I think I'm going to lose my Brugs! What am I doing wrong?

My Brugs are not doing too well. I purchased these 2 from eBay as 36" rooted cuttings. They came with one of them being stripped of everything and the other with just about 4 leaves at the top. As you can see, they have put on some new growth. But not much. Everywhere I've read, it says these are quick growers. On what planet? I canNOT seem to get mine to grow!!!! ARGH!! I want some gorgeous flowers on some full and lush trees, but these haven't done much of any growing. In fact, the leaves haven't EVER gotten that emerald green healthy brug leaf color at all, they stay a yellowy green and then eventually drop off after wilting and turning a very bright yellow.

The seller said I should get flowers this season, but the season's about over and nada!

I'm watering these at least once a week, sometimes more if you count our recent downpours. Not doing much fertilizing now because they were dropping leafs like flies when I was. PLEASE HELP! I'm desperate for some gorgeous plants!

These were listed as being yellow then orange flowers, so I'm guessing CG? Can anyone help before I accidentally kill these?

And here's a photograh of the other one, same plant (this is the one taht was shipped like a stripped stick)

Amanda,

Actually, they look pretty good to me......Just give it some time and plenty of fertilizer.

Frank

You think so, really? How much time? The seller (from Houston, like me) said that I should get blomos this year. I don't have any and the color of the leaves that I've seen in the stores and in other pictures is a lot more emerald looking than mine. ??

Amanda,

They look just fine to me as well. In my opinion, you need to really start pushing the fertilizer if you want them to get going and bloom this season (which I'm quite sure they will - it appears that the second one has already Y'd). Use a balanced fertilizer, at the recommended strength, but apply it 2-3 times a week. Your plants will become lush and full, and bloom, before you know it.

Please make sure to post flower pictures!

Erick

Thanks, Erick! Do you have any advice on the recommended fertilizer? I was using MG LiquaFeed and it wasn't helping them at all - seemed to be hurting them.

WHEW!!!

Amanda,

Everyone has their favorite, but I like to use a balanced fertilzer, such as Peters 20-20-20. Once in awhile I use a bloom booster as well just to mix it up a bit. Push the fertilizer hard as long as they seem to be growing!

Good luck to you. I KNOW you will have blooms this year.

Erick

Erick -

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!! I will post the pics as soon as they bloom!!!! :)

Just feed it a lot. You might try a fish emulsion fertilizer (5-1-1) and then the next week a balanced 20-20-20 to get leaf growth to photosynthesize then strengthen the plants. Best of luck!

Amanda,

Some of the cultivars such as Whiskers and Dr. Seuss tend to have yellower leaves. The fertilizer should help with the color and the growth which is what you need, although I have had blooms on plants shorter than yours! If the cuttings were from above the Y they can do that. Also don't worry about the season. You are in 9a so even if they don't bloom right now in the hot summer, they most likely will in the fall when it cools off. Brugs love fall!

Carol

Wow - you guys are GREAT!!! I'm going to try it all!

One more question - I saw a Brug over here that's a good 12-14 feet tall and it's in bloom. The thing is full, lush and looks like a tree! It's in someone else's backyard that I see when I pass it. Could I get mine to look like that someday?

Brugs are trees. We grow them as specimen plants, but in their native habitat, they grow as trees. I've seen pics of them growing along the side of highways in New Zealand and Malta and Gibraltar as fully grown trees. Massively covered in bloom.

Now that's what I want mine to do. I'm officially on a mission! Wonder how long my mission will take ...

Brugs grow fast! And most are hardy to your zone which means that they can grow from year to year. In some zones they have to be brought in so people can't let them get too large, and also many take cuttings to start over and in my zone you have to cut back and mulch and they come up from the roots. They still get bigger each year to a point. I have one that was in the ground last year, was cut to the ground and it is 7 or 8 ft tall now and still growing! It is covered in buds and I will post a pic when it blooms... If it doesn't drown between now and then! I am one of the ones getting so much rain! Brugs like water, but this is ridiculous!

Carol

You're so lucky, we've had a drought in my area, but finally had a downpour on the weekend. I'm hoping for bloom soon. This one has Yed. The neighbours have no clue what's in store. They think it's an ugly old plant, which it is now, but wait until it bursts forth in majestic ecstasy.

Can I cram in another superlative? I think the muse will inspire...

Epsom salts green up the leaves nicely. I use 1 Tablespoon per gallon of water at least once per month. I usually just add it to the fertilizer (because I am lazy) and add a few drops of superthrive in too. I dont think your brugs look all that bad for summertime in a warmer climate :) Just make sure your brugs are well watered before you fertilize, especially when it has been hot and dry.

yardqueen: Oh wow, you've just given me wings!! :) I really hope these two do grow as quickly as you're saying.

I gave them some Peter's 20-20-20 last night but no ST because I'm out. Will get more this evening, along with some Epsom Salt. I never knew that stuff could make leaves green! Neat!

Andy: Your neighbors will be begging you for a cutting soon, unless they blow up with envy first!

