starting brug in water

It's just so new to me I want them all to live.I've been given cuttings from some some very generous DGers :*) I want to grow them so that I can share also.

i also lost one last summer to rot--but i am trying again and just put the little greenhouse top made of the litre bottle on top--

I made me some of those bottle greenhouses and the rest of of my babies are looking good. :)

planolinda Aransas Pass is a good place to live if you like 90 % humidity and hot most of the year except December, January and Februrary. I like it since I moved off the water. Everyone wants to live on the water but it will kill all of your plants and rust out every piece of metal not coated. LOL Other than that I would not live anywhere else but maybe further south on the coast.

Joyce, I was just perusing this thread instead of cleaning house. Funny how things never really change. With me and with the brug forum! LOL! And it is so true how everyone must find the best method that works for them

Your pic of you rooting in moss reminded me of a picture I had seen years ago by Poppysue. She was a great gardener who gardened here with us for quite a while. Here is her thread on rooting brug cuttings in moss from October 2002
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/362350/

And here is another great thread on rooting brugs. Barb was great at using moss!
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/575527/

Here is Poppysue's picture.

LOL Kell, The brug forum is still my best reason not to work. LOL

Yep! That is exactly where this method originated... I knew of Poppysue, but I don't think she was around the brug forum when I came along. Too bad, I'd loved to have "met" her here.
The moss method made the rounds, I got it off another thread, and I guess I brought it back to life.. at least for me anyway! I swear by it.. Such a space saver, no mosquito problems, no fungus gnats, and I am learning that it works better for green cuttings rather than the big fat ones.. I rooted several 2" tip cuttings using moss. Then to share, you grab a brug burrito, stick it in a box and off it goes!

I was around for the second thread by Barb.. I remember that one, but never tried it! That thread was the one that sparked my memory of Orchid Moss and how well it works with brugs!

To be honest? I never dreamed I ever have any reason to root that many cuttings! Hello?? LOL How stupid was that? LOL

Actually, I think I will mix Sphagnum moss with the Orchid Moss since there are many "yuckies" that cannot survive in sphagnum (the one that causes dampening off is the only one I can recall at the moment) In Poppysue's thread she mentions..

Oh, Kell, I can always count on you for anything brug-related! I have enough cuttings to try several methods your links provide. Right now they are still in water with a little H2O2. Two stems are from the plant that grew from your seed, and their mother is now a year and a half, so will bloom this year. I have to update my journal to record all these developments.

I have finally realized that these are TREES and need root space. Coping with them in winter is another matter.

Hugs --Andrew

Hello to everyone here.
I am a definite newbie with Brugs. I have seen them over the years in various gardens and thought , how lovely, I'd like to have some, but I never did until now.
The lovely chrissy ,from our Australian forums, sent me a cutting. I immediately put it in a pot with a mix of river sand and potting mix . This is what i use for my cuttings. On reading this entire thread, maybe I should have started it in water.
I will try that on the next one. Yes, there will be a next one as I have seen the colors available.
My newbie question is, can I grow them in pots permanently ?
I live on a hill and no matter which part of the garden I would use , there is going to be wind which is very often a strong gusty wind no matter what the season.
I thought I could grow them in pots. gradually increasing the size to a manageable large one. This way I could keep the pots in non windy areas that don't have any soil to grow in. , such as patios and other corners.
What do you think ?

Hello 77Sunset and welcome to the brug forum! What a wonderful thing to have a fellow DGr share with you! That is how a lot of us get started.. that is so cool. Chrissy seems like such a love.

Whatever method produces roots for you is the right one.. it doesn't matter how you do it, these are all suggestions and experiements, and tried and true methods.. nothing is written in stone.

Yes, you can grow them in pots. Here is what I learned here..
Start rooted/rooting cuttings in a 20 oz cup with drain holes or a 4" pot.. then when the roots show through the bottom.. graduate to a 1 gal.. then 5 gal then 15 gallon pot.. and if it's a real special one.. a 25 gal. size. It's better not to graduate too large too fast as that could cause the roots to stay too wet and cause rot.
Then dig them up every year the spring to trim the roots and freshen up the soil. Throw a couple handfulls of steer manure and slow release fertilizer as a "snack" and fertilize weekly in the spring and watch em take off.

