My Brugmansia needs help

Discussion in 'Outdoor Tropicals' started by Donna McCormack, Mar 7, 2008.

  1. Donna McCormack

    Donna McCormack Member

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    Location:
    Lawndale, Ca USA
    I see brugmansias all over my area in direct sun and they seem to be doing fine. I have one in the ground that gets direct light (a lot in the summer). It isn't getting very tall, hasn't flowered and the leaves are pale green to yellow starting at the edges. The leaves are also curling up. It has been in the ground over a year and although it has grown, it is not doing well. I have one in a pot in the patio that I moved when I thought it was getting too much sun and again when it was too windy. These are the first ones I have grown so I could use some advice.
    Thanks Donna McCormack
     
  2. edleigh7

    edleigh7 Well-Known Member

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    Location:
    Brisbane Queensland Australia
    Donna, what kind of soil is it growing in??
    Have you been fertilizing it??

    Ed
     
  3. islandweaver

    islandweaver Active Member

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    Location:
    Salt Spring Island, BC, Canada
    Donna - From my years of growing a variety of brugs, I would guess that your brug has at least two problem, probably three. First, they are very heavy feeders so need to be very heavily composted with very rich compost or fertilizer. Secondly, they drop leaves quickly when not receiving enough water, Sometimes their masses of fine fibrous roots keep the moisture from being absorbed so several good soakings one after the other are useful.

    I use a time-release fertilizer when I don't have enough compost but found that early in the season my brugs took on quite a yellow tinge and lost leaves. But then I discovered that the time-release fertilizers are actually "heat-release" meaning that at lower temperatures when the brug is wanting to put on lots of growth, the soil temperature is too low to release enough of the nutrients from the fertilizer so now I use manure and/or fast release fertilizer early in the season.

    Finally if your brug is starving it is unable to fight off insect infestations such as spider mites, mealy bugs, or aphids which will cause the leaves to curl and drop. Good luck with yours. They're worth the effort in my opinion. Diane
     
  4. pacificwoods

    pacificwoods Member

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    Location:
    Huntington Beach, CA
    Donna, I think your brug is like mine, except it have been in the ground for 3 years. I have lots of flower except this year. After a lots of reading on different forums, I found several aphids, tiny green insect, sucking on the downside of the leaves. Here is a very good link about aphids management ==>> http://insects.tamu.edu/extension/bulletins/uc/uc-031.html
    Good luck, James
     

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