sandysseeds007, are we talking trunks from the ground or branches from the trunks, I'm confused today??

When you focus on the shape, you need to know what the variety will do and the environment that is is suited for.
When telling a newbie how to grow a brugmansia, one must start out in telling them these are the highes maintenance plants one will grow. One should also relize that not all gardeners are created equally and will not have the experience that you have. One needs to play and know there limits. Brugmansia can be trained if one has the time and patience.

On trimming of the roots be very careful, this can damage a once beautiful plant. Brugmansia love to be root bound to show you the blooming effect of what they can do.

As one that has grown for over 10 years, I tend to tell newbies, I'm as close as an email away for any questions that might come up. The longer you grow them the more knowledge you will obtain.

Thank you Karma this post needed clarifying especially the second paragraph.

The word 'while indoors' should of been cited after the words 'contain size' in the 3rd paragraph. I apologise for leaving that line so wide open even if it's pointed out later.

That second paragraph was terribly incomplete. I should of added at the end "And I've made other big mistakes that contributed to my not getting the best brug growth possible or earlier Y'ing." That should have been summed up better in preperation for the next paragraph.

This was a personal valuable experience. There are other mistakes that could be made but mine were specific to containing their size over winter indoors and the consequences. I can assure you that most newbies do not know how fast and big these will grow while in their homes and if not prepared will do drastic things. I personally ended up taking drastic measures to contain their size that I regret now. These issues I expect some newbies to encounter, indoors and/or out, light or space.

Please note, the watering amounts are done in the 2 ltr bottles that I mentioned and you should, logically, adjust according to the size of your pot/container.

I stand corrected.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What a Forum Is, Usually ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was not writing a book here, it just looks like it now. This post is 'specific' for mistakes made while trying to contain their size which I did say. I did not imply that a space issue and resulting stunted growth caused from my mistakes was the only problem to consider or search out..lol

I'm sure most others know or should know, the difference between a chat room and a forum. This isn't a chat room, we just use it like one...lol. However, a forum contains tons of questions and answers which others have already written up. And many would rather read, not ask questions. That is what a forum is for. You search out the answer to your own question(s), usually already posed by somebody else. Or just nosy around to entertain them/ourselves with chitchat, you got to admit we're pretty funny.

The biggest advantage to a forum, they can read feedback on somebodies answer to an already posed question, or know that their could be, who will either confirm or even contradict - usually it's a differing factor that makes for a different outcome. Sometimes it's feedback on bad grammar, so the poster can correct themselves to be better understood, of what they're trying to teach. A personal experience is the best to read but it's not the only one and many people don't consider all the factors that might of played in their success' or failure(s). I've done this once myself before realizing it could of been something else I learned later but there are also other limitations or resources that other people have or don't have that have to be thought of as best as possible.

People are just lucky to have people around, like we have here, to get a fast response or quick link, from people from almost every environment, which covers quite a lot of experience; but people should be aware that forums are not like ours. We're special. You're never being ignored in a normal forum, most other forums don't have people hanging out together, and they DO expect people to do their own search through the threads and then ask questions after a reasonable search is done...and then expect a delay. Here, at our brugmansia forum, they just better ask cause it'll take all day to search through our threads for relavent information...lol.

Sometimes our people don't read all the links which explains some lack of response. And if we get too many more people these threads are gonna fly...no wait...they already do. So if you didn't get an answer after posting on somebody else's thread, though it be related, or you need a fast one, start a new thread on the main forum and state your question(s).

One of us, who has so much time, aught to compile a list of threads we can all put in our favorite folder and just bump up when a newbie comes along.

OK. The grammar and etiquette lectures are over. Hope I've cleared some issues up. Peace - Sandy

sandysseeds007, One needs a better site for informational of a newbie such as a website, one can check into ABADS or BGI. There are other sites but it really depends on the gardner and the variety. Writting a book is another option but some folks will take that as gospel.

No offense Karma, but this is a forum dedicated to Brugmansia's and the research of them.

To add to sandy's notes - overwatering indoors is very, VERY easy to do. This was probably my largest and most costly mistake.

My learning curve came way too late for some of my more funky brugs.

I have a very heavy hand when watering. I figured out to self-limit myself, I use a spray bottle to wet the top of the soil. My hand gets tired before I can overwater. (grin)

Sounds dumb, but there it is. LOL. . .

sandysseeds007, No offense but I take it you haven't visited our website or any of the ones we mentioned. We have been growing, hybridizing and research of Brugmansias and Daturas for over 10+ years. I'll also mention our creation of the Datmansia where we have been able to hybidize the two we so dearly love. So you information isn't anything new to us and fell as a gardener one can only state their experiences. There are many gardeners out there and each has their own ways. Please let me know when you reach over 100 varieties and can look at a name and give me all the stats! LOL

Well Sassyseeds, I've already got too many brugs for my limited space in both the greenhouse and the house. Mine are growing leaps and bounds and I'm not really trying to get them too. I guess they are just happy.

I will be more careful in the future when starting new plants inside. I can already tell these things are going to out grow their living arrangements very quickly. LOL

I'll have to replant a bunch of them in the next few weeks. I started them in small little pots. Now most if not all need repotted. (frown)

Oh well they sure will be beautiful out in the beds and yard.

Hang in there, just when you think you know everything, someone will burst your bubble.

Merry Christmas you folks,
Marian