Hi Ashley - Welcome!! Your rooted brugs looks great! I'm a brug newbie myself so I can't really give you any advice. But I did just recently transferred 5 rooted brugs to soil and they're doing fantastic! I'd too like to know the answers to some of your questions as well.
I can't wait for it to get warmer so I can put my brugs outside! I know they're rooted cuttings but I sure do hope they'll bloom this summer *crossing fingers*.
Happy Gardening,
-Bo

Hi Bo! I have mine outside because the nights aren't getting much colder than 50 degress. I hope mine blooms as well! I'm sure we'll get help soon! :)

Ashley

Ashley
You can go ahead and fertilize them with miracle grow mixed per package instructions. be careful to not over water.
It looks like we are going to have another cool spell this week. The WX man said that we would get down into the high 30s this week.
Your plants look great. Someone either here or the other forum said that she waits until she sees roots coming out of the bottom /drain holes of the pot to go up a pot size.
I think you would be OK going up 1 size if when the soil has dried out pretty good and you pull the whole thing out of the pot the root ball retains it's shape.
Hope that helps. You old timers can chime in anytime.
pa

hi all

Ashley
the first thing i'd do is seperate all of them and keep them one per pot..
and yes,in your zone i would fertilize now..
.slowly adding more as time goes by..give them lots of sun and keep an eye on the weather..
.and if it gets a bit chilly,then just throw a blanket over them...

good luck and cheers
diggy

Hi Ashley,

I remember you were moving into a newly purchased condo. Congratulations, it looks like you made the move now.

My brugs are outside now even though it got down to 50o last night. If it gets much colder you should move them against the house and cover or set them inside for the night. I started fertilizing them last week and also applied epsom salts over the weekend. It's highly recommended here and you can get it most anywhere.

Hi PA, thanks for the advice! And for the heads up on the weather! :)

Diggy, how big should each pot be? Like the size of the terra cotta pot shown or the white plastic pots?

Hey Rock! I did move! Last August and now I'm trying to get my small patio garden in full swing! :) Whats does the Epsom salt do? I thought that salt build up in the soil was bad for plants..?

Any suggestions on fert? Is Miracle Grow good or is there another brand that is better? Will this help promote (possibly) flower growth?

Thanks!
Ashley

Hi Ashley, welcome to this forum. I'm fairly new myself, I only have a patio for my brugs, I live in So. Calif so they stay outside all year round. I started out with one brug and have made several cuttings since, they all are doing great.
I don't have any advice for your plants, but I wanted you to know that I do like the "rock" on your finger!

Ingrid.

Thanks Ingrid. Its not an engagment ring or anything, which is why its on my middle finger but it is a beautiful ring! :)

I live in Dallas and only have patio space myself, as well. How have yours done with your weather? Does it get very hot there? I'm sure not like here in TX. haha

Ashley

Hi, Ashley! Welcome to the forum. You seem to have done a great job taking care of those brug babies. PrinceAlbert
sent you some very nice cuttings. Are you planting any in
the ground? It's almost time for me to pull mine out of
the garage also. Good luck!
Margaret

Good looking cuttings, just wait for this summer they will be gorgeous! I think they will bloom for you this summer or fall. Now I am no expert for I myself am still learnig. I only have for sure yellow brug the cuttings that I am trying to protect I am not sure of the color or if they will bloom this year but I will post pictures if they do. Later Marcie

Ashley,
all yours should bloom this year they are all from above the "Y"
I use regular miricle grow. After I identify a bloom bud I use bloom booster with a big middle number.
pa

Hi all!

Margaret, Thanks! I don't plan on planting any in the ground only because the soil in my back patio isn't very good (I think I need to get weed killer). What colors do you have?

