LOL! I am sure God forgives your fits, Joanie! I know what you mean about throwing fits, I am glad I don't have neighbors close enough to hear some of the words I say when I get frustrated with tools that don't work :~)
2009 RECIPE
I am confused.
It's not difficult to confuse me these days!
EZ FLO or E-Z Gro?? LOL! Is one a 'knockoff' of the other? Are they both manufactured by the same company?
http://www.ezfloinjection.com/1-6.asp
http://www.mortonproducts.com/page.cfm/1532
http://www.amleo.com/index/item.cgi?cmd=view&Words=2005
Hey jestelleoan! Good to see you! Are you coming to our RU on May 16th at Love's Lookout in Jacksonville?
Aw shucks, please don't tell me neither of those machines I listed don't work..........WAHHHHH!!! I need something bad folks...I've been very ill and although I'm over it I'm still rather weak and can't handle a summer of toting a standard sprayer and pumping until I fall down.
Is there anything that really works well?
Maggie, I believe EZ-Gro is a knock off of EZ-Flo I'm going to end up with one of each because I lost track of the website I used to buy the EZ-Flo. The back-flow protection is a screw on valve that prevents possible contaminants from being sucked up the faucet and getting into the rest of your system. I received the EZ-Flo about 1-1/2 weeks ago and ordered the EZ-Gro yesterday. I haven't had a chance of trying the EZ-Flo with fertilizer yet.
Karen, I looked at the siphon mixer, but wanted an enclosed container. I'd have to fish dead things out of the bucket. If and when it rains, the fertilizer would dilute to unknown proportions. Besides those systems were "peace of mind" bribes from my DH. I went out to help him weigh a newborn calf. I hate the use of cattle prods so I use a rattle paddle. It didn't work against an irate mother. She picked me up, flung me about 6' into a cactus patch. Luckily for me, she just wanted her baby. I had thorns of all sizes from my neck all the way down to the backs of my knees. When I turned to get up, I got them all over my arms and hands. My DH spent the rest of the day getting the large thorns out. The small ones, I learned, after a visit to my GP and a Dermatologist, will have to be sloughed off. I'm using a cream to help speed that process. I've changed my mind about cattle prods.
So betty you are saying that you have previously bought and used the EZ FLO and it works well? I need to decide for sure what to buy.
I do not like cattle prods either. I had one meddlesome mom give me a really hard time. I bent down and picked up a rock and holding rock in my hand I punched her in the forehead. She went to her knees. I had no idea it would hit her that hard and will never do it again but the plus side is whenever she would get cranky after that all you had to do was double up your fist and she would back right off. LOL
No, I'm saying I just received one and need to test it out, but haven't had the time to do so. My DH is out of town and I'm stuck with his ranch duties as well as mine. I'll try to test it as soon as I have a free hour or two. I have to go to the airport in Austin to pick him up this evening and take him back Monday. Meanwhile, I have to put out hay every other day or so, keep a close eye on a 'first time' heifer, who may give birth to a large calf. There is a possibility of birthing problems there. I'm also trying to find someone to come put out feed for my calves and weigh any newborn ones
Veronica.
Kathy, once we weeded out the old gals and bull from the original herd, we've never had a problem with them. Heifers born on the ranch spend a year in the heifer pasture near the house. We see them everyday. We're the source of all the goodies they get. Once they join the main herd, we see them almost everyday. We are able to walk among them without any problems even when they have little ones. I'm still cautious around them. Size alone is enough to scare me. If they start to shake their heads or lower them, I back away. We have one, Rosebud, who was hand reared by her original owner. She loves men, but doesn't like women. I usually stay out of her personal space. When we weigh the newborn, the moms usually take a few steps back and let us do the job. They keep an eye on us, but make no aggressive moves. So Forever's reaction came as a complete surprise. I've come up with a faster way to weigh the calves, but since the idea didn't come from my DH, I can't implement it. I get a lot of "yes, buts"
We just had a few head and always bottle fed the calves. It turns them into real pets. I only ever had a problem with the one cow and as stated I fixed that. I guess she was just having a hormonal moment. I should have been more patient but as always I was in a hurry.
