you wouldn't believe. I let them be. This white one is planted last year. Thus 3 year-old. Normally they don't bloom from seed until the 2nd year. I planted it last spring, left it outdoor and cut it back to the groun in my zone. This spring it came back from the base, and forming a tree shape on its own without any pinching. It bifocated, then repeated the process to make another set of Y's, thus over all four main branches 1.5' from the main trunk. Thus a full lust shape as seen. Maybe, others with more experience will chime in?
Humm, neat! Well, the one on the left in my yard is forming a tree shape on it's own ... not so much the one on the right. So I staked them both to maybe help them along in that manner. Not sure if it'll work or not.
Hi, I have a bit of experience.... If you want a "standard"-tree like form - snip off the shoots along the trunk. If not, let them grow for a bushier type, or to use as trades or for yourself, later in the season, semi woody is great for starting new plants... hope I helped... Amanda, your's could be a Dr. Suess, too, I think they turn from yellow to orange.. This pic from last year, I started the year before from seed... it reminds me of Equador Pink, but I can't be sure. It's still pretty and is a lot bigger this year, it almost seems top heavy, it's in a 25 gal tub, now.
They need quite a bit of sun to bloom, afternoon shade is good for some that don't like so much. I have a Pink Beauty that waits and waits and waits to bloom, just about the time I'm whacking on them to fit in the basement, it wants to bloom--finally.. I keep all mine in pots, whereas, you are lucky to be able to plant them once.. I did put one in the ground this year. I "planted" an empty 2-liter pop bottle with the cap off, bottom cut off and the capless end buried in the dirt next to the roots. Leave about an inch or so sticking up. Where the capless end sits in the soil, I through in a couple handfuls of gravel so it could drain... Now I put in 2 or 3 scoops of fertilizer a couple times a week when I'm watering, fill it with water to dissolve the granules... I think it helps get the fertilizer to the roots... (just a funny thing I do, I guess)
AuntB - WOW!!!!!!! That is GORGEOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you, the blooms start white and turn pretty baby-girl pink and last for days if it's not too hot. Here is Maya - such a show off... and more like a "bush".
WOW - no kidding! A stunning showoff!!
Almost too much for the plant to carry.. I haven't let it get so bushy this year. I think they are slower to grow in the ground, but so much easier to handle. I get help to lug all my pots to the basement... a friend has a Polaris (big 4-wheeled ATV) we just loadem' on the back and make several trips from the back yard, around the house and to the garage/basement. Of course, that's after I've trimmed and cut back. I think if your's is getting a lot of sun/water/food it will bloom for you. How is the drainage in your soil, that is another important factor.. They Love water, but don't like soggy "feet". I went back to the beginning of this thread and you're brugs do look like they've responded well. Be sure to post bloom pics, I'm sure you'll get some. And the smell at night is intoxicating! Can't wait to see you posting - "FIRST BLOOMS" It is so exciting.
(Sigh) I can't wait to post first blooms, either!!
Soil seems to be fine - it's nothing but lots of clay. I think the drainage is good because we've had tons of rain all throughout July and they've actually done better so... ?
My neighbor just got one of these and she can't wait for hers to bloom, either. I realy want these to get much larger than the Philodendron ... would be nice if I didn't have to move that thing again!
That was what I wanted to ask you about, Amanda. You have them planted with Philos, do they get a lot of sun? I keep my philos in full shade here.
Well - that's a good reason to move the Philo ... Hummmmm ....
It's a newly transplanted Philo so it only has about 3 leaves on it, not enough to give much shade on the Brugs. The new leaves on the Philo are doing great but since it's in full sun, they are growing a tad smaller than in their prior shaded environment, which works for me.
My hubby is NOT going to want to transplant the Philo because I've got a great place for it and that means he'll be yanking up some grass ... :)
grass? What's that? Kind of like the weeds I pull out of the flower beds? lol It'll just be less grass to mow. You might check in the plant files on your particular philo, but I didn't think they liked direct sun.
