Putting Away The Collection

 That time of year to move the collection

to a safe area.  I first move the smaller 

ones as they take up the lower areas.

I remove the leaves and put them away.

This year we allowed several brugs to

just do the healing due to be put out 

in the spring and then we got the 

freezing temps.  

When is it time to bring them in?

I go by the fact that there is no 

pollen on the anthers.  I find that

the bees do visit but there is nothing

for them.  What to watch for, the 

temps drop into the 40s at night.

You want to do so between flushes

of blooms.  One needs to be careful

to not knock off the buds or seedpods

when stripping off the leaves.

When moving them in I cut the 

dead areas away.   I will evaluate 

come next spring if some can be 

saved or not.  Over the winter

they should grow new and I'll be 

able to get cuttings if need be.

I have been asked why strip off the leaves

and I'll say this, less mess is best when

you keep them like we do.  Leaves do

grow back so you will have to remove

monthly to keep them from just taking

over.

As you can see there is no room to walk around.

We utilize space the best we can and this year

we aren't going to be stacking pots.  The shelves

will hold the hanging pots and the over flow will

be placed on the floor under the shelves.  When

that area is full then we have the lower PVC pipe

to have them on.

We have placed the two half barrel stands

to the south end of the Brug House where

we have put the smaller ones to contain

them so they can be watched instead of 

being tucked between larger pots and then

hoping for the best.

Years of watching for cooler spots in the

BH, I have learned which brug can take 

the cooler temps so they go into those 

areas.  The ones that can't get the areas

closer to the heater.  We do have cameras

in each Greenhouse to help monitor beside

the thermometer for warmth.  Plus each 

GH has it's own rainbarrel that helps keep

the heat in, in case of a power outage.

The last Brugmansia to go in is 

B. Shorty's Variegated which sat in 

the large cement planter out front by

the driveway and walkway.  This year

the mom plant was to large to go there 

so we put her daughter up there due to

her size.  Well she loved the spot and 

we watched her take off.  She our grew

her mom plant!!  Here is how she is 

removed.

First we have to dig her out of the 

large cement pot.  You will see she

is in a 5 gallon pot sunk into a 5

gallon Pickler bucket for easier 

moving.  This year it took two of

us to puller her out.  In the large 

cement pot is also a 5 gallon pot 

turned  upside down so that the

pickle bucket will sit on that and

dirt filled in around it.

As you can see she grew a lot and her 

spreading outward will make it a task

to get her in the greenhouse.  This year

we place some of the special ones in the 

GH not the BH.  

Next step is stripping off the leaves and

removing the green worms that have found

her desirable!  

Now that the leaves and worms are gone

it's time to assess if she will fit in the GH.

Nope, so I took a flat of cuttings off her so

she will fit. I had to spend an hour in the 

GH to rearrange it.

Here is a photo the night before she was 

moved in.

More to come.