Mid-Atlantic Gardening: Brugs, 1 by Gitagal

Gitagal wrote:
Hi, Everyone,

I have now had Brugs for about 5 years. There sure is a lot to know about them--BUT--they are fairly indestructible. My greatest mentor has been "Brugie" (Shirley in Iowa) who has guided me through all the beginner woes of this plant. She is very generous with her knowledge and tells it like it is. No "fluff" about her. There are many others as well. Just go to the Brugmansia Forum and search.

I am also facing a dilemma right now. I have 4 Brugs. I usually plant them like a 3 gallon pot in a BIGGER pot. The inner pot has holes cut out all around the sides for the roots to grow into the big pot.
This makes it easier to dig out the smaller pot from the big pot and keep it dormant in a basement for the Winter. Not to worry if you will sever some roots. If you save the whole pot, as is, you should root prune it every 2 years in the Spring.
Storing them dormant is easy. Anywhere will do, as long as it stays above freezing. Just stop watering it and it will be fine. Yeah! A cup of water every month or so helps to keep them from getting bone dry.

You can also take cuttings. They do not have to be long or big, but any size cutting will root. From 5" to 3 feet.....You can root them in water (change it often) or plant it directly in a clean, loose soil mix. . Use a rooting hormone for the latter.
Here's something to consider. Cuttings taken from above the "Y" will grow into shorter, bushier plants and bloom sooner. Cuttings taken from below the "Y"--(like a whole stem) will grow taller and bloom later.
It is up to you.

My cuttings last winter got Aphids on them in late Spring. Bummer! All the leaves fell off before I realized what the problem was. I sprayed and it helped.

At this point, I have a "Rosamond", a "ForeverMorr" (one of Brugie's crosses), a "Rose Souvelons" and a "Peach Parfait" (VERY similar to a "Maya"). It has variagated leaves and the blooms come out white and then turn to a cream and then to a peach color. One I lost, the most fragrant of all I have had, was a "Dr. Seuss". It's cuttings just did not root for me. I will miss that one! It was soooo fragrant.

OK! Enough about Brugs! I am not even sure I still enjoy having them. The whole thing has become a bit "Ho--Hum".......

Gita

Here's my Rosamond which also bloomed in September for the firs time. The blooms are huge and the plant is a robust grower.