Well, I have the Tree Philodendron ... I've seen them growing all around here in full sun and doing very well, the leaves just tend to be a little shorter than the fully shaded ones. In fact, mine has recovered from teh transplant vey well and has since put out 2 beautiful new leaves that look very healthy. I do see that it says shade in the PlantFiles so ... ? I dunno. The spot where I would like to move it would be shaded so let's hope he says that's ok! Plus, it would allow me to extend the fron flowerbed, making room for more exotic hibiscus!!!!
Ooooh, AuntB - my husband is NOT going to like you because I'm WAAAY too excited about moving this now!!! ;)
Hey now, I'm not trying to cause a domestic squabble! (the philo will probably do fine where it is, if others are in your area, but....) expanding for hibiscus is just beautifying your and his environment.... ;) not to mention the robustness (robustness?) and luster of the philo! I've been called an "Enabler" before.... You go Amanda! lol I'm thinking of looking into getting one of those small excavators so I can dig holes myself.... hmmmmm... well something like this:
Ha ha, looks like that'll do!
I told him last night that I wanted to move it and he was groaning and moaning! Lol, you know these men. So I told him that he doesn't have to move it, I will! Since he knows I'll actually do it, wether it's right or not, he chimed in and said we'll talk about it more today. :) Soooo - I might get my wish yet!! I've got the PERFECT spot for it ... ;)
I think "talk about it more today" means - Okay, Honey, whatever you wish. You're good to go!
That's what I'm saying!!!
Yep,, that's what it means... you win. LOL.. Aunt B that digger is too much. You could really do some digging with it.
Elaine
So.... Amanda? Umm.....where's the philo today? Really Elaine, my boss has a real mini excavator......hmmmmmmm, hmmmmmmm maybe I could get some "on the job training" - use it, work in my yard on company time? He owns a material handling company, we have numerous big excavators, I tease our operators that I'll fly to where they are and operate the loader for them...Naa, I'll just borrow it on my own time and keep my experience to myself. If I do borrow it, I'll be sure to get a pic. Man o' man, a KS gardeners dream!! I want to scoop out the clay soil and rocks and replace with "good" stuff and plant hosta and shrubs and do some landscaping around my retaining walls... and.. dig a small pond and . . .
Well AuntB, the Philo hasn't moved yet (grrrrrr). My hubby will eventually do it but just not yet. And I can't this weekend - I'm working. So maybe next? I'm going to get out there and start doing it one day while he's home. Then when he comes out to see what I'm doing, he'll want to help me so that I don't "mess things up," lol, as if he gardens in this yard! ;) But I know him, and that's how I'll get it done. :)
Very good. At least you are able to get him to react. :)
Now,, we just 'know' how to get the job done, don't we? LOL..
Elaine
No pressure Amanda... but we're watching this thread for the "big" event.... hope you're having a great weekend. : )
howdy from lufkin, tx!
I think i might have bought my brugs from the same ebayer as you. i got them in may from houston. mine have been not doing great either. have been taking extra care with them and still they grow, then leaves yellow and fall off. it is driving me crazy! i was soooo excited by all the beautiful pictures of the brugs and couldn't wait for some of my own. now i am afraid they will never bloom. let me know how yours are doing and i will do the same. good luck
Ok, no problem. I took the rope tie-downs off of them since they were standing up on their own .... they've grown really well with a LOT of green leaves that are humongous ... about 8 inches long or so? And the trunks are now beginning to get that woody look to them. No blooms yet, but after taking the ropes off I tied them to green stakes from Home Depot and that stressed them out a little at first. Now they are fine (the one on the right was growing curvy and I wanted it to grow straight up liek a tree). There are no more yellow leaves though and they are taking off quick. What really helped them was putting 20-20-20 on them 2-3 times a week. I did read somewhere on here where some Brugs only bloom at the beginning of Spring and then again in November ... so maybe that's what we've got? Will let you know! And let me know if yours bloom first!
BTW, all - My hubby still has NOT moved the Philo. I work at NASA so I've been working the mission 24/7 and haven't been there to be the loving/nagging wife we all know how to be so ... still no move yet. But he DID clean the house for me this weekend - swept, mopped, vaccuumed, scrubbed, dusted, cleaned the carpets, toilets, sinks, counters, stove, you name it! My house smells YUMMY!! And he mowed the grass and wedged the beds (all of this I usually do). I'm thinking he did it to get out of moving the Philo ... but I know it was a lot of work so I've not been asking him about the Philo yet. HOWEVER ... hee hee hee ... the mission is over next week so you can be watching this for some answers then on how the move goes!!!!
