On Sun, 22 Jan 2006 19:28:40 GMT, "Tom J"
wrote:

Thanks. I already moved each stalk to it's own tapered container and
added sterile rooting mix I got from my local nursery that does a lot
of stem rooting themselves. He gave me a small bag of fertilizer he
buys by the 100# for his own cuttings. He told me to start light
feeding in a couple of weeks, and transplant in mid March, so I think
I'm on the right track to have blooms this 1st summer. There is a
county compost station near me that he also uses material from when he
moves his starters to larger pots, so I'll be getting that for fee
when needed.

Tom J


Oh you will have 6 foot plants this year! The only variety I find to
be slow growing is 'Peaches and Cream.' Brugs which are rooted
cuttings always flower the first year. The seed grown brugs may not
bloom the first year because they have relatively poor root systems
and depend on the fungal threads for the first year. They are huge
feeders and will require plenty of fertilizer. When I repot mine
after the winter is over I incorporate fertilizer with the half
compost, half pottting mix. You can start them right off into 10
gallon containers because they will fast need transplanting into
larger tubs. If in the ground, I really do recommend you make sure
you use fungal based compost (vegetative materials). The one virus
they are susceptible to is tobacco mosaic, but they can survive if
kept watered and fertilized.

If you want them to look like trees, you have to limb them up and when
you do, make sure you dip the sequitors into a one part bleach, nine
parts water solution between each cut. In the wild they self prune
out the bottom stems.

Good luck and if you get into it big, there's a great book called
Englestrompeten. I have it in English and German.

V