Well.. at the Philadelphia flower show.. there was this vendor there...selling real water for plants.. they also haverealwater available for humans..and as a treatment for water..turning it into real water.. for us also..
I know.. another item one doesn't need to achieve great results.. but in their display..ofplantsgrownwithandwithout it..were impressive.. a general over all improvment.. in the with group.. so we'll see how it does... lots of medical litature of the benefit of this for peoples health... this is basically a negatively charged water which means it has extra electrons.. and will donate them to the body or plant if they are needed..... city water..and water from other bottleing companies give positivilly charged water.. which means in flowing through the cells.. it's looking to steal electrons from it's molicules.. in order to relieve it's self of it's charged condition.. real water is also alkaline.. not acidic.. so it helps even out the PH in bodies.. and plants..
we'll see how it goes...
http://www.realwaterus.com/index.php?pr=Plant_Water
Would alfalfa tea be a good complement to this recipe?
I would think so!
Good, because I'm experimenting with that this year. I can't afford commercial fertilizers this year. I haven't used the brug stuff yet this year, just the tea. Everything seems to like it. I'm even more excited about spring this year than usual because of the results I had from the recipe last year and combining it with the tea for this year. This is a picture of the bouganvilla I have had for years than never bloomed until I tried that recipe!
Wow! That's a real testimonial to the recipe, for sure. Love that color :~)
It should be fine.. if you can keep any solid matter .. ot of the spray systems.. intake..
I just finished applying 100 lbs of the alfalfa pellets directly to the top of the soil.. to let it rehydrate and be worked into the soil in cultivating..
Thanks Maggie.:) That bougie could be a poster child for the recipe. And that's without humate, miracle grow, neem, tea tree oil. The one I use is just real basic.
Gordon, I finally found a hose end sprayer I like. It's an Ortho brand and I bought a filter thingy that fits on the tube so nothing gets sucked up in there that shouldn't be.
Silver, I was told I couldn't grow bougies in east Texas. I am zone 8b and you're 8a. So do you get into the 20's at night sometimes? I have a big bougie I would love to put into the ground and let it take off. How do you protect it in the winter?
This message was edited Mar 14, 2009 7:40 PM
Well I'm not sure what to tell you except that some varieties are not winter hardy. Barbara Karst is the one I've heard that is and I can only assume that is what I have. I have also heard the variegated types are not winter hardy. I was told that they are not hardy here too, but this one had been planted near the porch of my Dad's house by the previous owner. After he died, I was trying to clean up the yard one day so we could sell the house. I dug this plant up thinking that I would just trash it. This was sometime in early spring 2000. To my surprise it had new growth at the base, so I took it home and planted it a pot. For several years I brought it inside for the winter, and then one day I just decided I'd had enough of that and I planted it in the yard. I had no idea it would ever get that big.
This one grows on the east side of a garage apt. Other than the leaves that accumulate around it, it gets no protection and I rarely water it. There is a rose about 5 or 6 feet away that I do water, so I guess maybe some of the roots go that way. And yes we do get in the 20's every winter. We've even had temps in the teens. Next to my confederate jasmin, it's the most trouble free plant I have.
I have no idea if mine is hardy. But like you, I'm tired of cutting the thing back in the fall and keeping it on the porch. I'd like to put it in the ground. But, I 'd hate to lose it to cold if it's not hardy. Oh what a conundrum. Thanks for your input. It helps a lot.
I'm going to try rooting mine this year. They grow so incredibly fast, I can't imagine the thing not rooting. If it works, I'll be taking them to the CS RU.
Do you root with the new green growth or older growth in the fall? Do you put in water or soil? Well, I guess I ought to go the plant files and do my own research huh?
