HI, everyone, see alot of familiar faces here! Hey Doris, hi Misti, Becky, Jan, and all.
Charleen, your brugs are looking good. Can you believe our last frost was in late Feb- nearly two months before our last frost date in April. Mine are blooming, Serendipity is blooming here in North Georgia same as yours- wonder do they have an internal clock.
I have grown my brugs in pots for several years. When we have a cooler summer (seldom) it is great but the plants do suffer in the heat of a normal Georgia summer. Mine are all in big 5-15 or even 20 gallon pots. When I got them out of the greenhouse in March, I left them in pots. By beginning of May, my grandson and DIL had helped me get most of them into the ground. The ones left in pots, around 20 plants, I planted inpatiens in to shade the black pots. I got that idea from Gary who is a very talented brugmansia hybridizer living in central Florida, Becky. I think it is a great idea to keep the sun off the brug pots and the brugs shade the impatiens. And bloom all summer! Since the impatiens will get so big, I only put one in each pot and plant it on the side that gets the most sun. I fertilize on the opposite side of the pot away from the impatiens plant, so the impatiens does not get so much fertilizer as the brugs will take. So far, so good. Another thing, I use a time release on my brugs in the Spring. I have just now started using Miracle Grow, and will do like Doris, once a week. I also add granular Ironite to my potting soil mix- the ironite has additional minerals, trace minerals. Mix in according to directions.
BTW, I do have a strong young grandson to help me get the brugs up in the Fall. You met him last summer, Charleen! Those of you in more northern climes should not have any trouble growing your brugs in pots that you adjust for the size of your plants.
Charleen, when am I gonna meet Charlie? Road trip?????
~Brenda B
