I'll be digging mine up sometime over the next month, depending on the temps. I always leave it until the last minute. I've stored big brugs in garbage bags with no problem. I just dig up the roots with some dirt attached and wrap the rootball in a black trash bag. I poke a few holes in the bag to make sure that water drains but I rarely watered them, maybe once during storage. I can also lay them on their sides when I store them in bags.

This Sat is when I am having a few invited guests come to get cuttings and plants. I have totally scaled down my collection. I wont be able to care for more than 7 in my basement so I started smaller specimens last year. All my big,
older 'original' cultivars are being re-homed this weekend.I always do the 'inbound trek' on the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend.

I've been digging for the past two days and I'm definitely
not taking any small cuttings for storage. Brugs are
increasing and my storage space is slowly decreasing. Some
are so huge and I want to keep a few of them that way.
Karyn, I may have to try the garbage bag for the monster ones.
I only had eight in the ground this year.

Margaret

We had a frost warning last weekend so I dug and potted up my small one. The taller in ground one has many buds that I hope to see bloom so I covered it. Fortunately, it did not frost here and both brugs are doing well. We're having a beautiful week in the 70s. The other large one in a pot also has several large buds which will open soon.

Margaret why are you digging them up so early? I'm one to talk. I always wait until the last minute and then it's a mad rush. lol

I already did mine too...Gonna put a post for them now.

It was a sad day, but at least I get a bigger greenhouse come Spring!!...WooHoo!!

knotz

LOL! As you said, Karyn...the mad rush. I don't want the frost to slip up on me. Most of mine are in pots anyway. I'm
still watching a few hoping to get a few more blooms. It
was a good year for me in the end...so...I'm getting some
of them ready for bed.

I dug one up already, temps are beginning to fall a little. Later this week we'll only have 40 at night so I guess it's time. I was looking at my peach versicolor yesterday which has stubbornly refused to bloom all summer and lo and behold, there are 2 buds. Doesn't this just figure!? I wonder how the buds will hold when I dig it up? My brand new white NOID which is barely 2' tall has 3 buds on it, one very large already, but it's in a small nursery pot already. The Santa Rosa is the one that breaks my heart. She's 8' tall and loaded with buds, branching and leafing like crazy. There's nowhere I can put her in the house at that size so there'll have to be some serious chopping. BooHoo!

I'm contemplating all the work I'm going to have to do shortly. I have about 150 noids that I planted, I'd like to offer them for postage, if anyone's interested.
I also will have about 80 named varieties that I really want to save for trades, if possible. After I've sated my desire for enough brugs- (Is that possible?) I will then also offer these for postage later on. Anyone interested? Shoot me an email please!
Thanks!
Kasha77

I see everyone is gettin busy, I got 5 more dug up yesterday, the weather turned really nice again, I just hope it holds for another 2 weeks, I was going too have a plant sale too get rid of some of the really big one's
& wouldn't you know it, the city is putting in new sewer lines, so it's a mess out front, also there's no parking until the end of the month, oh well I'll be donating more than a few to the local university
Karen
how many are you down too now? Girl my day Blooming Cerus has ton's of Bloom that have opened since I brought it in the house, it has the best scent
Elizabeth

It's about time for the dirty deed.. It is a Cr@p shoot this yr with Family and Weather.. I will be starting earlier than normal just to be sure everybody has a place.. The Banana's are going down under this yr..LOL

Kylie

Okay, all mine are in pots in the courtyard. The Santa Rosa is 10' tall, so when frost comes, I have no choice but to chop it - no ceilings tall enough!! Even though I took a few good roots, all the brugs are very happy after a cool night. During the day in their pots they wilt again, despite having lots of water.

Is there any where you could lay it down?? I hate to see you cut it..

