Brugs and the weather.

So at the GE I was able to score a rooted stalk about 4 feet long, no leaves which was rooted, outgrowing its 1 gallon pot. Upon getting home I potted it up in a 2 gallon pot and left it in the garage which will be in the 45-55 range for the winter (it better, as it houses a number of Epiphyllums and species Pelargoniums which are dormant).

My question is this, should I plant it out only to dig up in the fall, or should I raise it in a 20 gallon pot (I got some of those 20 gallon buckets on sale, and drilled 1 1/4" through them multiple times) so that I can just drag it into garage in the fall?

I have no knowledge of hybrid, but it was a cutting from the church plants so I doubt it could be datura and not a Brug.

I have 2 datura one a double white, one peach/ pink single. I have always kept them in large pots. Then bring them in the basement about now. Before a freeze anyway. Then in the spring about May set them out again. In the spring I pull them out of the pots cut off 1/4 of the bottom root sytsem and repot in fresh soil. If they seem to big then I cut back the top however I think will look good.

Mine are about 6 years old. Not sure if this is right but they seem to bloom around mid. Aug. I have never left out all winter. Hope this helps. When I prune in the spring if anyone wants cuttings let me know.
I understand that they are very poison if ingested. So if you have an animal that nibbles!!!

I have a couple of brugs, and I have kept them in pots. I compared mine to Lynn's this fall, and hers that are planted out in Tagro are much more vigorous than mine, but I tell you what... I was really glad that all I had to do with mine was haul the pot inside while she was trying to figure out how to accomplish digging/potting hers. They do tend to get buggy for me over the winter, but nothing that can't be dealt with.

I take it you all are using big 20 gallon + pots?

I am a bad plant mom... mine are only in 10 gallons.

if yours do well in 10s great, there is nothing bad if the plant is happy. I just scored the 20 gallon tubs for dirt cheap to grow pumpkins, which bombed. I need a bigger yard.

I have 2 mature brugs that I keep in 10 gal pots. I drag them in every fall and out every spring. They will not survive our pacific northwest winters in the ground. You can let them go dormant or keep them growing under lights or in a bright window over winter. This year I am keeping them goind to see if I can get a winter flush.
Just started 6 new brug cuttings. Not sure where I am going to put them when they get big. I have no more room!
My husband thinks I need gardeners anonomous. I am powerless over plants, sometimes I just can't help myself. I rescue neighbors dieing houseplants and take home old bedraggled throw aways from the nursury. Poor things just need a little attention and love.

Now my brug is showing new growth. In more or less darkness and monthly water. What should I do? Just let it go, or?

Sure, you can just let it go, but in the complete dark the new growth will be white, and may not make the transition to outdoors later, but that's ok, it can be trimmed. Or you can get a $10 shoplight and put it inches above the plant, hopefully plus a garage window, and get a start on spring.
I have mine in the garage under a 1000w halide (think I have about 50-60 of them this winter, including the seedlings). Just keep them cold (not freezing) so they grow more slowly in winter and you can do almost anything with them.
- Tom


This message was edited Jan 20, 2011 11:47 PM

Well, it is green, as it is not complete dark. I have 2 4' florescent fixtures on a rack above about 20 Epiphyllums, and the Brug is near them, it stays about 45-50F there.

It should do just fine. If the brug is not extremely close to the light, then new growth will be floppy and soft, which will probably attract more bugs, but it should survive just fine.
If you want some named cultivars, let me know this summer and I'll get you some cuttings.
- Tom

Moving them in and out may strain our marriage, she is just getting used to what I am doing now...

Shhhh. Don't let my wife hear you say that. She is already really grumpy about me taking up nearly 2/3 of our garage for brugs under lights in the winter. She only gets to use the garage half the year.
I'm re-forgiven every year though when they bloom and that amazing fragrance transforms the yard. :)

Ah, ha! Thanks for the info.