Marcie, I bet they will be! Oh! It should be exciting to see what color yours turn out to be! :)

Hey PA! Thanks for the reassurance! I really want these to bloom. I'll start to feed them with MG. I have MG houseplant liquid food, is there another kind I should get? As for the bloom booster, what do you mean by a big middle number? I don't know much at all about fertilizer. :/

Ashley

Ashley,
I stole this from somewhere else. It's pretty long, but may help. I use 12-55-6 Bloom booster from lowes after the bloom buds get about an inch long. mixed per pkg instructions

Understanding Fertilizer Numbers: N-P-K
And what the heck do those numbers mean anyway?

It may seem intimidating, but you can figure it out. When selecting a fertilizer  whether itÂs for annuals, vegetable gardens, trees and shrubs, perennials or lawns  the first question to answer is, "What analysis do I need?" The analysis is actually the three large numbers you see on every fertilizer label  put there by law  such as 10-20-10 or 10-10-10 or 18-46-0. These numbers represent the percentage (by weight) of the three major nutrients required for healthy plant growth, always in the same order: nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (N-P-K). Each of these nutrients affects plant growth differently, and the formulation you select should depend on your specific gardening needs.

The first number is the percentage of nitrogen in the bag. So a bag of 24-8-4 has 24 percent total nitrogen. Nitrogen provides plants with the ability to produce more chlorophyll, which in turn allows plants to grow quickly. With each additional nitrogen application, plants will grow taller and develop a darker green color. So if you want a dark green lawn, use a lawn fertilizer thatÂs high in nitrogen  but then expect to mow more often.

The second one feeds the blooming mechanism (?)
The second number in the analysis is the percentage of phosphorus in the mix. For example, a bag of 24-8-4 would contain 8 percent phosphorus. Phosphorous aids in root development and increases flowering ability and bloom size. The fertilizer industry smartly markets high phosphorus fertilizer as "Bloom Booster." High-phosphorous fertilizer should be used when plants are being established in your garden  when sowing a new lawn or planting a new tree, for instance.

The third number represents the percentage of potassium found in the product. A bag of 24-8-4 has 4 percent potassium in the mix. Potassium has many functions: It guards the plant against diseases and aids in drought protection and cold tolerance. It also serves a role in improving root development and helps in the process of photosynthesis. You might consider using a high-potassium fertilizer at the start of winter and summer to protect crops from temperature extremes or when insects and disease have caused damage to your plants.

Now, if youÂre a left-brainer, youÂve probably noticed that the sum of the percentages donÂt equal 100 percent. ThatÂs because there are other nutrients and filler product in fertilizer mixtures. This filler helps to apply the nutrients evenly over an area. So no need to double-check the math.

Epsom salts make the leaves more green it has Magnesium.

Epsom Salt or magnesium sulfate and isn't a problem for plants like sodium chloride or regular salt. You are right that it is a good idea to use rain water for your plants when possible, especially if you have a water softener or high alkaline water which is common here in Texas.

Looking Good Girl!! You best keep an eye on the Weather tho.. We have a COLD front moving in and right now they are calling for temps in the low 30's . Out here anyway..

Kylie

hi Ashley

the white pot in the first picture looks ok...
just make sure to put something heavy in the bottom.
you don't want your baby blowing over and snapping...
i would also top it off with chicken compost...
to about an inch from the lip....

cheers and good luck
diggy

Hi everyone! :)

PA! Thanks so much, that all makes sense now. I'll definitely print this off so that I can keep it with me to remember what the numbers mean and how each part helps the plant differently. :)

Yikes! Rock_oak, I never thought about what was in the water. Its a good idea to collect rain water but its a breeding ground for mosquitos....nasty little buggers!

Hi Kylie! Thanks! How have you been?! Oh, and thanks for the heads up on the weather. Last night it was 41 degrees and tonight will be the same, but tomorrows high should be 73! We are expecting cold and rainy Saturday, though.

Hey Diggy, I have two Brugs planted in the white container and then the other white one has 3. You said earlier that I should separate then, right? I'll start looking for more containers the size of the white ones. :)

Chicken compost? Hm... another thing I don't know about and never used. haha. Use it, don't use it, how to use it why use it...many questions to be answered. I'll try to do some research on this.

