My big 8 feet brugs update :( + nitrogen question

13 years ago

Well no blooms im sure now. For the past three nights weve hit 27-29 degrees. Its freezing. I even covered them with sheets. Even with the sheets the cold got to them. It hit 29 one night at 8:30pm and stayed that way all night. After the first night the foliage looked dark and mushy. Covered them the second night and even the sheet was kinda hard and icy the next morning. The foliage looked even worse.

After spending all that time over the summer i just realized that it was to late to keep trying to save them. Third night no covering. You can imagine what they look like now. Luckily before the cold i was able to mulch really well and take some cuttings just in case they dont come back next year.

Regarding another post about Nitrogen, ive been using miracle gro 24-8-16. What do i know, i thought it was ideal and really new to all this, never even noticed the numbers. I also used that twice a week :(, was that probably to much? I also did water them at times with no miracle gro due to excessive heat. That wouldnt have helped with the flushing out?I know many are against miracle gro, but it gave me a beautiful bush just no blooms. Lol. I thought bloom booster wasnt good for them. Remember, im new to these and have a very limited income. I cant go all out and buy many expensive products.

So, with that in mind what would you all advise i use next year? Remember, i like it kinda simple. Something that would be okay to use once or twice a week. What numbers should i be looking for on the package? Was 24-8-16 not good for them? And if it was okay, what about using it once a week? Would that have made a difference or no? Just curious. And can you get Super Bloom at Wal-Mart, Lowes, etc? Are super bloom and bloom booster the same?

Thanks for everything. :)

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

tommysmommy
13 years ago
LTG, yes I think SuperBloom and Bloom Booster do the same thing, as long as they have that high middle number they're promoting flowering. Home Depot, Lowes, garden centers all have those products.
I feel your pain - during the heat of summer only one of my brugs flowered at all, and she kept going and going. Only when it started to cool down did the others attempt to put on buds. I have 3 now that waited all summer and are either flowering or budded out. Two are snuggled up to my south side brick house, keeping them warmer at night, one is in my family room dropping leaves and some of the buds b/c it's not getting the amount of sun it would have outdoors. My summer bloomer got hit by frost and I ended up cutting it back and I'm in the process of letting it dry out so I can store it. Since I'm in the north nothing can stay inground over the winter, altho I keep hearing a mild winter predicted here but why chance it?
These plants are addicting b/c of their beauty, but they can be a real frustration. I can't wait for the ones with buds to flower so I can take pictures, enjoy, then cut back and store. Enough for the season already! I have plenty of houseplants making me happy enough with flowers that I can wait for a while on these guys.
Happy Fall Back!
lovetogrowflowers
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks tommysmommy. I guess im a littke lucky then that i can leave my inground. After cutting them back and bringing a few branches inside i have blooms. Lol. Happy but really wanted the blooms on the plant itself.

Anyway, anyone else have any input on the nitrogen issue i posted in this post. Advice please so i can be prepared next spring.
Related Professionals
Aurora Landscape Contractors · Barrington Landscape Contractors · Kansas City Siding & Exteriors · New Lenox Siding & Exteriors · Newington Siding & Exteriors · Woodstock Roofing & Gutters · Jefferson Hills Roofing & Gutters · Boston Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Fredericksburg Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Green Bay Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Pecan Grove Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Racine Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Reading Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Springfield Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Windsor Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures
beachplant
13 years ago
my 12', 15 yo brugs all died in last years freeze, they have not returned. Winter sucked last year!

I'm the worlds worst at fertilizing, I got my first brug from a friend who told me to use ammonia on them. I buy a bag from Home Depot, ammonia sulfate maybe?, it's with all the fertilizers. Then in spring I pour some around the bases of them all, and if I think about it once or twice during the summer. Once in awhile I pour fish emulsion on the whole yard. About twice a season I walk around and throw some epsom salts around the yard also. My brugs are, er, were, very heavy bloomers. They bloom best after a good rain, in spring and fall, rarely in the dead of summer-unless we have a lot of rain. Too much nitrogen= thick green foliage and no blooms. If you want to fertilize every week then make your solution really dilute, about 1/4 of the recommended strength or less, you just add more water. IE: 1 tsp to 1 gallon you would use 1 tsp to 4 gallons.
Good luck!
Tally HO!
Patsey Nelson
13 years ago
The first number is nitrogen and it is a high number. I am not against miracle grow, I like it. The reason I mentioned to stop the miracle grow and use super bloom a while, it would ajust the nitrogen that you have given them. I think twice a weak is too much anyway. Just cut your first number and raise your second number, I bet you will have blooms.I only know this because tomatoes are the same way and I always raise some tomatoes.
Good Luck
Patsey