Diane
that Santa Rosa is an amazing Brug, mine is topping out at 10 ft. also, I will be cutting it back, but I will leave the Y's, is there anyway it will be 8ft after you cut it back, most celings are 8ft, also I have had some Brugs
that have grown to 8ft, from a 6 inch clippings in one season, Strawberry Creme was one of them
Elizabeth

Karen
Girl we're going too be busy Wednesday & Thursday, the forecast says Thursday night, the low of 33 degrees, I hope you read this, i just wanted too give you the heads up
so we can get them in, tommorrow I will be taking the ones in pots to the basement, I am so glad, I took the Huge Agave, the Huge Catcus & 3 Big Brugs & some houseplants to the Conservatory, they were so glad too get them, I need the room for the Brugs, also I gave 2 Huge Strawberry Creme
& a Huge Frosty pink too a lady with a GH, she gave me about 30 flower pots for bringing them too her, some are 3 gal. some are 5gal. so they're perfect, I love it when a plan comes together
Hugs
Elizabeth

Well, this week is all the time we have left, Friday the weather station is saying Friday night, it will be 33 degrees at night,I am so glad I have a bunch already potted
up, ready for their winter home, some have Buds still on them, they look great, I have a childs swimming pool, that I put the potted up Brugs in, they don't wilt as Bad, doing them that way, I am lucky, I have a door that goes too my basement, so I don't have too drag them across the carpet down there, I hope everyone is ready for the weather change
Elizabeth

I have started digging.. I know we still have a lot of nice weather left but I am just not up for doing it all in a rush this yr..

Well I had no choice but dig up the rest of my Brugs, 21 plus 2 Plumeria's Naughty Nick & Santa Rosa topped out at 10ft, so I had my work cut out for me, man those 2 had a Huge rootball, I had too cut them way back, too get them in the basement, we have a Frost warning tonight, so I couldn't take any chances
but they all are in the basement, yippee, some of them has a bunch of Blooms on them, I will miss that as I know a lot of people in my zone will also
Elizabeth

I am so hopeing that the frost misses here tonight.........
I still have six left to dig and get in.
Will be getting them dug tomorrow for sure.

Wishing you all lots of energy to dig up your plants and lots of space to store them in :-)

Eloise, Thank you, they are all in now
Karen, I think the Frost missed us, my basement looks like a GH with Brugs all over the place, now too get the leaves off them, then spray them, I have so many clippings, I am going too turn on the bubbler, I did get all the mess from taking them in cleaned up, I had too use Bleach on my steps, it was a mess, I didn't want too get that on my carpet, I have about 15 houseplants sitting on garbage bags
in the living room, that I will take too the basement tommorrow
Elizabeth

Hard freeze predicted starting Tuesday night, continuing for a few. Although everyone's dug up they're in pots outside my front door. Three have either buds or flowers opening (the 10' Santa Rosa) and I can't bear to cut that one back and miss the flowers! What to do, oh what to do...

We had a frost advisory last night, but fortunately, it only got down to 37*.. Forecast for the next week says night time temps will stay above 40*, so that gives me another week to enjoy my beautiful brugs. Not looking forward to what many of you have to do now.
kasha77

Dianne & Kathy
the Frost missed us also,all of mine are now in the basement, I hated too cut NN & Santa Rosa back,but had no choice, they would've fit if I didn't, I left a rootball in the ground, I will mulch it, then put the stryfoam Rose covers over it, just too see what it does, I cut a 4ft stalk, I have it in water, the weather this coming week will be really nice, I should have waited
Elizabeth

Even though I'm in 9b, I'm seriously considering digging mine.
Two out of 4 years we had temps to 27 degrees for two or three nights. I covered mine, and it killed off heighth, but not roots. I still had to wait longer for flowers, so probably will dig mine end of November, beginning of December.

