Re: Brugs and Frost




From: Valerie Lowery@ZEON on 10/22/99 08:46 AM

Jill,

I always bring my brugmansias indoors since I'm in a colder climate (zone
6a).  I talked at length with White Flower Farm and they recommend that if
you don't have a sunny area to place the plant, you should let it go
dormant.  I put mine in my basement which is not heated and receives no
sunlight.  The plants will drop all of their leaves.  Water the soil only
about once a month (enough to keep the soil from completely drying out, but
not overwatering so that the plant rots).  You'll know when the plant
breaks dormancy because it will start to sprout leaves on its own -- even
with no light.  When you bring them back out into the sun, do it gradually.
The leaves that have sprouted will be very light-sensitive.

A couple of other things:  WWF recommended that if you are keeping your
brugs in a pot, you may want to replace the soil in the pot every year in
the spring.  Brugs are very heavy feeders to support those huge blooms, so
they will deplete the soil of everything it has.  They recommend a mixture
of peat, bagged houseplant soil, and bagged topsoil (for strength).  Mix in
some slow-release fertilizer, like Osmocote.  I also mix in some compost.
You'll need a heavier soil than what you'd give your houseplants, but not
as heavy as straight garden soil to avoid compaction.  Remember, these
plants are trees!  I cut my brugs back by half in the fall every two years.
Believe me, they will grow huge and they grow fast.  Brugs like a lot of
water in the summer and supplemental water-soluble fertilizers.  With all
of the watering and build up of salt, the soil replacement is a good thing.

Enjoy!


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