As some of you may know, MN was not kind to us here in Texas this year. First, the hail that beat my brugs up pretty good and then on to the intense heat before they had a chance to recover.............so...........I searched for pictures of good years and a friend of mine posted them on GW Texas...........thought you may want to take a look as we are going into that time of year when we like to reflect on good years and look forward to better ones ahead.

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/txgard/gal082116567383.html?12

USDA Zone 7/8
Copper Canyon
North Central Texas

Those are some great pictures!


Cheers,Bob
KLEX - USA

Thanks, Bob, I have had some truly great years with these beauties, but this wasn't one of them. However, just in time to cut my inground ones back, they are producing a few blooms. Dr. Seuss is his usual wonderous self with over a hundred blooms on him, though be it with few leaves.

USDA Zone 7/8
Copper Canyon
North Central Texas

Well, since the weatherman is predicting snow this weekend, I finally cut mine back and moved all of them into the basement. 'Till next year. I will enjoy the lovely pictures from Carrie, and wish my computer had brug smell coming from it!

I wish so also, Selma, as Dr.Seuss almost knocked me over with fragrance when I walked outside this morning. I am having my brug cutting today .........so no more blooms until next season.

USDA Zone 7/8
Copper Canyon
North Central Texas

Carrie,your brugs are/were fantastic ! I notice that they seem to be in pots,if so, what size pots do you use to have them get that big and lush ? I live in Pennsylvania ang grow most of mine in the ground. They get as big or bigger as yours,but digging them up each fall is becoming a pain as I am now in my mid 60s,and starting next spring,they will all go into pots. So,what size pots are yours in,they seem to be just the right size plants for me. Thanks.
Dan.

That is a good question Dan. I have the feeling that I am going to keep getting bigger and bigger pots, and than they won't fit in the basement. How do you know when you are done increasing the size of the pot? Selma

I really am uncertain as to the size of these containers...........the largest I could buy, but I will try to check tomorrow so I can be more specific. One thing you can do, and should do is to repot every three to four years trimming the roots by one third. This should be done only in the Spring, however.
Dan, most of my brugs are inground (just have my "cutting" party today) and I cut them back to the ground and mulch really well. I don't know if this would work in a colder climate, but you could always leave one inground, take cutting just in case, and see if it would survive.

USDA Zone 7/8
Copper Canyon
North Central Texas

How much,if any, should I prune my brug for storage in an unheated basement?
Thanks!


Cheers,Bob
KLEX - USA

I should probably pass this off to someone who stores their brugs this way, Bob. All of my container brugs go either into the greenhouse or the plant room. I prune them enough to fit into the space allocated for them. I have had those who do store in a garage or basement say they strip all the leaves off and let them go semi dormant .......giving them just enough water to keep them moist. Hopefully, someone else will chime in that knows what they are talking about....

USDA Zone 7/8
Copper Canyon
North Central Texas

Hi Carrie, Bob. Mine go into the basement, and my original NOID pink has to get cut way back; I try to leave a couple of "eyes" on each branch, so new growth can come from there. I cut it back to the original branches, maybe 3-4 feet high. The littler ones, I cut back similarly, they are about 2-3 feet tall, by doing that all the leaves are gone. And yes, I try to water them every week a bit. Usually, come feb, or mar, they will start putting forth pale leaves, and by end of march, I will have spider mites on them. This past year, I was so frustrated, I moved them all out a bit early, so I could get the mites under control, and wouldn't lose the plants. My basement is unfinished, and is usually 40-50 degrees. I have a light over the plants that is on during the day. Selma

Thank you!! I'm,going to d a little trimming on mine


Cheers,Bob
KLEX - USA

Okay, back to the container size issue..............the best I can determine is the largest ones I have are 30 gallons........if I find out differently, I will post again.

USDA Zone 7/8
Copper Canyon
North Central Texas

I've been told that brugs can be maintained in a pot size of about 15 gallons & I try to max out anywhere between 15-20 gal. with mine. While that might inhibit the plant size somewhat, it helps keep moving the pots manageable. A mature brug in a pot that size, or smaller, will probably benefit from a root trimming and some fresh soil either yearly or at least every other year.

My brugs are all in pots and are stored in the garage over Winter, with a min. temp of about 47 F. I water lightly about once a month and the only light they get is from one window. I prune some heavily & others just enough to fit the space. A few days before they go in the garage I do the cutting and remove all remaining leaves.

I have grown a few in the ground, but after some Winters, they don't come back (as much because of cold wet soil as occasion big freezes). Those that do come back take a long time in my climate to regrow to blooming size - I usually don't get blooms on them until well into Fall.

Patrick
USDA Zone 8b
Heat Zone 3
Sunset Zone 5
SeaTac, WA...one cool place

Thank you for the tips!! I'm trying to root a cutting...


Cheers,Bob
KLEX - USA

Patrick!! How very nice to see you posting here! It has been about a year, and we were wondering where you were! How have you been? How did your brugs and others grow and bloom this summer (the two weeks we had of it!). Have a very Merry Christmas, and a wonderfully happy new year!

Bob, I just place my brug cuttings in water in a place where they won't freeze, they root out over the winter, and are ready to pot in the Spring.

USDA Zone 7/8
Copper Canyon
North Central Texas

I will definitely try that;thanks!


Cheers,Bob
KLEX - USA