Passiflorapond, I guess it doesn't matter where you live anymore, if it's gets down too 28 degress in my unheated Gh
they still get Forst tipped, last year it was the week of Thangsgiving, mine were so pretty in the GH, but after the Frost, they looked so miserable, so now I make sure they're in the basement, me being in Zone 6B, I left a rootball in the ground, I will Mulch it, then put a stryfoam cover over it just too see if it makes it, by all means dig yous up, take them in
Elizabeth

So glad I'm in FL and don't need to dig mine up, but they are all in pots anyway. I'm cutting a couple back drastically to save space when I have to bring them in, so look on the exchange forum for my post if you want cuttings.

Dirtygardener73
Welcome to the Brug Forum, I'll check out the exchange Forum,I am glad for you that you don't have too dig them
with our zone, we don't have a choice if we want too keep them, we dig them, there are some that I still have too trim, for the space
Elizabeth

I've started to dig them up and take cuttings to start shipping out my trades and postage offers. We're supposed to get close to freezing on Fri, and I'm trying to do a little at a time so I'm not overwhelmed. I'll have plenty for trades and postage, if anyone else is interested.
kasha77

Finally all done, even the one's in the unheated GH are now
in the basement, I always tell myself, I am going too downsize, then I see something else, I just have too have
but I did downsize on my Houseplants, so all is good
Elizabeth

It looks like tonight's the night. My only regret besides all the blooms that will have to be sacrificed are all the seed pods that will also be lost. I might try leaving a few branches with the largest pods alone and just cover the plants. Maybe wrap some lights around them, eh, maybe not go to that much trouble. lol

Karyn
my car window had Frost on it early this morning, I am leaving my Bananas in the ground just too see if they make it, I am going too cut the stalk, mulch them then put those Stryfoam rose covers over them, I just don't have the room for them, I hope you get too keep your seedpods
I really didn't want too cut NN back with all those Buds
but with the weather change I am glad I am done digging
Elizabeth

We got a frost this am. I covered my favorites up, and the sheets were frozen thick and hard when I remeoved them, but WOW! no damage! Nothing else suffered either. Must be the frost wasn't here very long before the sun arose. So I spent the afternoon digging up my loveliest ones, and they'll go in the basement tomorrow when hubby is around. Kelly Ann is sulking in my dining room and her 3 turquoise seed pods feel a littl limp- I'm praying that they'll be ok. She's gorgeous-looks like a palm tree sitting in Rachel's spot at the table! Tommorow I'm packing 10 boxes of brugs cuttings and plants for shipment on Mon & Tues. So look out folks- here they come:)
kasha77

Kathy
I sure hope your seedpods are alright,WOW, Frost already
you're so much farther south than me, I still have 2 Bananas in the ground, they look fine, I am glad you got your Favorites dug up, sounds like you have been super busy
I have a Box of clippings going out tommorrow also, it does take time too get them ready
Elizabeth

Elizabeth- I like your idea of the styrofoam rose covers- where can I get some? I'd like to try them too! Have they ever worked for you before?
Thanks!
kasha77

Kathy
I think you have too buy them at a Garden center, I found
mine at a Church sale, they didn't cost much & they had the stakes with them, I will let you know if it works on the Bananas,before I put them on, I will fill them with leaves
then stake them down, my Brown Turkey fig, I use a plastic
garbage can, with the bottom cut out of it, I turn it upside down fill it full of leaves, I have done that for 3 yrs now, if you can't find the stryafoam cover, you might want too try that with inexpensive Garbage containers, full of leaves
Elizabeth

I finally got around to digging the brugs up yesterday. They are still outside but at least I got them out of the ground. lol

Congratulations Karyn!!!
Doing the Happy Brug Dance for you!
I know it is a big job, especially when we dont feel well.
Just goes to show how much we love our plants.

