It is best to prevent stem rot then to treat it, it is caused usually by extreme wet conditions or cold wet conditions in the winter. A fast draining non compacting soil is a big deterent to stem rot problems.

I have to say I had Brugs that were 20yrs old, only reason I gave them away was MY age not the plant, I would think that growing them in the ground is the big difference, mine are house plants, they do not get that large. I put one in the ground this year to help it grow stronger, it worked, I just dug it up and the roots went forever, I had to chop a lot of them off.

Son, it was the new one you sent me that I cannot pronounce,

That is good to hear. I was just looking at how big a wonderful the first brug I had looks. 20 feet and very strong at 8 years old. I intend to wait until the very last minute to relieve myself of the mother plants... nature loves view on life. Keep blooming folks!!

I just had to post this update on my brug that WAS "sick" ....

While outside this weekend to do some yard work and watering all the plants, I noticed that this brug had an actual seed pod formed on it. I was so shocked. It is the only brug, out of 13 in my yard, that has a seed pod. I never even noticed the pod until today. (It has obviously been there a while.) So my favorite brug has not only recovered from it's sickly state, but has now produce a seed pod from one of it's blooms. I have no idea which brug it crossed with from others in my yard. Probably the bees doing the pollinating, since I have noticed the bees swarming my brugs when they are in bloom. Or perhaps it was a night moth! Either way, I am tickled to see this amazing little brug tree just keeps on going strong despite it's near-fatal trunk infection (which has since healed)!

The little brug tree:



Seed pod:

Becky, I have one with seed pods on it too! I've been growing them for years and years and have never seen a seed pod before. My Charles Grimaldi has at least 3 pods going. Could only be a cross between CG and Monster White, I think.

I also treated all mine with the hydrogen peroxide douse, and they're all looking a LOT better. The big lesion on CG's trunk is not gone, but it's dried up nicely. Here's a shot of my Monster White in bloom tonight. Nice big, healthy leaves!

Elaine - Congrats on the seed pods! Whoo hoo! I would love to trade some seeds with you, if you are interested.

I heard that a brug can not cross with itself. So your seed pods must be a cross of CG x MW! That is terrific!

Well, the only other one I have that blooms is the big pink NOID, but it is 'out of step' with the other two, so it's usually not blooming at the same time. I'll be glad to share some seeds if they hang on and ripen. I'm really curious to see what this cross will look like.

Do you think it's maybe a good idea to continue with the peroxide douse occasionally through the warm weather?

Also thinking about trying the 18in. sinking method to see if I can grow one in the ground. The big pink one is in a sunk pot at the moment, so it would be easy for me to just enlarge the hole, remove it from its pot and try that. On the other hand, it may already be infested, via the hole in the pot anyway. Sadly I didn't sink the pot more than about a foot . . .

Elaine - I still treat my once sick brug with a dose of H2O2 every so often (once or twice a year). But I also treat it with Epsom Salt (for plants) and time-released fertilizer. It seems to like such treatments. It is still one of my best looking and best blooming brugs. The trunk has a permanent scar from the fungus attack. But like yours, it seems to have healed over.

I, too, thought about planting another one in the ground deeper than 18" deep for the roots. I am really curious to know if that would actually keep it healthy from root-knot nematodes. It's worth experimenting with that theory as I am sure the Brug trees I have in containers would do so much better in the ground with more root room.

If you decide to transplant your pink one in the ground, try shaking off some of the dirt to see if you can view the roots to see if root knot nematodes have attacked it. Here is a good blog site that shows photos and discusses the damage that bad nematodes cause.

http://blog.theplantlady.com/r...

Oh, I've seen it first hand, thanks Becky. Two brugs before this one have expired in the same spot and when I pulled them up, roots all knotted up like a necklace.

I use the Epsom Salts and timed release fert as well. Just thinking as the weather warms up, that infection could kick in again so it's good to hear you're thinking the same way.

Any idea how long it takes for those seed pods to ripen?

This is some info I found about Brug seed pods:

http://ibrugs.com/Resources/iB...

I honestly don't remember personally about the seeds/seed pods. (I got seeds from one of mine several years ago. It's been too long ago for me to remember though.)

Becky, how do you use the Epsom salt? How much, how often? As well as the peroxide??

Donna - I was mixing it all together in a watering can and then drenching the plants. But now I just sprinkle the epsom salt around the top of the soil above the roots. As far as hydrogen peroxide, I mix it with water and liquid fertilizer typically unless the plant is sick, then I directly squirt the H2O2 on the damaged area.

I use both the Epsom Salt and the H2O2 when the leaves are producing more yellowing or the plant just looks a little droopy. It usually perks it right up. They need lots of water here, but without the Epsom Salt, the leaves turn yellow and drop. The epsom salt keeps them green. You just have to watch how your plant is looking and treat it when it starts looking like it needs a picker upper!

Becky, how much do you dilute the H2O2? We don't want Donna using the full-strength stuff on her plants! I used a 32/1 (which is 1oz peroxide to 32oz. of water or 4oz. per gallon) solution. The stuff that comes in the bottle is 3% which will bleach out just about anything it touches (so beware of your clothes when you're measuring it).

On the Epsom Salts, I water my brugs about once a month in summer with about 1tsp. per gallon of water. It's very soluble, so if it's been raining heavily every day, I might do that more often. I think I'll add the peroxide to that mix, so I'll remember to do it regularly through the hot weather.

thanks girls! So helpful! I appreciate it so much!!!

Elaine - Thanks! That's about right what I use. I have been known to squirt H2O2 right on my plant and the soil above the roots when one of my brugs and clematis were really sick. Saved both of them. But just an occasional treatment does not seem to hurt any of my plants and does help fight fungus if we are getting a lot of rain. And I do use the 3%.

Hi Becky, long time since I have seen, or talked to you, I have never used ES on my plants but I do put in a tbs of ho2 when I water them. And if they look sick I separate them, then I give them extra care,and if I get white fly or Nats I spray with soapy water, right now I don't have any plants to worry about so if you have to many think of me would you. Now I am feeling better I truly miss them.

Won't be long until you are back up and running Dorris. I love my brug as well.

you are right Rhapsody, 4 of the cuttings you sent me have roots afraid two of them did not make it, I will pot two of them up this week as the leaves are getting bigger.

All you need to is ask Doris and I will send a few more your way!