Brugmansia 2

Thanks guys. It's just that the shoots normally bend, not break. Maybe just having a bad season :(

 

Walnut, the pollen arrived today, has been applied and flowers labelled.

Thanks very much, now all I can do is wait.

 

You welcome Rich, should have some stronger colours later I will take pics as and when.

 

Good evening, walnut! I know I can be quite thick at times but I'm puzzled.

Having sorted out my pink Bruggie and it's heaving with about-to-bloom flowers at the moment on tall stems ... I've been inundated with yellow bottom leaves again this past week. It will soon be all flowers and no leaves. What is this indicative of? Should I give it iron?

Maybe tomorrow I'll go off to the big agricultural place we go to and ask about chicken pellets. I could ask in our "local" one but that would have to be in Portuguese but asking for chicken s**t ....

I would be delighted if anyone else can shed more light here also. Thank you.

[ 25. June 2007, 08:40 PM: Message edited by: Lady of Leisure ]

 

My sanguinea shed most of its lower leaves just as the flowers started to open, so you are not alone LOL.
I will be interested to read walnuts reply.

 

Hi LoL and Pete you can use either epson salts(magnesium sulfate) at a rate of 1 tablesponfull/5 gallon of water once a month or seqestration of iron either of these micronutrients help with the formation of chlorophyll, if these don't work you could supply the magnesium by using something like fish meal, don't use them all at once thinking you can get a quick fix, one other possibility although brugs like lots of water they don't like to stand in it ensure they are well watered but in a free draining compost.LoL any composted farmyard manure will do for feeding them I prefer them to the chemical cocktails I think the soil holds its structure better.Pete don't forget some pics.

 

Thank you walnut. I don't have any Epsom Salts but do have iron pellets, which I actually got because my Hibiscus and Oleander had yellowing leaves. I don't think standing water is a problem with me.

Perhaps I should be following the horse traders around with a shovel and bag? :rolleyes:

Although the Brug is in fertilised substrata (that's how it comes here) our earth is red clay. Am I right in thinking that contains iron? If so, I wonder how shrubs planted in the earth required iron? Just something that's crossed my mind several times.

 

Here it is this morning. It's a bit dull out and I am photographing into the sun trying to break through.

 

Looks good LoL not a lot to worry about there, it is important to know the pH of your compost if it is on the alkali side this can stop microneutrients being taken up I am postig you a couple of links to introduce you to the world of "chlorosis " as the yellowing problem is called, there's a reference to heavy clay soils it would appear they are alkali.
http://plantclinic.cornell.edu/FactSheets/microchlorosis/microchlorosis.htm
A reference to pH values.
http://www.purchon.com/chemistry/ph.htm

 

Thank you so much, walnut, for those wonderful links. I'll now just nip out and register at the local university for a Degree in Chemistry so I can understand it all! I'll pop back in about four years to have an intelligent chat with you! :rolleyes:

Regarding my pride and joy, yes, I agree it's looking good and look how many buds it has! It's just the 70cm, 85cm and 100cm bare stalks with a new shoot at the base that's offputting.

It, along with the Cestrum, are under a Jacaranda and only get morning and evening filtered sun. Having cut the Cestrum back after it bloomed, it's started second blooming now. I'm pleased I bought it replacing the white Brug I gave away. It gives added interest to the sand garden with it's dark leaves and ruby-coloured flower clusters.

 

I dont think you have much to worry about LOL.

Mine has had a total of four flowers, they are six foot from the ground on top of a bare stem, there are more leaves growing upwards but no more flower buds.
If I'm right it will start to bud up again in september and try to flower far too late.
I think it will be the end for this after this year.

 

Pete thats a beauty don't give up on it some people say only the arborea species of brug is self fertile and produces its own seed butI am in touch with someone who has successfully self pollinated a sanguinea to its self, you need to take the pollen off one flower dry it a couple of days and use it on a freshly opened blossom, worth a try they would sell well on e-bay.
Most people grow them in the fashion of a standard with one or two stalks all the growth and flowers on top the idea is to be able to sit under them and enjoy the scents(except in the case of the sanguinea unfortunatley the only one not to have any scent)If you prefer you can cut the lead shoot let the side shoots grow and it will form a shrub, I grow my brugs both ways each has merit.I have a sanguinea "sangre" which is a single coloured red just showing signs of a bud excited about this one.

 

I agree with walnut, pete, don't give up on it. I only wish I could grow the sanguinea here but it's too hot. Why not hard cut it back this year to induce new growth? Is yours growing under a tree as well?

 

Its under a tree now because it doesn't like hot sun, (not much chance at the moment), but that is why I think it tends to bud up early and late.
Or it could be a day length thing perhaps, any thoughts Walnut?
I did have the same problem last time I grew this particular kind back in the eighties, I've also had similar problems trying to grow the S. American high altitude passion flowers such as mollisima and manicata.
I did have a seed pod, once before on one, and grew new plants from the seed, but the flowering has always been sparce.
Its a pity as I relly like the flowers, I tend to think that it just doesn't like our up and down climate, plus my greenhouse is not big enough.

:D

 

Evening, pete. Certainly in pots, it seems none of them like the heat.

You can't get a bigger greenhouse because you know what that means ... more plants! :D

Posted the Melia to you today.