Angels Trumpet / Brugmansia

[aftermidnight]

Brugmansias are heavy feeders and very thirsty plants, sometimes I have to water mine twice a day in the summer when it's hot. I fertilize once a week, I use a tomato type fertilizer, or anything with a high middle number, I've even used 20-20-20, they all seem to work. Also, it is very unlikely they will bloom until the branches have Y-ed (forked).
I use to grow a lot of these a few years back and have now have just started back into them. The rooted cuttings I bought this spring are growing nicely but haven't Y-ed yet. They are back in my (cool) greenhouse for the winter, I have stripped the leaves off and will just give them enough water to stop them from shrivelling. In the spring I'll repot and start fertilizing.
My understanding is Brugmansias (Angel's Trumpets), trumpets face downwards and Devil's Trumpets (Datura), trumpets face upwards, then there's the ones where their trumpets face outwards, what the heck do you call these .
Annette

 

[flowerweaver]

That's good to know about the Y's, as mine has plenty of them, but if I do take cuttings I'll leave some Y's. I have never fertilized it and I imagine it is pot bound by now, so maybe it's time to do some root pruning, too.

 

[aftermidnight]

Probably everyone has heard of this method of taking cuttings but here's a link to a Bucket of Brugs method. Notice the cuttings with the Y's these will bloom much sooner than the ones that haven't Y-ed.
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/brug/msg1012321123065.html

 

[Smart Red]

I love Brugs, but they don't love me. I tried growing 6 cuttings from a flower trade, but three years later the plants all looked sad and did poorly. I 'gifted' them to another trader who has had good growth and lovely blooms from them.

 

[joz]

What if my brug doesn't Y?

 

[aftermidnight]

Joz, have patience, it will eventually . I bought some new ones this spring, some of the plants are now approaching 3 feet, no Y's yet but expect they will next year. These ones I won't be cutting back when they're stored away for the winter.

 

[Smart Red]

Right, @aftermidnight! Mine never looked happy or grew well, but they did branch out a bit in the few years I nursed them along. @joz, give 'em time. You're in a great spot for them to enjoy.

 

[catjac1975]

Here is an interesting reference to cold tolerance for brugmansia. Perhaps you can even leave yours outdoors for the winter! It may shock it into bloom. I would give it fertilizer in early spring. I found one called Cha Ching that makes my potted plants get covered in blooms. My old bouganvelia really loves it.
http://ibrugs.com/Resources/IdealTemperaturesforBrugmansia.aspx

 

[flowerweaver]

OK, I'm going to cut back my plant so it won't be so big in the greenhouse this winter, and I'll leave it out longer to see if I can shock it into bloom. What is the best way to root a brugmansia cutting? If I can make more of this one I might try growing some of them in the ground and seeing if they can overwinter. Sometimes we have mild winters, sometimes not. It's been so long since I grew it from seed, and since it has never bloomed, I forget which one it is. I believe it was supposed to have peachy pink blooms...does this ring a bell with anyone? Maybe a Suaveolens or Sanguinea?

 

[catjac1975]

Take it out of the pot and use a claw tool and scrape away the soil and tender roots. If there are any harshly tangled use pruning shears to cut them back. Add some good potting mix and replant. I would feed lightly for a while then try a good fertilizer that stimulates flowering around mid winter. I still think you may have a barren dud. I did this with a pot bound hibiscus and it is coming back nicely. When the last blooms finish I will prune it way back.