advice & help please

I am a newbie,,,, i'l admit it,,,,,

I'm not even done making and filling my flower beds with dirt yet but i purchased a brugs cut from ebay and it will be delivered soon and i do not know how to take care of it .........not a clue!!

I should have thought of this before i purchased it but it was pretty. and well i liked the name,,,,wild child!!......i also have some seeds,,,,

Could some direct me in the right way and tell me how to care for my plants properly.........

thanks

JMR

Here goes....

These are tropical plants and have to be taken inside in winter, where you live. Cannot stand freezing. If you are just getting a cutting, will have to be rooted before potting. There are many ways to root, in jar/water, under lights, or in loose soil/good drainage, whichever works best for you. They will need lots of fertilizer to bloom in summer, can go outside when weather is warmer, they prefer temps 70-80-90 degrees.

Hope this helps.

Gloria

what kind of fertilizer should i get...... what about he seeds and i just plop them in some soil since they will stay in their pots? how big of pots do you suggest?

Hey if I can manage not to kill these plants anybody can do it!!! I use the same fert that I use on my trop. hibiscus. I use Miracle Gro 24-8-16 and put a tbs. of Epsom Salt per gallon of water for the potted ones only.

Well brug seeds are a litle tricky, gnats get in the damp soil, lay eggs and eat insides of seeds. I start mine in seed mix, scalded to get rid of any bugs, let cool, plant seeds, barely cover, water once lightly, put plastic bag over, put under florescent lights upstairs, they need to be kept warm enough, 73-80 degrees.

Any fert. 20-20-20, 18-18-21, or any numbers like AuntAnne said.

Can I start them now since they will be in pots,,,, then my question is once you bring them outside in the summer and then bring them inside again how do you get the bugs out of the pot from the summer? Or should I leave them on my sunporch that gets like the tropics during the summer?

thanks you ladies you are all so helpful,,,I am so glad i stumble on to this sight when i did!!

JMR

If your sun porch is that sunny and warm, that's where I'd put things. Wish I had something like that. And I've never really had probs with bugs in the house from pots.

Anne

What is seed mix? is that potting soil from Miracle Gro?

Really I know my questions are silly But if I do not ask how will i know and learn! LOL

JMR

I think Hibiscus was talking about seed mix for when she starts seeds. For your cutting, a good soil might be something like a standard potting mix (Like Miracle Grow soil) mixed with 50% extra perlite.
If you're gonna try seeds, any soil made as a seed starting mix will work fine. They usually have ingredients like vermiculite, peat moss, & perlite.

Hi Jane,
Sorry I can't help you any with seeds, I have never tried them from seeds, as for your cuttings the first thing is to not panic, yes, some of them are hard to get going from a cutting & I am not sure on Wild Child, as I don't have that one, but over all I have found rooting in water is the best (FOR ME) I change the water every day or 2 & the roots just happen, I would wait till next year before you worry about bringing bug's in the house, but keep in mind if your sun room is not heated they will not survive a freeze, You will get some awesome advice from people with better knowledge than myself here, but I just wanted to share with you what I have from the little sticks I got in the mail, When they are rooted & planted YES, THEY love the fertilizer I use Miracle grow. Potted in Miracle grow moister control potting soil, now keep in mind this is just my way:)
I just brought mine in 2 days ago, this is just some of them:) will post a PIC of ones in water just over a week in a minute, as I can only post 1 PIC at a time.. Hope this helps you some:)Anita

Guess that was not the best PIC I have ever taken...but you get the point I'm sure.
Here are some I started for a fellow DGer just a bit over a week ago.

Oh my god, I am in over my head!!!

But I am going to jump right into it!

So if anyone would like to swap me for a a few different cuts of brugs,,,,i don't have plants to trade but i do cast some cute concrete faces and other things,,I'd be more that happy the swap for!!! some pics below,,,

you can d-mail if you like

JMR

Pic is blurry

head and feet

This message was edited Oct 13, 2007 6:33 PM

oppps wrong pic

don't bite the hand tha feeds you,,,lol

Grumpy

Very good pic of cuttings started in jars/water. That is how I start all of mine, but inside house, under florescent lights.

Tom said it all. I buy regular small bag of seed mix, it has vermiculite etc. a fine mix for seed sowing, or you can make your own. Also use Miracle Gro potting soil for plants, mine has some perlite already in it, I usually add 2/3 more, to make soil loose and drain easily.

modern day scare crow

face only

Hi Jane,
I would LOVE to trade you some Brugs for your art.
If they are real heavy I think it would cost to much to ship them though. are they? :)Anita

hey anita,,,

d-mail me

depends on what you want...........

jmr

i love the flate rate boxes!!

NYVOICE99 I am awe struck by your picture! What made me more interested was your location! Ok. Can you share...where do you put these plants, do you grow them
on after taking them inside, and if so ...HOW?????
Do you root prune, change soil, what is your process and how do you over winter them?? Pleas share. I am totally inspired!! I don't have any although I have growing
growing set up in my basement. I also keep 2 fully loaded Costco adjustable metal 5 shelved racks with plant stock over the winter. But I am dying for my first Brug and would love it if you could find the time to share your experience. I would be forever
in your debt!!

Jazz,
I have to go box up 2 trades & get some house work done & then I will come back when I have some time today:)Anita

HI Jazz,

From end of May till Sep-Oct depending on the weather they are all outside on my deck, the rest of the year they are under 12 cheap 4' shop lights in my basement. I only fertilizes just before they are going outside & while they are outside, I stop fertilizing over the winter, as I don't want them to keep growing anymore than they already do.
As I said above, I root mine in just water changed frequently (Every day or 2)
When I have a WELL rooted cutting I plant in this size container with Miracle Grow potting soil with moister control (I used to just use the plain till this came out) Water once a week with Miracle Grow fertilizer & just plain water if needed more than once a week. Hot summer I sometimes have to water everyday:(

After they have out grown the above container I tease the roots & plant in this size with fresh MG potting soil, same watering applies.

After they have out grown the above container I tease the roots & plant in this size with fresh MG potting soil, same watering applies. Now I have a 7-8' tree, I think in the spring I will be root pruning to keep them from having to go to a bigger container, I may also try it with the above size, cuz they are VERY HEAVY & I would like to move them myself, but I can't due to the size of them in the biggest container. Trust me I do nothing special with them at all. Hope this helps you:)Anita
THIS IS ONLY MY WAY OF GROWING THEM, IT MAY BE WRONG, BUT IT WORKS FOR ME:)