Brugmansia 2

Hi Pete. I pruned it back to about 6"" high and covered it with straw. ( straw so it wouldn't hold the moisture and cause the plant to rot)
The straw was about 6" deep to try and protect the stems and the roots, weighted down with smallish stones to stop it flying about everywhere.
Admittedley we had a colder winter down here than we're used to but the Freesias in the ground survived O.K. (not mulched) and they're supposed to be hardy down to about -5C. I'd love to find a way to overwinter them in the ground as I have little space to overwinter them inside. Maybe if we plant them in gravel to prevent winter rot? I'd love to have some feedback if anyone has tried overwintering the less hardy types

 

As I say my sanguinea is growing from the ground again, its not in a paticually warm spot.
I cut it hard back and put four sticks in the ground around it.
I then put a thin twin walled plastic around the sticks, and stuffed it with straw, before folding over the top to keep out the rain.

I un covered it in april.

I envisaged finding a warmish spot and planting a brug in full sun, let it grow this summer and cover it in the same way.
Then next spring, in March I thought of uncovering it and using a closhe to get it moving early.

Who knows, it might just flower in late August.:D

 

I don't have a problem with the sanguinea. It sits in the front garden (unprotected and North-facing) and flowers when it wants to, usually, the end of July.
I'll try your idea with a suaveolens this winter. I've got several of the pink ones (from cuttings) and can use one of them, then I can use the protected area for walnut's plants

 

Hi Pete, the 2 varieties that are the most hardy are the Sanguinea and Arborea varieties they will stand a light frost and recover, to the Suaveolens variety in spring these frosts can be a major set back but if you are diligent and keep them protected till about mid april you can get them through.This winter (after taking cuttings and keeping them in the greenhouse as a back up) I overwintered several outside cut them down to about 6" as Caj says before the first frost,cover with a layer of straw I make a mesh cage and put a plastic bag over leaving a gap at the level were the straw is to allow air to circulate this is kept on until april,I managed to overwinter the Arboreas, Sanguineas,Suaveolens (lost one) also lost one Versi colour despite some lows of -6c,I overwintered some in the polytunnel without heat they survived.You need a good season to bring them back to flowering as you have found out but it can be done,the best way to overwinter in my oppinion is to get a 14-18 inch plastic pot drill 1" holes around it line it with a newspaper to stop the compost falling out put your brug in bury it in the ground up to the rim were you want it to flower the roots will have the freedom to grow through the holes the plant will race ahead,come autumn before the frost either cut it back but if you want it to get a flyer the following year leave the main stem up to were it Y's (use the bits above the Y for cuttings if you grow these on through the winter in a greenhouse min10c they will flower in spring) dig the pot out of the ground severing the roots that have grown through the holes clean it up then store it in a frost free garage or greenhouse keep watering to a minimum a cup full a week is sufficient (if you can manage a minimum of10c you can keep it growing)
Lots of people grow them in colder climes than us in Canada,Norway,Germany zone 5 although their growing season is very short they are very successful. I can supply you with a specific list of varieties that survive in zone 8b the problem is aquiring them with all the restrictions on importing certain plant materials especially from the states,I have aquired seeds from the states and managed to get seeds and cuttings from Germany so will continue to experiment to see which are the hardiest.

 

Here we go.

this one was a cutting taken above the"Y" last october kept overwinter at minimum temperature of 8-10c now flowering down to base level.



This Suaveolens overwintered outside with above precautions should flower ok this year.



This one I thought had failed was going to dig it up last week then a shoot appeared again another Suaveolens,not sure if it will make it to flowering but with a good summer it should.



This one main stems left alone cut above the "Y" overwintered inside, had a battering last week with the wind but still flowering.

 

Right thanks walnut, so you are overwintering quite a few out side.
Overwintering inside is not a real option for me unless I get rid of all my other stuff, I tend to find red spider and feeding, problems when growing them in pots anyway.

The pot with holes in maybe an option as I could store that in the garage.
Think I may have left things a bit late to get going this year now,

I'll look around and see what I can find.

 

Not too late Pete i'm still putting seeds in and potting on etc but then again I am doing it throughout the year any seeds you start now are unlikely to flower this year but any cuttings taken above the"Y" will probably flower,I tend to aim for a 18" pot some are 24" although they can be awkward handling it's much easier getting the watering and feeding balanced,I usually feed once a week in max. growing season using the chicken pellet dilution formula.

 

Walnut, thanks again for your invaluable advice and assistance

 

Happy to help Caj your very welcome.:thumb:

 

Caj, I see your growing sanguinea unprotected.

Do you get any frost, does it get cut back at all?

Are you within spitting distance of the English Channel.:D

Walnut, not being critical in anyway, but I notice yellow leaves on the plant in your last pic.

Is this normal?
As I find yellowing falling leaves have always been a problem.

Also, is that a puya in thr greenhouse behind?
It looks really nice and spiney.:D

 

Pete, the leaves on my three Brugs taken from cuttings in early march and are between one and two and a half feet in height turn yellow if the soil gets anywhere near dry although there may be other reasons for Walnut's.

 

Hi, Pete. Yeah, we get some frosts but not too hard. It's planted right next to the house and I would guess that offers a lot of protection I cut it back to about 6" in the Autumn.
Spitting distance from the Ditch? depends how hard you can spit:D
We're about 1/2 mile from the Solent. It does make a difference. Brockenhurst, about 4 miles inland from us, gets worse frosts than we do.

 

Help - the upper few leaves of my datura are puckering - kind of like there's not enough leaf to set the veins stretch out, if that makes any sense. Any ideas how to remedy the situation?

 

Jar. Are we talking Dats. or Brugs?

 

Pete that brug with yellow leaves has been outside since mid april and has had a battering from wind even hail and plenty near frost so it's really just recovering and still resilient enough to throw out flowers,it is natural however for brugs to lose leaves especially lower ones but they have such a rapid rate of gowth you hardly notice,the first job in a morning is for me to tour round my brugs lift any yellow leaves and they readilly break off it is normal.
Yes it is a Puya just outside the g/house and it is one viscious b----r.
Jarbax puckering of leaves on your Datura can be caused by too much fertilizer leave it off for a couple of weeks see how it goes.