Plants for next year

[Lyn and Malcolm]

Yes we are already preparing for next year. When we cut down our Brugmansias about 6 weeks ago, we kept all the older wood to make cuttings. We managed to get about 150 cuttings from the 9 Brugmansias.

The cuttings were stood upright in small buckets, one bucket for each variety, each bucket with a label. Then water was added to the buckets, so the cuttings were stood in about 35mm of water.

Now you can see small white roots forming on the cuttings, where they are in the water. Some have rooted more than others. So this afternoon I potted up the ones with the most roots, about 35 so far. I reckon another week and there will be more ready for potting.

We need about 80 to 100 Brugmansia plants to sell next year, but we will have to pot up more than that, as we can expect a few casualties before Spring arrives.
As room for raising plants is a continuing problem, they will spend all winter in our conservatory under their parent plants, heated to a minimum of 9 centigrade.

Malcolm

[ideasguy]

My, Malcolm, you are a real champion! You are a man of unbounded energy and enthusiasm as exemplified in your splendid garden.

Do you get any feedback from the people who buy those Brugs?
You can manage them in your warmer south of England climate, but how would they do further North. Would they even survive in Ireland?

[Lyn and Malcolm]

Even down here in the supposed warm south we cannot overwinter the Brugs ouside, that is why they have to be cut back, retaining their structure, and brought into our conservatory.
So anywhere in the UK, to keep the plants from being cut down to soil level by frost, and in colder areas being destroyed altogether. They will need protection. If you are right on the coast in the south or southwest then you will probably get away with leaving them outside.

Feedback from people who have bought them from us is varied. Some say their plant had grown well and flowered, and they would like another differnt colour to go with the first one. Others say they left theirs in a unheated greenhouse and lost it over winter, but would like to try again.
We have had photos brought in to show us the Brug they bought in full flower, and we have had people buy Brugs for neigbours who had seen their plant flowering.

A good seller at about £3.50 a plant in a 2litre pot. And no we don't do mail order.

Malcolm

[ideasguy]

I should have explained that I was enquiring as to how they did for others outdoors in the UK, Malcolm - sorry. You've explained in other topics the special care you give those and other tender plants in your conservatory each winter. Thanks for doing so again.

My question really should have been - do they grow to flowering size in one year when grown outdoors in UK? That way, they would be worth a try for £3.50, even if they didn't make it through the winter

[Lyn and Malcolm]

Pretty well all the Brugs we sell will have some flower in the first summer/Autumn, they will probably reach about 1 to 1.2 metres high at that time given a big enough pot and plenty of water.
We advise when people buy them to pot them on as soon as possible, we give out printed care instructions.

Ideally we would like to sell them in bigger pots than 2 litre, as they are wanting to get out of their pots, but space here is very much at a premium.

Malcolm