Help for southern California semi-newbie, please.

16 years ago

Hi everyone!

I've been posting in the tomato forum for a little while but have only lurked here. Now I need your help.

I have a brugmania that was just labeled "pink" that I got from a local nursery two years ago. It bloomed last year, but sparingly. It seems to HATE being in the sun here. It droops, the leaves turn yellow and then fall off. The same thing happens to the Betty Marshall brug I've had for a year. The Betty Marshall does bloom rather heavily but boy do her yellow leaves look AWFUL. I water regularly and give them both a drink of Miracle Grow every two weeks. BTW, both of them are in large pots (20 inch) as we have rock hard clay here.

Now I have just received Cherub, Lemon Twist and Cassy's Curls from Park Seed. I really need some help trying to find the proper place to put all five of these plants so they will look as lovely as I know they can. I put the "pink" under a tall tree and the leaves are huge and beautifully green but it doesn't seem to want to bloom there. The Betty Marshall is on the east side of the house and gets morning and early afternoon sun.

Does anyone here live in this general area? I live in the San Fernando Valley and it can get quite hot here with intense sun, especially in the summer. Any ideas would be appreciated. I know some of you are VERY experienced with these wonderful plants. I want them to thrive and be gorgeous.

Wendy

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Comments (9)

chena
16 years ago
Hey Wendy!!!!
About all I can offer is a Welcome..Nice to see ya post I hope you will hang around!
Just some general things.. When were they last repotted? Pots leach out most of the nutrients
in the soil fairly quickly .. I do Fert. a little more that.. use green sand, Seaweed,epsom salt, molasses and composted manure and protect from afternoon sun.. Not knowing your enviroment I really can't help much..
So how were the plants you got from Park Seed? I don't think I have ever shopped there..I do look around a bit tho...LOL
Again Welcome!
Kylie
rosiecalgal
Original Author
16 years ago
Hi Kylie!

They are still in the pots I planted them in. The pink two years ago and the Betty Marshall a year ago. I really should repot the Betty Marshall, it is very large and almost certainly root bound. It is so large though - what a job!

Molasses? The other things I know about but how/why do you give them molasses?

The plants from Park are OK. The Lemon Twist is quite large (approx 10"), the Cassy's Curls is medium (approx 6") and the Cherub is small (approx 3"). They were packed fairly well and I only saw one leaf in the packing peanuts that broke off. They are pale from lack of light but I've had them in partial sun and they are looking good. I think they will really take off once they are out of the two inch pots they came in. I'm going to put them in half potting mix and half organic compost. Everything I put that organic compost in grows like mad!

Thanks for the welcome. I've made a few trips to Texas to visit family and ya'll have always been so friendly! LOL

Wendy
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gee8ch
16 years ago
Hi Wendy and Welcome. I'm in the LA Basin Area and our sun and dry heat is murder on the Brugs. Park them under a nice tree canopy, they will bloom when it's their time!! For us, when folks say "full sun" understand partial shade for us!!! I have a small Cherub that seems to be coming along OK, but I've not been able to keep a Betty Marshall going. Best of luck and hope to see you here often. Gloria
eloise_ca
16 years ago
Welcome Wendy! I also live in the SFV, in North Hills. I have two large noid brugs planted in the ground: a white is right out in the sun and has a few blooms right now; a pink is in partial shade and is not blooming right now, but did a couple of months ago. I have a couple other brugs in pots, and rooted cuttings out in the sun but know I have to move them to some shade very soon. Where about are you?
Central_Cali369
16 years ago
I live in the San Joaquin Valley (Fresno) just north of the grapevine and we get equally as hot and dry as you do. The only one that does well in full sun for me is Frosty Pink.
rosiecalgal
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks to everyone for your responses! I was busy this weekend and just got a chance to check back.

Gloria, thanks for your insight. I'll just leave my pink where it is and hopefully it will bloom soon, it sure looks good now that it's under the tree. My Betty Marshall is full of buds but it's poor yellow leaves are so bad looking! Maybe I'd better find a tree for her too.

Eloise, another valley girl - kewl! LOL I'm in Canoga Park. I'm so glad to have feedback from people in this area that know about our conditions!

Central cali369, thanks to you too! I'm taking everyones advice and moving my brugs into partial shade.

You are all the greatest! Thanks again, everyone.

Wendy
geosdee
15 years ago
Hello,

I don't live in Cali but I live in FL. Hot and dry!! I have mine in pots and in ground full (doesn't do real well) mostly partial shade. You might want to water them with some epsom salts to help bring back there color.

Dee
rosiecalgal
Original Author
15 years ago
Hi Dee,

I think our climates are probably very simular, so I value your advice too. I think I'll move everyone into partial shade and I did give them all a drink of Miracle Gro and epsom salts on Monday. Betty Marshall looks better already but we have had several cloudy days this week, so that helped.

Thanks for your help, I really appreciate everyone taking the time to help me out.

Wendy
oxmyx
15 years ago
Quote: "Hi Kylie!
They are still in the pots I planted them in"
.........................................................
repot repot... Nitrogen. Give them more fertilizer and the room at their feet to absorb it.

16 inch diameter pot good,
20 inch pot better,
24+ inches best!.

Help for southern California semi-newbie, please.

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Help for southern California semi-newbie, please.

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