Thank you ZZ. It seems that you can treat them as a giant Bonsai really.
I will be able to do the root pruning when I do my Bonsai as well. There is going to be competition in the garden now between all my epiphyllums and my as yet to get Brugs.
I think I need to have a lot of them. If this sounds like a plantaholic , I am.
I have 2 acres of garden but can still fit more plants in.
Have a happy and safe Christmas everyone .

Wow... 2 acres! How fantastic is that!!! Yes, giant Bonsai.. that is great. The tools and the pots are a lot bigger, but the method is somewhat the same. Bonsai fascinates me.. 2 acres of garden strikes my curiosity too! We would love pictures of your garden!
You have a Safe and Happy Christmas too 77.

Hell ZZsBabiez. . I really love my garden and do like showing people around. If you'd like a tour with afternoon tea. please come in. I call my "design" organised chaos as I like to see things growing into each other and hanging over the paths.
If everyone else doesn't mind me taking a few minutes of brug time I'll show you around.
These pics were taken about a month ago.
Happy gardening all
I have my first little brug standing up well now and am awaiting 3 more apricot cuttings.

Through to another part of the garden

Have a look around here then we can sit down for a cuppa and bikkies.

More. Sunset show us more! Your place is relaxing and eye-popping at the same time....a combination not easily achieved. I have loved your little tour and would very much enjoy seeing what's around the next bend.

La

(what are bikkies?)

77 your garden is awsome!!! I love it...very inviting. :)
You must tell us what bikkies are.

Ah there IS somebody else roaming the boards tonight. I am supposed to be doing Cristmas preps but I am so not in the mood this year. I am procrastinating big time.

Yeah I am here baking pies :*) roaming right along witcha. ;~)
Lemon meringue...yuck..lol

What lovely gardens you have! What a nice place to have a cuppa and some biscuits (??)

All done.... pie anyone?
:*)
Kim

Hello Lala_Jane,teresa and kimarj.
How nice of you to come in and visit my garden . It covers about 2 acres and winds around the house . I do have some areas sort of set aside for different plants such as the rose garden, the native ares, the daylilies and I have just finished planting 130 irises.There are 5 shadehouses. One is zygos or your Christmas Cactus, one is for ferns and one is for some of my 400 or so epiphyllums. The others are for whatever I can put in there. There is another paddock ( field) but hubby says , stay out, thats his area for his Ham radio antennas etc. I am going to have to look at where I can make my Brugmansia area. It gets so windy here. I am going to try them in pots so they can fit in the more sheltered areas. I am looking forward to my first flowers hopefully next season.
Sorry about the bikkies, they are our slang for biscuits, or maybe in US you would say cookies.
I will add a couple more pics then let you get back to your Brugs. I just love seeing those beautiful colors.
Have a great time over the holiday period . It's Christmas Eve here so Happy Christmas all.

Some of the roses. There are seats around so feel free to sit and enjoy.

As you come in our gate.

Thank you you for sharing such a lovely and special place.
Seasons Greetings !!

You have a beautiful garden, sunset. I've been taking a quick peek for the last few days. We're having too much fun visiting our two boys so not much time left. Merry Christmas!

Thanks so much for sharing your special place Sunset. Oh what I wouldn't give for 2 acres........especially in a warm zone!

(Kim I love lemon meringue pie and haven't had it in years. They look delicious!)

Kim.. Really Great looking pies... I'd eat all you have... lemon or otherwise..
Sunset... well .. yo've got a lovely garden there... great flowers and plants... real wild looking.... like it's naturalized... and it's just the way things grow naturally... and two acres... you've aroused a bit of space envy here... me.. I allways suffer from that one.. I grow on maybe..
1/33 of an acre...and havemaybe three dozen brugs along with my roses... so you have a brug capacity there of maybe 2360 brugs yourself.. no wonder the envy..
keep up the good work. it .looks great... Gordon

This message was edited Dec 24, 2007 9:36 AM

LOL space envy I didn't have room for 3 noids(very small front yard). Now because of the kindness of some very generous DGers I have about 15 brug babies.Oh my whats a girl to do? :*) he he he.Gonna sprout me some seeds also......mmmmm the roof looks pretty sturdy!!
Thanks about the pies La and Gordon. Stay warm have fun it's the Holidays.
:) Kim

Merry Christmas 77Sunset and thank you so much for the pictures of your garden! I am so impressed!!! It is so beautiful..