I have never rooted a bougie. I plan on trying it this spring so it'll be new growth. It's just now coming up, so there's not enough to cut yet. I'd like to know if you find any info on it though.
silver----
The best time to take cuttings of a Brug pieces to root is in the early fall--(at least here-zone 7a) when the days and nights are, approximately the same length.
I have found a few things that work better than others,,,,ahem!
-Tip cuttings have more problems rooting then short, stem cuttings..VERY short!
-Rooting any cuttings by putting them directly into a soil mix, dipping them in rooting hormone, works better that trying to root them in water--even if it is a "bubbler" system....
--Always take your cuttings from above the "Y" if you want earlier bloom.
--You CAN root the whole stem of a Brug plant--if you wish.....YEAH! It WILL root!
--You can also drag the whole plant into your dark, cool basement and let it go dormant. Water VERY sparingly! YES! All the leaves will fall off and the plant will just "exsist".....
BUT--It will bounce right back once you take it outside in the spring. Just watch the light--shade first....then part shade.....then bright light....and then, finally, in full sun.
You will be amazed at how quickly the Brug responds to this!!!!!
Keep in mind this "formula"......
Any stem cuttings from below the "Y" will grow taller and bloom later
Any stem cuttings from above the "Y" will grow and bloom sooner--and will, most likely, be a bit shorter plant....
Since most Brugs do not "Y" until later in the growing season (here), you may not get any more than one or two flushes of bloom.
Again--Texas is a whole different zone than we are. We actually get hard winters here--and have to dig up our Brugs and overwinter them in the house----either dormant in the cool basement--or growing in a sunny room, somewhere.....or, if we leave them outside---they will die....
I suggest you ask this question in your respective, regional Forum for better advice......
OR--Go to the Brugmansia Forum and you will have all kinds of advice!!!!
Gita
Gita appreciate the advice on rooting brug cuttings. silver and I were off topic of brugs and actually we're talking about rooting bougainvilla.
Silver, I just checked plant files and you can take herbaceous, woody, soft or semi hard cuttings. So I guess you can take a cutting from just about anywhere on the plant and treat it like any other. When mine starts waking up from it's winter's sleep I'lll take a cutting.
Gita, thanks for brug rooting info. I have 2 of those that I might try to root. I'm going to put that in my journal/blog. I'm hoping that bougies will be easier to root.:)
I am in 7b.. we get into the low 20's here frequently and even the teens sometimes.. there is a bougie down the street from me that has been in the ground for over 10 years.. it is on a west facing wall. I was simply amazed when I saw it and stopped to ask the owner about it. He told me when he planted it and it has just survived. Here is a picture I took of it just to prove to myself it really exhisted!
Amazingly tough plants. It looks like the same one I have.
Can the recipe be mixed in a gallon container and poured on to plants-----or does it have to be sprayed?
Shirleyd
Zone 7b
Well Shirley... I haven't done any real tests on it.. but I suspect it woud be beneficial if sprayed or poured on.. I spray mine.. and also pour a bit into the diute inside MG feedings.. along with a few other incuded foods for the plants.. the benefit of the teatree oil for the eaves.. it being a fungiside... is lost pouring... but it does give that treatment to the soil ..
spraying has it's benefits.. [ even with water ] so you shoud be spraying anyway.. is there a reason for not wanting to spray with the recipe... aside from the brown streaks from the moasses..on everything around
My ferns don't seem to like this stuff and I'm trying to figure out what it is they don't like. I would like to mix up a version for them. Maybe I could also use that on my salvias. Also when I sprayed my redbuds they got little red rusty lookin' spots on the leaves.
Also I'm wondering if I can add vinegar to this stuff to counteract some of the alkalinity in our soil. I'm growing roses and blueberries. The roses are handling it ok since I started using this recipe, but I just planted the blueberry and I want to give it the best chance of survival.
Gordonhawk----the spraying is a little more trouble than just diluting it in a container and pouring. As I have said before, my age brings on some limitations, and I was trying to do it the easy way.