Now wait a minute. . . Dont' throw in the towel, yet. If you aren't happy with the brugs you have, please don't give up. I remember the excitement I felt with my first ones.... you need to try a different kind... there are different brugs that can be better bloomers/more tolerant, like more shade, like more sun... and remember, you are learning about them so, try to be patient. Once that first bud pops open, you'll be soo proud. Within the next 2 months there will be DG'ers in zones where Brugs are not winter hardy, who will have lots of cuttings available for trade or postage.. I'd be happy to box some up for you.... but then you'd have to try rooting them and there are several ways, you just keep trying till you find one that works for you, but I think you bought the ones you .
Oh Amanda, what an interesting job! You get to see the lift-offs! COOL! And WOW what a MAN! Dusting, stove, countertops and the bathroom???? This guy is definately a keeper! lol But, i's only fair, cause you work, too. I'm sure he'll move the philo eventually, you know he just wants to play with you about it.
My first year I had 4 or 5 youngins and low and behold, only 1 or 2 blooms each in early September, then they started budding out and it was time to bring them into the basement for winter... I was sorely disappointed. I'd babied and moved them around to find their happy spot, feeding, fussing, bringing inside the house during storms..... and then they start wanting to bloom when there are frost warnings??? Very disappointing, but I hung in there. Some light gets into the basement, so it smelled heavenly down there for days! Some bloomed some buds dropped off... it was a sad sight.....
The pic I posted above on Aug 7th was from last year. Here is the same Brug last night, it's 2nd flush this year. See the side branches in bottom left corner??? Those could be you beginners next babies. It is unnamed/ started by me from seed... very girly and usually (but not in this heat) the blooms last for days! This pic was taken last night, this a.m. they had all turned pink. Probably be mush when I get home :( But there will be more blooms soon and I hope it is about 20 degrees cooler then.
Sorry for my broken sentences in the above post- people at work kept interrupting me, (can you imagine the nerve?) lol
Ooooooooooooooh nice!! Ok, AuntB - I'll be patient!!
Well - No Philo relocation yet ... grrrrrr ... still working on the hubby. But I trimmed back my Brugs last night and put the cuttings in some Rootone and then in some MG potting soil so if they tak root, I'll be passing them along to friends and family. If not, oh well!
But as you can see, my trunks are slowly beginning to brown. Yay!! NO BLOOMS YET THOUGH ... GRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!
Forgive the slight blur, etc ... this was taken from inside my bedroom while the sprinkler was running outside. :)
Amanda-
Just my $0.02 worth...I planted my NOID (rooted) brug in the ground and it didn't really grow worth a darn. Sooo...I dug the brug up and re-planted in the ground in a black nursery pot and added some watersorb crystals in the pot too. I also took off the bottom growth to encourage the brug to grow taller. There are two stems on my brug---like a giant "V"- and one of them "Y'd" already and I have my first brug blooms and have approx. 6 more buds growing. I wasn't feeding my brug at first but now I'm feeding it the "beer fertilizer" twice weekly. I also have been trying to foliage spray once a week with either SuperGro or MegaGro. Unfortunately, I can't post pics of my brug blooms as our PC has crashed but I DO have pics---LOTS!!!
Beer Fertilizer link:
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/665824/
MegaGro:
http://www.megagro.com/megagro.htm?
Gotta find the site for the SG...LOLOL at AuntB re: people interrupting at work...that's where I am also... :)
BBS,
Jan
Super-Grow:
http://super-grow.biz/Products.jsp
So you took off the bottom of the pot to encourage it to grow tree-like? Or the bottom limbs?
that's interesting info - I'll have to try it!
The bottom growth coming from the "trunk", Amanda. If you want your brug like a tree, you have to remove the shoots coming off the stem to have a "clean" trunk. I think you need lots more brugs to keep you intertained while these grow. :) Most of mine I let grow SOME "side shoots" just for trading and giving away in the fall. I guess I like the bushy ones more cause there is more blooms and they aren't as top-heavy to get blown over in our winds, but mine are in pots.