Thanks for all the help!
Ashley

I know we are probably better than 60 mi away but they are calling for 32* out here.. Better Safe than Sorry..LOL

Ashley, I have NOIDS of pink, yellow (also a pale yellow),
orange and a few special ones that some nice people on this
forum shared/traded with me. I got my Grimaldi, Pasco and a
couple more in that color range all mixed up a few years
ago...LOL! It doesn't matter to me, however, I always
specify that they're NOIDS. I also have some varigated.
I'm most happy just to have BRUGS!! If yo need a cutting,
let me know.
Margaret

Chena, I know, the cold weather sucks. Its nice today but I've been planning to move my plants in the evening before the cold front moves in. I've already made room in the house! haha!

Margaret, wow you have so many! Thanks for the offer! PA sent me cuttings of White and Yellow NOIDS, along with some datura seeds. The Grimaldi has such beautiful color, and pink! how lovely. I've never seen a varigated brug before. Do you have any photos of yours?

Ashley

Ashley you bring up a good point about the mosquitos and collecting rain water. There are a number of ways to avoid getting mosquitos when you do this. You can keep a lid on the container or use mosquito dunks.

We are just beginning to work with rainwater in our yard and we use small containers so the water doesn't stand long. Since it didn't rain here for almost two years we have only done this through the winter when mosquitos are not a problem. If we go with a larger system we will have to use a more reliable system.

Margaret this is Marcie I would be interested in exchanging plants with you I am longing for a variegated brugie no mater the color I will be able to have some cuttings later on this summer, right now my single yellow brug. is trying to come back from the roots I see no sign of my dble white one coming back but maybe I am looking just a little too early? I do have few seeds of datura dble yellow and some seedlings but not sure if they are dble yellow or dble purple. can we trade? Or I can pay postage, Thank you so much Marcie

Welcome Ashley to this forum. I think you will find a lot of great info on caring for your brugs. Just know that different people use different things on their brugs, e.g., I do not use chicken manure and they do fine. So, come up with a simply plan on caring for them, and save your $ to buy more brugs!

Ashley, I sent you mail with a couple of pics.

Marcie, I sent you mail also.
Margaret
Happy Spring Everyone!!

Rock, mosquito dunks? Hmmm...never heard of this. I'll look it up today. Thanks!

Thanks Eloise, I like your thinking! ;) I'm always up for buying more plants haha

Thanks Margaret! I'll reply today :)

Ashley

Hey everybody:
Pegeon poop works just like chicken. There is plenty of that under The overpasses where pegeons roost in any town. The city don't mind if you take it (free fertilizer). Just take the dried stuff the wet will burn your flowers. 1 shovel full should last a couple of months. Use it sparingly.

princealbert

PA, that's a first, I've never heard of anyone using pigeon poop as a fertilizer!

They are just a little smaller than chickens and prolific poopers. LOL
We used chicken (P) on the garden when I was a kid. we always had 10-30 of them around so there was always a supply under the roost. That was one of my spring jobs--clean out the chicken house and spread it on the garden. Usualy this time of year before the spring rains. I kept pigeons for a while but they would not stay home, I gave up.

I wish I can find free chickn or pigeon poop. I've heard they are great fertilizer.

I've never used anything like that for fert....never really even used fert. But I will start! I bought MG Plant Food with high first and third numbers...will buy Bloom Fert when the time comes....not sure when I should start using the bloom fert. When I see a flower bud? or Before to promote flower buds?

Ashley

I use the bloom fert all along the way on a weekly basis. The MG has all the same ingredients so your plants will get what it needs if you don't want to accumulate a lot of garden stuff this year.

Hi everyone! I hope Easter was joyous for all! :)

I have replanted some of my Brugs into separate pots because they were beginning to get crowded! I didn't take photos of all of them this morning, so I'll post more tomorrow!

I've also planted my coleus seedling I started a couple of months ago into the pots with them.

