Topic: Brugmansias no space for them!

[Yuet_Lee]

Hi there,
I've managed to propagate another 4 Brugmansia. But trouble I could not found any more space to keep them over winter. My greenhouse was not warm enough and full of other plants ,our house was full of plants. This is my first year that I have a garden (before I live in flat). And I seen these Brugmansia plant two street away from me last summer, I haven't seen it again this year! I falling in love of these . And I found it in Wilkingson store in March. I brought it keep it in my windowsil than I toke it out in early May nearly killed it because I toke it out too early. Good job it come up again. Now it grow to 5foot tall with quite a few buds.How can I keep them over winter? And now I got another 4 little one incase the big one died. But my husband complaining too many plants at home!!! Tough!!!

Yuet

[Kerry]

hi again yuet,
i've grown daturas this year from seed. i don't know what particular type of brugmansia you have, there are lots. often daturas and brugmansias get a bit mixed up with naming.
however, for winter care i think they can be treated the same. i've found a useful site by 'googling' brugmansia, its the 'american datura and brugmansia society', easy to find.
basically what they say is that as long as they are overwintered in a frost free place they should live. As the datura/brugmansia can make a sizeable shrub with woody stem, it can be cut back before overwintering to a smaller height, basically whatever height you require. Water only sparingly, it will lose all its leaves and look dead but will spring back to life next season. as i say, extra info. on the american website.
any idea what colour yours are? just smile at your husband and tell him how wonderfully patient he is! ;)

[john_miller]

Datura are best treated as an annual, I have never had any success keeping them overwinter, even in a greenhouse. The least intrusive way to keep Brugmansia indoors overwinter is to allow the foliage to get frosted but keep the roots in a frost free place overwinter, watering VERY occassionally. The roots are surprisingly hardy, as I found out one winter when I inadvertently subjected some to at least -10C, in 40cm pots, which is probably what saved them. I can keep them green overwinter indoors, but, again, keep them dry and preferably in as much light as possible. if you can keep the top growth alive, rather than allowing the tops to die, you will get flowers a lot earlier next year.

[Yuet_Lee]

Thanks John.
I'll try my best to keep them overwinter. Will they have seeds?

Yuet

[Yuet_Lee]

Did them still flower in that time of year? And it survived in that temperature??If so they should be no problem over here in Uk,do you think so?
Yuet

[john_miller]

While the plants produce prodigious amounts of flowers only once have I ever got them to produce seeds. This may be due more to climate than other factors. They are naturally pollinated by bats in their provenance but I'm sure large nocturnal insects could also effect pollination.
The one time I did get (two) seed pods was in my greenhouse in January! What was around at that time to achieve this is beyond my imagination- temperatures here at that time of year hover around -30C at night with highs around -5C during the day. I didn't see anything flying in the greenhouse at that time of year except, probably, a few aphids. This was also the only year I ever got them to flower in January too- about 60 flowers open simultaeneously on my stock plant which was an impressive sight at that time of year. They tend to flush flower for me at any time of year and I also got another flush in February that year before their amazing displays during the summer.
One tip I would give you is to feed them very heavily during the growing season. They are very prone to red spider mite if they become stressed; additions of a high N fertiliser keeps that pest away and produces more flowers.

[Yuet_Lee]

What sort things got  high N fertiliser? Where can I get them? Anywhere? Because I'm really looking forward that they can have some nice flowers. Mine are starting flower now,but there 're few look a bit unhealthy. Is plant food alright for them??

[john_miller]

I feed at every watering between spring equinox and autumn equinox, weekly the rest of the year, with an equivalent of Miracle-Gro at full strength. The extra N I get from Chilean nitrate/nitrate of soda, which may or may not be available in the U.K. (I think I saw someone mention it), which I apply two teaspoonfuls of, per week, on the 40cm pots and water in (it comes as a granule and is certified organic too). It's analysis is 15% N. If you need to find an equivalent try to find something with this amount of N- someone else here may be able to suggest what is available in the U.K.. I would stay away from Calcium Nitrate as, with so much being applied, you may end up with very high levels of calcium.
Obviously this regimen only applies if you intend keeping them actively growing year round.

[Yuet_Lee]

Thank you very much John for all the advices.