We are expecting down to 32 tonight-------and, I have potted up all my rootings over the winter------hope they make it!
Shirleyd
Zone 7b
We are expecting a freeze too and I'm trying to cover everything I recently planted and daylilies that have scapes. I'm hoping to spray tonight because I think it might help them make it through this cold snap.
Oh..Shirley.. sorry to hear it's too difficut to spray...they do love it so.. not being in the misty mountains.. or the humid lowlands.. how about some apprenticeship. for a local .. growette..
Well.. since you mentioned it.. what is your age ..my dear...
Can you break out an od sheet.. and cover things tonight.. it wil help
I think everything is ok except my one stargazer lily. It looks a little weak.:(
Gordonhawk ---I am 77 and just not as strong as I used to be------so my garden is suffering. Unfortunately, my yard man is just someone to tend to grass cutting-----he doesn't know the difference in a dandelion and a rose! Luckily, last night did not get as cold as expected------and, if we can survive the cold for tonight, the rest of the spring should be a breeze. In this area the old folks always said that you could plant most anything on Good Friday (although I think that the soil is still a little cold).
My big problem for today is that my bluebirds are flying at me when I try to open the bluebird box. They have not done that in 20 years of observing them!! I have always looked at their eggs and babies! Can't figure it out!
Shirleyd
Maybe you can find one of those little sprayers like I found for my mother.. she is 75 and also found it difficult to do the spraying needed for her plants.. all that 'hand spraying' her hands just could not do it.... this works really well for her and is not too big to handle but holds plenty to do a lot of plants! I found it at walmart last year.. also found them at big lots... it is a 1/2 gallon mini sprayer with a pressure pump on the top. You fill it with your mix screw the top on and the pump the top to pressurize it... works really well... we have several around for differnt mixes.
Here is a pic of two of mine..
Hi I'm a newbie to this thread and was sent here just for the recipe. I am going to try it this year. I've sprayed my brugs and hibiscus with it a couple 3 times now and have noticed amazing growth in the brugs and the hibiscus is blooming! A flower at a time but it is blooming.
Spring 2007 was my first try with brugs; a total of 3 yellow. Two never bloomed for me until Feb2008 in the sunroom, one bloomed in Sept. 2007. i now have those original 3 (which died in the garage this past winter and start growing and showing leaves as I was going to throw them out). They have really shown growth in the 2, 3 x's I've sprayed them with the recipe. I also have 2 Monster whites, and a 'Charles Grimaldi'.
I have ordered from Logee's and yet to receive 1 each of 'Ecuador pink', 'Inca Sun', and 'Jean Pasco'. I also foolishly ordered the 3in1 brug where there;s all three colors in one pot. What can I say?
The first winter we kept them out here in the sun room and heated it at night during the winter and on cloudy days. DH says we're not doing that any more but did end up heating out here this past winter. Now he says definitely not next year so my tropicals will all have to go to the basement. Lost too many in the garage. All I need to do with the brugs once they're in the basement is water occasionally correct? And the leaves will fall off and not to be alarmed? Do they need light? We will be putting up lights for the Jasmines and epi's I have.
Will the recipe be okay for Jasminum sambacs and epiphylums???? You think?
Oh I know such a pain I'm being. Oh and my Mandavillas & heliotropiums too?
I am wondering why so many people are adding superthrive to these mixes, when in fact the orignal was called homemade superthrive. I guess everyone mixes for thier needs.
I used to spary this on everything, but was so overrun with bugs. It then occured to me that maybe bugs like beer and molasses. I do occasionally spray, but uusually use it as a soak. I alao add no water to the mix, just use less to a gallon. It makes the batch smaller and easier to carry around. Using no water I still make it a gallon at a time . It is more like a syrup and I use a tablespoon full to a gallon. I saved Ketchup bottles to store it in, no light gets in that way and always keep one in my garden shed.