My neighbors are the sweetest in the world, I couldn't have asked for better ones. After I began doing all of this landscaping in my backyard, they began asking me a ton of questions about the different plants we have back there. This past weekend my neighbor was in our backyard looking at our plants and she told me that she wants to get some Angel Trumpets. I smiled and we were standing right by these two and I told her that's what they were, but I wasn't sure how they were going to do for me. Well voila!! I now have hope! :) Thank you guys for all of your help!

Epsoms... good for greening.. and some rain helps too...
Elaine

Okay... I can't find a pic of when it was cut to the ground so you will just have to take my word for it... But here it is on June 18

here it is 3 weeks later up to the roof of the house.

This message was edited Jul 12, 2007 11:12 PM

well that one doesn't show the top of the house

This message was edited Jul 12, 2007 11:16 PM

Frosty Pink on June 18

Frosty Pink today

You guys are making me GREEN with envy!!!! How come yours grow so fast and mine have been the same since May?? Could that really all be because of fertilizer?

Okay ... I have a question for y'all. I have a gorgeous brug I rooted from one that was in the ground last year but someone is munching on my leaves. I don't see anything on them at all. The only thing I've seen out there are lots of lizards. Do they like them? There are holes in the middle of my leaves. Can you help me?
Thanks ... don't mean to take over this thread but was looking for some info.

Certain brugs behave a certain way. I'm new too, but one thing it's depends on where your brugs come from? I've received both cuttings, and seedlings from the internet. The cuttings are dismally small and looks malnuorished. The seedlings were turning yellow, and look contorted (plant naturally seeks out for sun light, when your plant is dugged up and let them sprawl on the side, the tip will curls upright in search of light-source). I'm trying hard to save my newly acquire brugs. But is going to take some time and patience to get them looking healthy. Yes, brugs are heavy feeders. But if the root system was disturbed. Soluble fertilizer could damage the roots. Epsom salt is good for occassional use, lots of them can also burn your plant. Certain plants require different pH of the soil. If the pH is out of its range. No amount of fertilizer is going to change the ability of the plant to absorb the fertilizer. In pot culture, it's easy, since you can just flush the excess fertilize/chemical out with next watering. But brugs that are planted in the ground? excessive fertilizer will do more damage than good.

Can you post a picture of your brug that's being eaten up? Whatever is making the holes in your brug's leaves are more likely the "meal" of your friendly lizards. They are gardener's best friends since they munch on the bugs that eat on your plants.

Here it is usally grasshoppers eating the leaves...

I'll try to post a picture this week-end. I'm just not seeing anything on them ... just lizzards on the deck, but they certainly could be eating it. I'll check the one in my front yard to see if it has the same type thing. Maybe that will be a clue.

I don't think lizzards eat leaves. Grasshoppers do it really fast and then move on so you don't see it unless you stay out there and watch.

I don't ever see grasshoppers here. I was going to take pictures, but we've had severe storms all day today. I'll post so you can see what I'm talking about when I can get outside. Thanks, y'all, sooo very much for all the great advice. I didn't mean to take over this thread ... honest ... but I'd appreciate some answers if y'all can help me. :)

Wow! I wish I didn't ever see grasshoppers!

Ok so this leaf-eating thing is happening a LOT to tons of my plants and like you are saying, I'm not finding any little critters. Is it grasshoppers? If so, how do I get rid of them?

By the way, I thought I would share this photograph that I took of one of my brugs this morning. Please forgive the haziness in the photograph, as those of you know who are in this area we are getting pounded by rain and have LOTS of humidity so my camera was fogging up.

Anyway, basically this is after a week of fertilixing with 20-20-20, 3 times in the week. As you ca see, the Brug is putting on a lot of new, very healthy-looking growth. In fact, the plant's leaves are standing very erect now!! Thank you guys for all of your advice!! Epsom salt is next!!

Awesome!! Congratulations!! See, you are a good brug mommy! :)

Susan (Elaine) it could be Japaneese Beetles eating them. Probably grass hoppers because they really eat mine.
Brugs will surprise you how fast they can grow and bloom after fertilizing. I use 13-13-13 and after applying it seems in a couple of days they just jump toward the sky. Remember that they like water but don't like the roots standing in water. If you were watering too much it could have been what was making the leaves yellowish and falling off. The best mine has ever done was when I could water them everyday but not to the extent that they was standing in water. Good luck.

Thanks! :) Can I just pinch off the ugly leaves? I have a couple ones that are especially ugly, but there are some baby leaves. I'm going to start fertilizing!! Mine in the yard bloomed last year. Just awesome! I didn't get that pic but will try again. Thanks everyone again. :)

I always strip all the leaves anyway, except for a few on the top. It makes it grow into a tree form instead of a bush form. Make sure you wash your hands after pulling the leaves before wiping eyes or eating anything.

Anyone have any ideas for bloom boosters on these?

GEORGIA! Bing! Bing! Bing!

I never even gave it a single thought about not wiping my eyes after playing around (transplanting, etc) with my brugs. That COULD explain some weirdness that I've been experiencing with my eyes lately!