What's wrong with my stick?

brugs are new for me and especially trying to grow sticks. I am having problems with this one. When it was in the water getting roots, the top had a tiny soft spot on it, but it grew roots and had a leaf growing our at the top.

Well, I noticed the leaf at the top has died and there is two new leaves growing from the base of the stick and the top part of the stick is like dying and curling all up and looking icky.

What cna I do to save my stick and what did I do wrong that might have caused this.

Hi Ella,
Brugs aren't new to me, but I'm learning more, and more by experience. I discovered brugs. in years past. I planted a mature specimen in the garden, and didn't think twice about them until they bloomed -- then I wanted to know more about them....

What's kind of brug. is that you're trying to propagate? Most of them are fairly easy to root by cuttings. Yours looks as if the cutting was dehydrated, but if it has taken root. Simply trim off the withered portion. That will encourage the healthy tissues to grow.

By my experience, the double blooming kinds are difficult to root and flourish in my garden. That said, I have a few that's slow growing, but they are getting larger, and bigger, though their growth rate is not as roburst as some NOID brugs that I've seen growing here.

Best of lucks with your cutting,
Kim

Ella, as Kim says some Brug cuttings are more difficult to root than others. The time of year that the cuttings are taken also has an influence on how well they root. Generally, they root best spring through early fall depending on where you live. Some are so easy to root they will root in almost anything. Others will rot no matter how I try to root. The thing to remember is not to overpot. I've had cuttings root in water or in 3-1/2" X 3-1/2" X 5" pots successfully only to die when I re-pot into a 1 gallon container. It is possible to overwater Brugs especially if they are not growing vigorously.

Roots formed in water are different than those that form in the soil. They are thicker and more brittle. When rooting in water, it might be best not to let the roots gat longer than an inch (although I have forgotten and planted out really long rooted ones). Or keep the cutting in water just long enough to form the white nubs then plant the cutting into small pots or 16 oz plastic cups with holes punched in the bottom. A 1 gallon pot is too large for a cutting to start with. The new roots that form are very susceptible to rot so you don't want to overpot. It could have been your problem if you planted the cutting into a gallon container from the beginning.

Some Brugs will exhibit die-back and will continue to die back if you cut into live tissue. I would wait until that portion of the "stick" is completely dead before cutting back or just leave it, it will be hidden by the new growth.

If you haven't already done so, start feeding it with a diluted complete fertilizer that contains all the micronutrients, such as MiracleGrow. As the plant gets larger and stronger, increase the strength of the fertilizer to directions given. Feed at least once a week. More often won't hurt them either. They are fertilizer hogs when growing actively.

The soil in black or dark pots gets hotter and can damage the roots. New plants will be better off in filtered sunlight or with early morning sunlight only.

Thank you both for all the help. : )

it a double white I think. I forget the name of it. I buried the tag in the pot, so I wouldn't lose it.

I may be over watering it too. Not sure if they like to be on the dry or the damp side. I thought since I had themstarted in water, I needed to keep em on the wet side.

I may have goofed rooting it. I wasn't sure how much of the stick to put in water so I had a failly long stick and a tall drinking glass and had let it get numbs up maybe about 4 or 5" up the stick , so when I went to try and find a pot, A one gallon was the smallest I had to cover all the nubs and still had to stick the stick almost to the bottom of the pot.

My other two are growing good. Which I excited about. Don't know how long it will be before I see a bloom, but excited about the thought.

saw the brug co-op, but to inexperienced with them yet, so figured I would pass on them for now. But let me tell ya my mouth drools when I look at all the brug pics. : )

Very good advice all around ...I just wanted to add that it is almost impossible to rot the"sticks" if you grow in a very sandy mix ...overwatering and overpotting won't happen if the medium is sandy ...I experimented with all sized "sticks" including small sticks in big pots ...and did not lose one. I would cut that plant back to just above that lower nub ...providing the nub is healthy.
I use washed river sand purchased in bulk from the garden centre.
Good luck ...I am sure it will be ok.

chrissy, do you mix 1 part potting soil to 2 parts sand or what mixture do you think is good?

I think about 2/3rds washed river sand and 1/3rd potting mix ...once the plant is rooted well you can add some goodies ...I don't feed a sick plant ...I only give it a seaweed solution (that's like a tonic) mist if needed. I live in a warm place ...but it rained all Summer and everything grew well with no rotting ...the sand allows free airflow/waterflow and the roots grow very quickly into it ...then pot up into a slightly richer mix by adding goodies to the mix and a nice mulch on top (keeping the mulch away from the stem.)