Datura (Brugmansia) Advice

[Mimi]

I bought two small Daturas last week (had one years ago but lost it)  I grew the last one in the greenhouse but I do believe that they do well outside in pots.  The packets that they came in had only the basic, basic of instructions.. like sun/part sun symbols and keep inside in winter.  What I would like is advice on positioning and what sort of compost to use.  I plan to put them both in nice tubs but as they are only about 6 inches high right now will I need to pot on or will they be ok going right into a big tub.  Do they have any specific needs regarding compost?

[Mimi]

[Georgie]

Hi Mimi.  I grew some a couple of years back in pots in a spot which got sun for about 4 hours a day.  I just used my usual mix of home made compost and multi-purpose compost and they were fine.  But be warned.  They were a snail magnet and the promised scent was non-existant.  :(  I hope you have better luck.

G xx

[Mimi]

Thanks for that Georgie..  The last one I had I cant remember what I grew it in but I remember keeping it in the greenhouse and the scent was divine.... almost like jasmine.

[Georgie]

Ah, Jasmine, now you are talking.  Smells divine and the snails don't give it a second glance.   ;D

G xx

[Ricado]

we have one at work, but it suffers really badly with red spider mite !  good luck

[flowerofshona]

I grow loads of brugs and mainly from seed.
Top tip is they need loads of water so stand them in a tray and water really well and feed twice a week and you will be rewarded with upto 50 flowers per plant :)
Never had a snail problem but if you grow them indoors watch out for red spider mite and spray them everyday to keep the humidity up :)

[Mimi]

Plan to grow these outside in pots for the summer and then bring them into the conservatory for the winter.... never gets more than about 10-15degrees in there in the winter so hopefully that should keep the red spider at bay......or am I being too hopeful?

[Amazin]

I have three Brugmansias outside in pots right now and they're surviving, even with the frosts and biting winds. I'm giving them just enough water to keep them ticking over. The biggest one has more of a trunk than a stem! In summer the scent in the evening is almost overpowering. My third one is a baby from the first one - they seem incredibly easy to propagate from side shoots.

Sorry, that's no help at all with the red spider mite question is it?! D'oh!

::)

[flowerofshona]

The only way i have found to keep red spider at bay is keeping up the humidity by spraying the leaves, front and back every morning and in early autum i cut them back to bring them in so no leaves on them to worry about.