It's bad enough that my youngest likes to pick the foliage off my plants but he has completely destroyed about 20 brug cuttings and an equal number of baby calla lilies!!! He'll manage to get into something if I'm not watching him every minute. I'd spent about 15 minutes online paying bills and thought he was watching a movie until I heard something rolling around on the floor. He had dumped every small rooted brug cutting and lily out of it's pot and was happily grinding them and the dirt into my dining room floor : ( Not only are the plants unsalvageable but I don't know if the dirt will come out of the wood floor! He doesn't touch the plants that I have in the temporary "grow room" but plants anywhere else in the house seem to be fair game. I'm too old for this. Doesn't anyone want a really cute, albeit destructive 2 yr old?
Karyn
OMG....what a mess you must have. I would think you might be able to save the cuttings by repotting them, tho you might not know who they are. I'm so sorry the little stinker thought he had to have fun with your brug babies...but I'm too old to adopt now. Thanks anyway. LOL!
I wish but they are way past repotting. He completely ground them into the floor. They look more like compost at this point! At least he doesn't put things in his mouth and I did wash his hands well.
If I live until he's out of college I'll keep him. How soon we put the terrible two's out of our minds (selective memory). It's been a while since my other kids were this age. I had a lot more energy and patience when I was in my 30's. lol
OH, Karyn - I'm so sorry! Ah, 'the terrible two's'! So aptly named... My daughter's 27, so it's been a LONG time since I had to deal with anything like that. But I do feel your pain.
The weather's too cold, but in the spring I'm sure we would all be happy to send you some already rooted cuttings. I know that doesn't help you now, but maybe it'll give you something to look forward to.
You all are so nice! I still have lots of brugs and would love to trade for some of the varieties that my little beast destroyed. How can a child that looks so sweet be such a demon?!
Karyn, I'm not a parent...but I have an idea. Try to find a children's book that addresses the "magic" of planting seeds and read it to your "little angel". See if it sparks his imagination and help him plant a few easy/quick-to-grow seeds that are all his. If you can make him see plants as special, maybe he'll treat them with a new respect.
Patrick
Brug Moderator
USDA Zone 8b
Heat Zone 3
Sunset Zone 5
SeaTac, WA...one cool place
Wow Patrick, maybe you should be the fairy godfather! That sounds just like a wonderful plan (now to see if it works). But that is putting the thinking down to his level, and yes, maybe develop an interest in plants--who knows, he may go into horticulture and landscaping, just from your suggestion!
I do love the little tykes. We have only 2 children in our family, my niece's 5-yo daughter and 2-yo son. They live in Singapore, so I don't get to see much of them. They were home (my sister's) for a nice stay at Christmas & I loved the times I got to play with them and just observe all they did & said. We made a flower-lover out of the little girl from a very early age. The little guy is all boy, but fortunately isn't destructive.
Patrick
Brug Moderator
USDA Zone 8b
Heat Zone 3
Sunset Zone 5
SeaTac, WA...one cool place
Patrick your neice & nephew are adorable. What a wonderful experience they are having being able to live in another country. Actually all my children are involved in gardening and have been from a very young age. They have been helping out at the farm and in the yard for years. The older ones put up a bit of a fuss now that they "have" to help at the farm. lol Kyle, the little beast, loves helping in the garden. Unfortunately he thinks pulling up newly planted seedlings is helping! I learned to love gardening from my mom at a very young age. We didn't have a farm but she always had a huge garden. Hopefully my kids will appreciate having spent time outside at the farm, instead of sitting in front of a TV when they are older. Right now the older ones sometimes resent it but what do you expect from a 10 and an almost 13 yr old?
Karyn
Karyn, he's cute, and I like the picture, almost looks like he sprouted wings.
Sorry to hear about the Brugs though. On the positive side, I just checked your want list and might have a couple for you in Spring.
Patrick, great idea, I was also thinking something similar to introduce him to gardening, maybe he won't crush the plants if he's interested in them.
Karyn, I would expect nothing less from your older two, but being outside is much better for them than sitting in front of the TV, and even if they sometimes resent it now, later on they will appreciate it (although they may never tell you.) I don't have the experience with kids, but I remember growing up with my grandparents, who also had a very large garden, and also got me interested and working in the garden at a very young age. Actually, my grandmother used to tell stories about how when I was between the ages of 2 and 4, she couldn't send me out to get strawberries because I'd eat 2 or 3 out of every 4 I picked, and she also had to keep me away from the onions, because I'd pull them up and eat "dirt and all," lol! I may not remember doing any of that, but most of what I learned from them about taking care of plants still sticks with me today.
Karyn, I'm considerably more awake this morning than when I posted last night...I started out to comment on how cute your little tiger is & somehow failed to say so. I also wanted to pause to wonder if being the youngest in the family has influenced his behavior a little? I was the youngest of 3 and definitely had my "Pat the Brat" stage. I also probably got away with a bit more acting up than my older siblings did...at least to hear them tell it. lol
Patrick
Brug Moderator
USDA Zone 8b
Heat Zone 3
Sunset Zone 5
SeaTac, WA...one cool place
Patrick I wouldn't doubt it, especially because there's such a big age difference. I was also the youngest of 3 and to hear my sisters tell it you'd think that I was the evil spawn! lol
Karyn
Hmmmm....Carrie, I looked all thru the emoticons, but couldn't find one that came close to what I wanted to express to you...will just have to go with these:
LOL
Patrick
Brug Moderator
USDA Zone 8b
Heat Zone 3
Sunset Zone 5
SeaTac, WA...one cool place
I remember when my nephew was 6.I had one brugmansia.Supernova.It had some whiteflies due to the hibiscus growing next to it(it shared)My nephew thought he did me a favor by useing the fly swatter on my PLANT.Bad Aunt that I am I bet I scared him pretty bad cause he avoids most plants now& you can bet He don't touch them.He says He don't remember it(He's 13 now) I did root some of those cuttings& He proably made the plant look better in the long run cause most the branchs He broke sprouted on the ends and we're fuller.It's last flush that year had over 100 blooms.We tried counting& keept getting lost around 130-140.Also we closed the windows at night.It smelled THAT strong.
I don't get to see my grandkids much(7 boys)I have tried to get a 18 mo old to find daddy to give him the phone& all he wanted to go on about was getting his shoes to come see me....lol I'm glad they slide the deadbolt...lol
I have a dog thats like your 2 year old.I was glad HE didn't eat them either.He dumped about 7 plants& I was SOO glad they we're Shirley's cause they we're ones she wrote her names on the plants.So I only ended up with one lost tag.Was an unpleasnt mess.I think he wanted to go potty and found the wrong door& was 2 am.I was mad about the plants. He picks up pots in the yard too...plants and all.even tarra cotta pots.I think at times he surpasses! a 2 year old.(oh...he ate the lights on the lower branches of the Christmas tree,besides items off the wreath that started out hung ON the door before was moved ABOVE the door.)
Hopefully we BOTH will survive.If not....I'll trade you my Rotti Duke.(who I keep trying to get to answer to chewbacua)
It's when they are quiet YOU have to worry the most!
Oh no Karyn! I feel so bad about your brugs, but I have to agree--it had to have been his evil twin! You can almost see the halo around his little head in that picture! I may have some cuttings to share in the spring to help you replace those you lost. I hope you were able to get the floor cleaned and no damage to it.
for teaching them such wonderful values.