It's Christmas Eve here.. it's sooo quiet for a change! Lovin it..

Enjoy your peace Joyce.
Merry Christmas!! to you and yours. :*)
Kim

Thank you Kim! Merry Christmas to you and yours too..

Merry Christmas to all!!!!!!

2 acres sounds like a dream come true. Gorgeous!

Thank you everyone for the lovely comments on my garden. I hope you all had a happy time over Christmas and that the New Year brings you good things.
I have some new Brug cuttings now and am going to try starting them in water. They are an apricot flower so I will have a good start on a Brug garden in company with my first lonely little one . I have also looked at getting some seed from a red one. I hope I will have a lot of pics to show in the future.
Happy gardening all.

I am bunping this thread because some was asking how I root Brug cuttings and I believe they will get lots of good information here.

Thanks for bumping this thread up, kenboy. It's a good place for my question.
I usually root Brug cuttings in water, but ZZ sent me some cuttings rooted in the moss. The first few developed small thick roots and, despite ZZs warning that her cuttings died if she tried to remove the moss, I removed the moss and planted the rooted cuttings in small pots. Those are growing well. This week-end, I potted the last cutting but had to leave the moss on because the roots were too entwined with the moss.

My question has to do with watering a potted cutting that still has the moss wrapped around it. Moss tends to hold lots of water and stay moist longer. Will the surrounding soil wick the water away from the moss to prevent root rot? Or should I be more careful about watering and allow the soil to dry out a bit more to avoid problems? How long before the moss rots?

Betty, I have been planting the moss cuttings all different ways to find out what is best.. wet, moist, dry, etc.
I have found that If you take the moss off.. it's the same as regular rooting.. better on the dry side.
I have found that if you leave the moss on.. you can water a lot more than if they were only in soil with no moss. Strange.. but I think the moss leaves some air between the roots and the soil and even though it holds a lot of water they seem to do just fine.

Thanks Joyce for the information. All but one of the cuttings you sent me rooted and are growing out in the greenhouse.

ZZsbabiez I am really interested in your cuttings started with moss. I am very new to growing brugs. I sent for 4 cuttings and now don't know what to do. I'm going to go your way when they come. I will get some moss tomorrow and be ready for them. My ? do you soak your moss in water then put your cutting in it and roll it up and then roll it in bubble wrap. I have some rock wool sheets and wanted to try a cutting in that? Has it been tried before? With RW they say to get it wet then wring it out so it is not to wet. I also thought I would put rooting hormones on them first. What do you think? Ladybug

You know Ladybug.. it's probably easier to just put them in jars with a couple of inches of water and change it often. When they get the lil white "nubbies" you can just pot them up in 4" pots.
Unless you are tight for room, gonna ship the cuttings, or are going to overwinter them in moss.. I'd say just use water. You'll have plenty of things to spend money on as soon as they get going.. LOL
I had issues with rooting with water and also needed more room for a gazillion cuttings. (in comparison to the space I have).. It so happened the moss method was the perfect solution to my problems.
I also wanted to have the cuttings ready to ship and have a place to keep them for several months.. more reason not to root in water or soil for me.
On the other hand, just for fun and for other types of cuttings... the moss is great! I use a cut up ziplock bag for the plastic strips.. leave the bottoms open for drainage. I even use the moss in a regular pot! Works well either way.. I get the moss wet with a solution of the "recipe" on the other thread. (more money.. LOL) OR just some peroxide and Superthrive in water.

No bubble wrap.. just plastic.

I have never used Rockwool for cuttings.. I've tried it for seeds.. but don't like it. I don't like that it never decomposes..

Rookwool has never worked for us for cuttings or seeds.