I live in Ontario also and last year was the first year I grew brugs and had great success with blooms. In fact one had 65 flowers and buds all at the same time. I, however, planted them in the ground and fertilized two a week. The Y forms naturally and then you see the flowers forming. These brugs were just stubs given to me by a friend. Hope this helps.

The plants "Y" themselves. To tell if it has "Y"ed or just another lateral, look for "sub equal" leaves.

One side of the leaf is longer than the other toward the stem.

As far as I know (and I'm no expert here), you can NOT force a "Y" by pinching. The plant does it naturally.

Inca Suns are the only Brug that Im' aware of that blooms all along the stem. And I have to tell you, while pretty neat for the plant group? It is REALLy strange looking.

As for the TOMATO food? I've beendaredonedat. I tried Miracle Gro's Tomato food. I had a VERY bad experience. Twisted, distorted yellowed leaves. Had to flush the pots out.

Espom salts are wonderful for "greening" up the plant.

As for the "shoots" I don't see why you can't cut it and re root it for another plant. Unless it is part of the entire plant. If you don't like the shape, you can take that lower branch off and make it focus it's energy.

But if it is the "bush" variety, not sure how that would look. The "T" standards, the tree forms, it probably wouldn't hurt it. But if it's a bush, I'd leave it.

but don't PRUNE THE TOP AT ALL. It "Y"s then "Y"s over and over and over, giving you the blooms. If you prune the tops, you'll never see blooms.

Some of our experts here can probably give you better advice on what to feed when.

I'm in Illinois, and ALWAYS pushing for blooms sooner.

I like the Schultz or Peters food, doesn't seem to have as much salt in it as Miracle Grow so it seems to be better in a pot. But Miracle gro works well also. Just watch out for the soil turning sour in the pot. Using an all natural will help with that also.

Karyn can tell you what she uses. It's a fancier natural food that might be healthier than what I use.

Currently, I'm using a compost tea to feed them slowly, with a seaweed fish emulsion muck in it. (bleck!)

I had great results with the shultz food ina pot, 1/4 strength, every other time I watered during the growing season.

But as I said, I'm no expert at all. Others here can give you some terrific advice.

The previous post was correct. You can't force a Y by pinching the tips. That will just make it take even longer for a Y to develop. I feed them 1x/wk, use epsom salts once a month. I also give them foliar feedings and a dose of kelp extract a couple times a month. I cut mine back in the winter because of space issues. It's too cold to leave them inground during the winter here. I think they do better inground and are easier to care for but I have lots that remain in containers year round. I use a variety of fertilizer brands, Dyno-gro, Earth Juice, Botanicare, General Hydro, the list goes on. I also use micro nutrients when I feed. My favorite is Thrive Alive B1. I do use a bloom booster during the growing season. I use Spray n Grow for foliar feeding and any brand of kelp/seaweed extract. I'm no expert either. This is just works for me. We don't have a long growing season but our summers get very hot and humid. The brugs don't bloom well in the intense heat. Unfortunately they start blooming really well when our temps begin to cool down. Of course that's just a short time before we have to cut them back.

Thanks to kary1, technoweeb, and betty1822 for all your imput. I have just found this site and it is great to get such immediate feedback. These are helpful suggestions.

I was sorry to find that the nursery in the U.S. where you could get a varigated purple brug does not ship to Canada. Does anyone know where in Canada they will ship, or somewhere in the Greater Toronoto area, where I could get one?

Welcome to the forum eden gardener. Can i ask you why zou cut your brugs back ALL THE WAY back to the soil level?

Where have you heard about a varigated purple brug? We do not have purple brugs in the US yet. I do not even know if there are varigated purple datura's?

Lucy

I say spank it and walk off at least you will feel better! Brandy WELCOME!!!

There is no variegated or non variegated purple brug. There's no purple brug at all just purple daturas. The Missouri Marble Datura is variegated.

ahh Karyn really? I need to search that one how to get it. I could hug you. You ALWAYS know all the answers and then some ((((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))

Lucy

Eden Gardener, I live about 45 KM west of Toronto and the GTA.

I have grown Brugs for about 10 years and am always looking for ways to get them to bloom earlier. Our last 2 summers have been a) to hot to promote good growth and B) too little sunshine I have found, to have mine performing to their best.

My recommendations to you are
1) do not cut them back as far.... I never go lower than 6-10 inches above the soil line but for yourself, I would leave them as tall as you possibly can.

2) plant them in the ground... they grow much faster, take less water, don't blow over and use less fertilizer. They are sooooo much easier to care for in the ground.

3) Amend your soil as much as you can. Good roots produce better plants and blooms. I add a granular fertilizer as well as mushroom compost to my planting holes, I add grass clippings all summer and leaves in the fall to the garden surface. After planted, I now rarely fertilize at all because my soil is so good.

You can email me any time by clicking on my name at the top of this post.

Some pics
These are cut back for winter storage
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but will grow to this over our summer season....
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I still say that Ruth Ann adds some magic ingredient to make her brugs grow like that. I know she has to be over a foot tall! lol Mine never get that big and I have a longer growing season.

Wow Ruth ann! Thanks for the inspiration to us northerner gardeners...It can be done...:)))) Barb

LOL, I can't get that performance every season but more often than not I can.

I think she has some magic too, lol. They must reallly like her climate and good soil. Mine would be much happier if it were a little cooler here I would imagine, lol.

Yea, Ruth Ann ALWAYS has that "magic" touch.

I have a similar season as she does, but I have NO clue how she makes them RUN like that.

Absolutely amazing. I backfilled like she did with Mushroom compost and Osmocote, and I did have some towering, but still, not like she does.

When I grow up, I wanna have Ruth Ann's green thumb!

Ha!

me too..omg ruth ann...your green thumb has me green with envy. I would just love to get mine to do that..I wanna know your secret!!! THAT right there is why I got hooked on brugs..pix like yours!! Now to just get them to do that for me...Osmocote eh? In the soil? do you use other fert as well?
Spill it woman!! lmao!!

I agree everyone, Ruth Ann is a big inspiration to me also
She does such an awesome job with brugs!

Karen

That year was a particularly 'Good year'. Those Brugs were 2nd year seedings that really likes to grow tall before Ying and blooming.

Ruth Ann, would you give me Lessons?! Those are breath taking. I would love for mine to bloom like that.
Linda

Bump! For the northerners... Just awesome..:))) I made a new bed today...Ruthann you rock!!! :)))

Ruth Ann you do have some magic in your garden .. after all we only live a few blocks away from each other and mine dont get that big =) Cant say its the plant stock cuz she is the supplier for my addiction =)

peatpod...you gotta find out the secret for us!!! lol

Lucy

Honest, the secret is good planting soil that leads to good root systems that in turn leads to good growth above the soil.
If you stop to think about the soil these grow in naturally, the mostly grow in the outer edges of treed areas and on valley floors, both of which are high nutrient areas from decaying/deposited plant/tree foliage. The roots are the plant's engine so good planting holes makes for good top growth. Also, those particular Brugs were 2nd year seedlings, the subsequent years after I cut those back to bring in for the winter, they never grew quite that tall again.
I do not use Osmocote, I used a granular fertilizer in the planting holes that is 6-12-6 combination if I recall correctly, along with the mushroom compost.
I also add grass clippings all summer long to the Brug gardens, and 12" of leaves in the fall but now I maybe only fertilize 2X's during the growing season. Remember too, I have been playing with Brugs and their needs for 10-12 years. :)

beautiful pictures ruth_ann. keep up the good wook.

ruth ann thanks for the *secret* to your success of growing monster brugs

Lucy