Hi all.
Have you northern zone brugmasters taken yours out of hiding yet? I have about 8 of them in the basement still. 3 of them are starting to put on new leaves. I'm debating about taking them up yet as I don't have a place to put them except for outside. Or in my garage.
What should I do?
Lora B.
Out of the Basement???
Hi LoraB, I'm in 5b, (might be 6a, now?) If you want to bring them up, could you set them right outside the garage w/filtered sun or shade? Then you could bring them in the garage if the temps dip, but I wait until May 1st down here... I have one blooming in the basement right now, but it's been growing all winter under fluorescent light. I don't like the temps to be under 45 at night when I bring them out. Everything in the basement wants to come outside, but I'm waiting.....
Thanks AuntB. I think I might keep them in for another week and then bring them up to against the house. Or
I might be able to bribe the kids into helping me clean out a space in the garage for them. They're really too big for me to be moving back and forth.
Did you have any problems with mites or aphids this winter in your basement?
Yep, the aphid battle continues.... I long for 50 degree night temps. I have hibiscus and other stuff down there, but they just love my brugs. How did you fair with "winter visitors"? I have kids to do the lugging too, but it takes some coordination to get more than 1 or 2 here at a time... 4 is great, it goes faster. How long have you grown brugs, Lora?
This is my 4th year with brugs.
You'd think I would have figured it out by now but I continue to second guess myself!
I'll be posting another question about root pruning in a couple of weeks. My dh made me promise I won't pot up to a larger size. He could barely get the 2 biggest out of the basement.
I don't have any probs with pests in the winter as I let everything go completely dormant. But I was thinking next year I might start putting them under a light around beginning of March just to get a head start on the season.
I have my established brugs inside my garage by my west facing garage door. If It gets above 50 degrees, I open the door and let them have some fresh air and sunshine. They are starting to put on new growth. I will be root trimming and repotting Saturday and Monday when the temps go into the high 60's and low 70's. I am starting to mist them with the "recipe" every day. I only have 7 that are established and still in last years pots so it is manageable for me. (I gave up my parking spot in the garage for my brugs, I think I must like them or something).
Good luck.
Marie
Marie, yep, yer in love... ROFL... I mean lots of people park their cars outside... garages are for storing things. How nice the temps getting into the 70's! I haven't tried the recipe, yet.. I need to use up some stuff I have, but I do want to try it. Lora, the biggest pot I get is the cord-handled plastic tubs for around $6 or $7 at the box stores or Dollar General.. I've only "blown out" one handle in 7 or 8 years.. Makes it nice for 2 people to muscle. I have help, I can't lift anymore. Hey, I'm still learning new brug stuff, there are lots of different ideas and techniques, just have to find the one that works for you, I guess.. I can't seem to germinate a seed this year, (no problem a few years ago when I didn't know it could be tricky) But I was told just the other day that I can be stubborn, lol, so I'll agree and keep trying until I run out of seeds..
B, I am still getting little seedlings poking out from what I planted Jan 25th. I gave up on them and used the soil to put around other plants as I was potting them up to larger pots. I have little ones popping up occasionally. I have 8 so far that have come up after I have used the soil to pot others up to a larger size. Nice surprises.
Marie, thanks for the encouragement... .. so, shall I dump the bagged seeds into other occupied planters and ignore? I've got that versi pod yet to tend to, maybe I can get them coming up everywhere (okay anywhere, would be great).
B,
I am new at this. If I dumped again, I would write the names of the dumped seeds on the tag also so I would know which one is sprouting. I can't believe how this has worked. Maybe they felt sorry for me or something.
My sister was just here. She said she had never seen such healthy looking seedlings anywhere. I was very pleased. I must say most are looking good. I still have some that are just sprouting. Still waiting. Now I am potting up all my tender bulbs. So excited to see what comes up. The Dahlia's that I dug last year will be potted up tomorrow.
Have fun and good luck,
Marie
Thanks Marie...Oh, okay.... the pity sprout... I'd accept that, lol.. thanks for the tip on tagging my organized "dump".. Marie, I'm so glad you caught your babies before they were hauled away. Isn't it great how something so natural and simple can make your day/week/month? Gardening and it's people are the best!