Cuttings from above the Y question

OKay, you have a stick cutting from above the Y. You root, it plant it and then it grows all year. When you cut it down in the winter, is the whole cutting an above the Y cutting, or only what is above the new Y's that it made this year? Also, will the part left in the ground (since it was originally an above the Y cutting) still bloom without having to Y again. In other words, is it "once an above the Y cutting always an above the Y cutting?" Or once you cut off to the ground does the stump that is left cease to have above the Y (searching for a word here) features? This is the only way I can think of to ask this. I hope I am not too confusing...

Carol

The original cutting you plant having come from above the "Y" will continue to branch and bloom. Any cuttings you take that come from that orginal branch is considered to be above the "Y". However, over time the plant will produce shoots that come up out of the ground. This growth is vegetative and has to produce its own "Y" before it will bloom. This new growth is usually easy to identify. It grows very straight. The growth extending from the orginal cutting will have a slight zig zag appearance.

Once you cut down to the ground, all new growth will be a new straight vegetative shoot which has to "Y" before blooming.

Betty,

That's what I was afraid of! Because all of mine come back, but they

don't all bloom since the first year. But the large cuttings I root in the greehouse all bloom. I think I am going to try the bubble wrap method next year, at least on some of them. That way they won't have to start over from scratch. It is too late for this year... We already chopped them all down! I have one that grows from the ground to the rooftop in as large bush, and it was covered in blooms almost all spring / summer last year, but this year not one bloom! This was its 3rd year coming back, but the 1st year it didn't bloom either as it was very small. It is in a slightly protected area, and I think if I wrap it, it might not have to start over.

Thank you for anwering my question!

Carol

Betty,
What a wonderful explanation!!! I was wondering why on one of mine a straight green growth was growing out at an angle from beneath the soil. If you have vegetative growth does that always mean the original Brug in pot was a cut above the "Y"...yikes does that question make sense?
Carol - sorry for the hijacking - it's just I've been wondering about this on my Xena

No it doesn't ...these shoots sprout up from most cuttings above the Y and beneath the Y.

Ok this question will seem stupid but I am so new at this and I'm trying to understand. I just received an 18 in plant with roots potted in soil. There are two small leafy growths coming up from the soil. Are these something I should let grow out and then cut or just let go with the main stem?

You can do what you would like ...if you want a more shrubby effect you can let it have it's way or you can wait and let it go (it will shoot straight up) and cut it off to make an umbrella shaped plant.
If the plant was grown from above the Y the shoot will leap up much higher than the plant height. If the plant was grown from beneath the Y the shoots will grow to the same height as the eventual height of the plant. Generally you can tell by the stem where the cutting came from very straight (and sometimes thicker) tend to be from beneath while nubbley looking sometimes zig zag sort of growth(thinner too) usually indicates a cutting from above.

This stem is straight, thin and has a bunch of nubbies from old leaves. So I'm thinking from above the Y? If I cut the two shoots off when they get bigger, can I turn them into cuttings? Maybe tomorrow I will take a pic and let you see it. It's too dark out now.

Yes probably from above the Y ...that is good news.

Texasgrower, really green shoots are harder to root than more mature cuttings so leave the shoots attached until the stem area near the ground, where you'll be making the cut, changes from an herbaceous green to a darker woodier green. If left on the mother plant, those new shoots will grow faster too.

Thanks Betty. Here's a pic. I counted five shoots. It will probably take awhile before they get big enough to cut considering we are going into winter, right?

Yes, but maybe by midspring.

In the warmer temps those shoots will grow by inches in a couple of days and get big and strong ...if you look down at the base of the shoots when bigger you will see a difference as bettydee says a few little light coloured spots (potential nubbles) a slightly different shade of green (paler as the wood hardens) ...this shoot will grow easily once the temps are warm.I cut my shoots at between two to three feet and if done at the right time you will have a very nice umbrella plant pretty quickly.If you look closely you will see the shoot cutting ...strip the leaves off and mist in very well drained medium ...I find the plants will survive almost anything in warm moist shady situations re striking the cuttings.

these shoots will have to Y won't they?

Yes they will need to get up to the mature size to Y ...mine has Y'd now ...it depends on the ht of the mother plant as to what ht it needs to grow usually between 4/6ft but can be more or less.

We are expecting colder weather next week so I dug up 2 brugs, each about 3 feet tall-------and potted them in good dirt and put them on a glassed in porch where I keep the temperature above 50 degrees all winter. One was labeled Day Dreams and had a Y and had bloomed this year. The other did not have a Y and was labeled Cherub. Did I do the right thing to get early blooms next year? I live in Zone 7b?

Shirleyd

That sounds ok ...I can't speak for very cold winter areas but at that temp you should do well and that will give your plants a really good start for the earliest blooms next season. Don't forget to lessen the water ...lower temps means lower water needs.

Shirley,
I feel I qualify to answer your question. Yes, you've done the right thing to nuture the cuttings for early blooms next year.

However, on our zone, if anyway possible. In early spring we need to burry our favourite brugs into the ground pot and all. Some also need to be planted in the ground. In pot culture brugs work so so as far as producing flowers. But they truly flourish having planted in the ground. Many of my neighbors just plant them in the garden and simply let them grow back each year.
a. They need to be in full sun condition to flower early; say in July -August
b. If plant in the shade, they will not make flower until late Oct.
c. Water is critical, some of my neighbor don't give them enough water, those seem to bloom later in the year, and don't flourish as well.

Winter care for brug indoor: Chrissy is absolutely right, a little less water, as the indoor light may not be equevalent to the bright sun light outside.

I've moved some of my fav. brugs indoor. Most of them went on and yield flowers one after another with adequate light, humidity, air current. The more we try to match the growing condition outdoor while being inside the better. These will perform well if we must move them inside to protect them from frost.

Lily_love and Chrissy------thanks so much for the help. I have some that I leave in the ground------------but, it takes them till the end of the summer to bloom, and I was hoping that doing this might hasten the blooms for next year.

Shirleyd