Karen

Karyn
Yippee, you did Girl, I am with Karen, doing the Brug Dance
for you, I have a Love hate realationship with this time of year, I am glad too get them inside, but I hate too miss those Blooms till Spring/Summer, but we have Thanksgiving coming up, we want too spend the time with our Familys, so it's a good thing that we don't have too water & take care of our outside Brugs, Yippee when we are done
Elizabeth

Thanks for the ideas girls. the upside down garbage can with bottom cut out may work for my small palm tree. (it's a pindo palm.) It almost died last year. Hope it makes it!
Tomorrow I will dig the last of my beauties. Alas, they are covered with tons of unopened buds. I at least wanted to see the new ones that I got this year, but no dice! I've run out of large pots, and garbage bags don't seem to work that well. I'll have to check on Craigslist or freecycle.
Thanks everyone!
kasha77

I had a few that I wanted to see the blooms as well but it's not happening this season for me either. Let's just cross our fingers that next year is a good one for the brugs. It's been 3 years since I've had really nice flushes on my plants. One year is too cold, the next is too hot. I want it just right. Sounds like Goldilocks and the Three Bears. lol If you have a hard time finding pots plastic paint buckets work in a pinch. Just drill some holes in the bottom.

Sounds like we are all running around like a chicken with his head cut off. I made sure I got my brugs in first. I started out with one, Audrey Hepburn, don't know what I have now. Thanks to Kasha77 I have several different names now.
I brought Audrey in with 82 blooms, every one bloomed out. The fragrance was so strong we had to shut her up in a bedroom by herself. I could hardly wait to open that door the next morning.
I still have my bananna trees in the ground, they are all over 20'. My hubby hates that.I may just have to cut them down this year and mulch.
This afternoon, the black elephant ears and begonias come in.
Thanks for so much help this year. I know all of you that have been on here longer get tired of our same old questions, but you still answer with such grace. It is a pleasure being on the forum with all of you.
May god bless each of you is my prayer.
Patsey
I

We had frost again last night there are still about 15 in the ground and another 20 pots.. Several are blooming but the foliage looks like crap . Hubby has offered to help so hopefully I can get them in or at least dug..I am really surprised that the Iochromas in the ground look as good as they do.. I hope they will enjoy living in pots..LOL

Kylie

Here are a couple of Hold Outs.. That are still blooming..
Ludgers Windsong and Phanomenal..

Kylie
{{gwi:535107}}
{{gwi:573155}}

Well, that does it for me. All my brugs have been either dug up and brought in or cut down and mulched. My family was sweet enough to help me bring in the last few stragglers. I have so many cuttings still coming in from trades and so much more from my gardens for next years' stock. I can hardly turn around in my tiny basement, but I managed to fit every last one in there! I am so compulsive! Every brug has it's name written on the stem if I can, and a tag on the pot too! No mis labeled plants for me. No more noids here! I'm like a nurse in the neonatal ward. Every baby is labeled correctly! Hubby promises me a GH next year! I'll really be in trouble then! LOL!
kasha77

Well, Today it's back too taking care of my Brugs, some of them need too be potted up yet, I ran out of potting soil
like 3 times, now I am all set, I see that most of you have their Brugs in, Good Photo Kylie, those are really pretty, we had our first Snow Friday night, I know don't mention the four letter word, North of us it was really coming down, I am glad it wasn't much, my Bananas still look good, I have too get them cut down soon
Elizabeth

Today, I cut my Bananas to the ground, put the Stryfoam covers over them, then I put one of the Stryfoam covers over Rosalie, after leaving the rootball in the ground, I just want too see if it makes it in the ground with protection, I can't believe How fast this year is going, I believe time passes fast wheather you're having fun or not
watch how fast November & December passes by, then January
& February drags, esp. for Brug growers
Elizabeth

Those are beauties Kylie!

Elizabeth, I hope the plants you left outside survive for you. That way you won't have to drag so many indoors.

ok ladies axel rose on ebay I know theres someone one here who can't live with out this sport! lol 6 cuttings too

Hey Eloise
good too see you, you wouldn't believe how many I did drag
in, now I see why most people just take cuttings, after I donated 6 huge Brugs, a Huge agave, & a Huge 6ft Catcus
I still have them all over the basement, but Hey I do have a path, but I do love them so
Elizabeth