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A close up of my coleus seedlings
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After I replanted I noticed that I had not kept the ID with the plant...so now I don't know which is which. But hey, I love surprises and it'll be grand to find out what color the brug is once it blooms! I'll also replant the coleus if they don't do well or it gets too shaded or crowded. I just ran out of pots but I had to replant to coleus because they were also getting VERY crowded.

Check back tomorrow for a couple photos! I've only shown 2 out of 5 plants

Ashley

I've never grown coleus from seed. Those are really pretty and the brugs sure look happy!

Very nice Ashley. You know, you can also write the names of brugs on their stem with a marker. Of course, it will eventually fade, but you can go over it before that happens, if you remember that is, LOL! I've forgotten to refresh the name with the marker on a couple :-(

I was just wanting to say to the people who use bird poop as fert that rabbit poop is the best of any fert better that horse ,,cow bird ...all of them!If you can get your hands on it

I agree that rabbit poo makes great fertilizer and it doesn't burn the plants even when fresh. My rabbits are litter box trained so it makes it easy to retrieve their pellets.

Hi Ashley,
Those are some terrific looking brugs! You coleus are nice too. Nice job on sprouting them from seeds. (I don't have much luck with seed germination).

Sunnygreece and Karyn1 - I've located some rabbit poo for the price of 'free'. Now, I just need to go pick it up. This will be my first time using rabbit pellets as a fertilizer. I am very excited! Thanks for the recommendation. ( :

Happy brug growing!

Bo

Boy time really got away with me. I'm been so busy with work and I just interviewed for a Masters Program at UT Southwest Medical here in Dallas, whew I'm exhausted! :)

Here are the rest of my Brugs! :) I took these after work one day so they are a little darker than normal.
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Good idea, Eloise, about the markers. I had no idea that wasn't toxic to the plants.

Thanks pkponder! Coleus was really easy to start from seed. I started a thread in the Container Garden forum, if you wanna check out the coleus progress! :)

It'd be interesting to try different types of ferts but right now I'll stick with what I have on hand. I don't have access to any other fert than store bought ones...

Yaslan, this is my first time growing from seed. I got a Wizard mix, which is a bunch of different types of coleus and I used pretty much the whole package and got lots of seedlings!

Ashley

Your potting idea is lovely but brugs like surface rooting, especially when they or any plant fans outword with it's branches. Better hold on the ground. Tall narrower plants like Rose of Sharon or maybe even standards of brugs will prefer a deeper pot for a tap root but still will want surface rooting to some degree.

I'd get the coleus out now.
Well wishes - Sandy

Really? Aw bummer! I really like the coleus there. I don't have any extra pots so I will move them as soon as possible.

Thanks Sandy

Ashley

Your welcome Ashley. I know how you feel, every year.
If you can find some pots that will fit in the space around the brug you can always set them in there.

I'd go as far as using baggies for now, holes in the bottom of coarse, cut down to the right heighth. I like baggies, especially freezer bags, but I do like all kinds and sizes...lol

- Sandy

Ashley, you can also use large yogurt containers and similar stuff as planters to help you until you find more. Just punch a hole and you're in business.

It looks like your plant collection is really taking off.

Shirley

Thanks for the good ideas! I think I'll need to buy bigger pots because these plants are growing very quickly! :D

Ashley

Hi Ashley,
Your brugs have really taken off nicely. I can't wait for it to get warmer here. The sun has been playing peek a boo with us.
Good Luck with the Masters Program at UT Southwest Medical! ( :

Bo

Ashley, if you have duplicates of a particular brug, you might try leaving the coleus on one of them and see how that works out. A few weeks ago, I went to a seminar on backyard fruit growing, and the guy said at one time the advice was to grow trees/plants great distances from each other. He said that is no longer the case, and one should experiment as to what works for you. So, why don't you experiment with one of your brugs and grow the coleus on its base! Congrats on your pursue of a master's degree!

Thanks for the good luck wishes!

I'm actually doing this right now Eloise. I've got some brugs by themselves and then 3 brugs with the coleus. Eloise, I'm sorry for your loss and I'm keeping you and your family in my prayers.

Ashley