Trimming help needed please

17 years ago

I just started growing Brugs a year ago. I purchased 2 last year, and somehow managed to keep them alive inside through the cold Michigan winter. I have moved them back outside and Im waiting for them to bloom.

I need some advice on how to prune, or trim the leaves? If I dont have to that is fine, I just dont have any blooms yet, and didnt want all the energy going into all the leaves it is producing. I have a whole bunch of Y's on them, but no sign of anything but leaves.

When I purchased them they were about a foot tall, and they produced flowers for me all summer last year. They are now over 5 feet tall. I also have some other brugs I have started from seed mainly red that are about 1.5 feet tall and starting to Y. Should I trim them the same?

Thanks for any advice anyone can give me.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

mantorvillain
17 years ago
you might want to cut off and root some of those shoots coming up from the base to trade or share with a friend.
I would think all those leaves going up the trunk will just absorb energy for the plants. If you don't want them to become side branches you could pinch out the growth tips but DON'T pinch the ones on top. Of course you could just remove all the leaves going up the trunk if you want to do create more of a 'standard' form.
Lots of choices. It'll bloom when its ready. I'm in MN and this cold spring and early summer has kept things slow and all mine haven't bloomed either.
Will
givelittle_getlots
17 years ago
Indiagarden welcome and all Will said is good. they bloom when THEY are ready :-(

But are you fertilizing? Maybe give them some Epson Salt once a month also. No since they y'd, I would go with bloom booster fertilizer. You know if you do not get any blooms then...it is just not time for them yet.

Good luck and please share pictures of your brugs and OT's with us.

Lucy
Related Professionals
Rocky Mount Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Gloucester Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Niles Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Colorado Springs Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Montréal Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Barnstable Landscape Contractors · Newburyport Landscape Contractors · Middletown Landscape Contractors · Potsdam Landscape Contractors · Dover Custom Countertops · Lynchburg Custom Countertops · Charleston Custom Countertops · Greenfield Custom Countertops · Santa Fe Custom Countertops · Vancouver Custom Countertops
karyn1
17 years ago
Just make sure you feed them often and they'll bloom. If you like the bushy look then don't prune but the info that Will gave you is right on. You can trim the lower and/or side branches and foliage but leave the tips alone. You might want to move your variegated brug into a larger container but the other one looks like it's in a good size pot. It's such a PITA to move them in that size container. I unpot mine, shake off most of the soil, trim the above ground growth and the roots then put them in small pots or trash bags for the winter.
indagarden
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks everyone for the help. I know my varigated needs to be moved. It is my husbands I bought for him, since he has a huge love for them too. I dont want to touch it and cross any lines! He did say yesterday he wants to re-pot it since its not doing to good, so hopefully it will have a new happy home by the weekend. I purchased one for myself at the same time, and wanted to try it out in the ground, it seems to be happy so far.
I fertilize weekly, and water just about daily. I just found out about the epsom salt so will pick some up today. Last year I noticed everytime I would fertilize I would get blooms. It has been a very strange cold summer, so I will keep my fingers crossed that I will get some blooms this year. If not what better reason to get that greenhouse just for brugs my husband and I have been talking about!
Thanks again everyone!
Here is a picture from last year.
{{gwi:519653}}