Need your help with a few questions:

This plant has been grown from seed and has not reached the stage where it developed a Y and bloomed yet. First of all, it has rust spots all over some of the older leaves and is currently developing holes. What can be done about it?

Second, it needs to come indoors and will either remain in an area in the family room with ample sunlight during the winter. Currently, it wilts due to lack of water and is dropping some leaves. Shall i leave it here or let it go dormant and keep it in the garage? I am asking the experts for their opinions. Thank you.

Vicki

Is it spider mites? Did you wash it REALLY well before bringing it indoors? First with soapy water and followed up with a good flushing from the hose, particularly the underside? If not, I suggest that you take it outdoors again, and do so promptly. That will eliminate one possible problem ( brugs are like magnets to spider mites - particularly the smooth leaved brugs)

It seems that there were so many jobs to do simultaneously and I must confess that I just didn't think about it. Well, shame on me, and I say that b/c with all of my experience with the gardens and indoor plants, one would assume that I should know better. So thank you for your good advice. I will do that this morning but these insects are white and remind me of whitefly which I have often seen previously on poinsettias.

The second half of my query dealt with either growing it on in the house where it will be about 70 degrees or so or letting it go dormant. The garage has a heating system HVAC in that area. I store a few of my perennial/hanging baskets, fig tree and store my dahlia,canna,calla lily and caladium tubers there in peatmoss. In the house, do we water it thoroughly and is there a danger of leaves dropping due to the heating system? Or, should I let it go dormant, and how often would I water the pot?

Vicki

I'd like to know the answer too. Also, what is about the lowest temp a brug can take in winter in a sunroom?
Thanks, Patty

When I state to keep them dormant that means no leaves and just enough water to keep the root base a small drink. I will also state it depends on the age of the plant as to if one should be kept dormant or not. Treatment of a new plant is different from the treatment of a 6 year old one.
Brugmansia can take some cold but not a lot. I have a 6 year old plant I cut back wrap in a blanket and shove in a unheated garage and if it's lucky it might get a cut of water at Christmas time. Where as I have others varieties/species that if I did this to would die and these have to be kept in the greenhouse under grow lights. If you would like my opinions and you can give me more information, email me direct and I'll be more than helpful in supplying you with the proper answers. Many folks have found that this is the best way to do this.

Thanks, I just now moved a brugs seedling (4 leaves) to the west facing L.R. window. It was on window sill in sunroom (unheated) & drooping. I think the night temps got to it. I also moved a tray of datura seedlings there. Less direct sun but more heat. I also have 2 nice cuttings in water (one a Dr. suess - thanks Valentina). How is Dr. Suess for cold temps as a cutting? I moved them also to the warmer LR window.
I think the Dr. Suess is starting a Y!!!! I'll take a pic later & post it in hopes that someone will verify it IS!!
Thanks, Patty

Patty, my Dr. Seuss got some 40s nights and it is still fine. It's not growing so much as when the weather was warmer, but it's not going dormant either.

You're welcome!
In spring/summer I will have some more brugs for you :)

Valentina

Vicki, I don't think that the spots you see are "rust". There is a fungal disease that causes reddish spots, the way you describe yours. I am not sure... it might be one of the blights. You might want to look into that.

Valentina

I'm glad I read this. I've learned a lot.

I have to say in all the years of dealing with spider mites and their scourge, I have to say it is wise to spray the plants before bringing them in , but in no way will simple washing , spraying with chemicals or anything else remove every spider mite once they get them , so it's more a matter of cotrolling them, so they do as little damage as possible. I sometimes amazes me how quicky, some plants that have experieced regular rains, and frequent sprayings from the hose all summer and shown zero signs of having even one mite on them can just a few weeks later be crawling with the darn things in an indoor environment, but I guess it's the "rule" from, what I've heard from many people over the years, where brugs are involved, and it seems a lone spider mite could find a brugmansia from miles away, and still somehow find it's way to the one plant in town. Anyway , just my two cents, but an ounce of "caution". I've even tried several systemics over the years on various plants in hopes of eliminating all spider mites once and for all, and even that was a pointless exercise, as I think the mites can mutate to tollerate any pesticide faster than new ones can be invented. Tis the sad but true tale of science versus the minuscule little spider mite!!

What I do inside is keep a spray bottle (with water) around and every once in a while, whenever I remember, I give the plants a spray. Spider mites don't like humidity.
Also, about once every month or so I put the indoor plants in the bath tub and give them a shower.
I cannot say I ever had spider mites problems. I see them sometimes, if I look close, but doing these keeps them in check.

Valentina

Vickster, I think whtieflies may be another common problem with the brugs, and I know the whiter flies love just about anything in the solanum family , including tomatoes and brugs. Seems I had white fly problems with mine as well last year or was it this year. I think this year after they were moved outdoors, but I kept spraying with Safer's and they finally disappeared, luckily!!