I have two brugmansia which I grew from seed. One is heavily scented, a
butter-yellow variety of one which is, I think, normally white, and has
flowered happily for the last four years.

The other is a different species, about 3 years old and 5 ft high, and
has never flowered. I feed it regularly with tomato fertiliser. I had a
feeling that maybe it needed a certain amount of heat to persuade it to
flower, so this year I've left it in the greenhouse, but still nothing
(the other has been flowering since June on a S facing terrace).

So - any ideas to encourage flowers?
--
Kay

"K" wrote in message
...
I have two brugmansia which I grew from seed. One is heavily scented, a
butter-yellow variety of one which is, I think, normally white, and has
flowered happily for the last four years.

The other is a different species, about 3 years old and 5 ft high, and has
never flowered. I feed it regularly with tomato fertiliser. I had a
feeling that maybe it needed a certain amount of heat to persuade it to
flower, so this year I've left it in the greenhouse, but still nothing
(the other has been flowering since June on a S facing terrace).

So - any ideas to encourage flowers?
--
Kay

Sumat in the air round our area:-)
A one year old plant has flowered and done its stuff. A two year old plant,
identical sort, has made loads of growth but has no sign of any pods yet.
I have noticed that Brugmansia for sale in the local garden centres always
seem to be in remarkably small pots, so perhaps they need a starvation
regime. If mine does not flower I shall butcher it to half size and see if
it responds with flowers next year.
There will be an Urgler somewhere who can offer better help.

"Rupert (W.Yorkshire)" wrote in message
...

"K" wrote in message
...
I have two brugmansia which I grew from seed. One is heavily scented, a
butter-yellow variety of one which is, I think, normally white, and has
flowered happily for the last four years.

The other is a different species, about 3 years old and 5 ft high, and
has
never flowered. I feed it regularly with tomato fertiliser. I had a
feeling that maybe it needed a certain amount of heat to persuade it to
flower, so this year I've left it in the greenhouse, but still nothing
(the other has been flowering since June on a S facing terrace).

So - any ideas to encourage flowers?
--
Kay

Sumat in the air round our area:-)
A one year old plant has flowered and done its stuff. A two year old
plant,
identical sort, has made loads of growth but has no sign of any pods yet.
I have noticed that Brugmansia for sale in the local garden centres always
seem to be in remarkably small pots, so perhaps they need a starvation
regime. If mine does not flower I shall butcher it to half size and see if
it responds with flowers next year.
There will be an Urgler somewhere who can offer better help.


The cuttings will often flower when in tiny pots and very small, but
established plants even if in a big pot once they get their roots to the
edge no amount of feeding will make them happy (say about 3 years in same
pot) so its either start again with a smaller plant or go up a couple of pot
sizes. Alternatively you could put it out in the ground after whipping off a
few cuttings for next year.
--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs)

K wrote:
I have two brugmansia which I grew from seed. One is heavily scented, a
butter-yellow variety of one which is, I think, normally white, and has
flowered happily for the last four years.

The other is a different species, about 3 years old and 5 ft high, and
has never flowered. I feed it regularly with tomato fertiliser. I had a
feeling that maybe it needed a certain amount of heat to persuade it to
flower, so this year I've left it in the greenhouse, but still nothing
(the other has been flowering since June on a S facing terrace).

So - any ideas to encourage flowers?

Some need a bit more warmth than others to get going. High potash feed
and less nitrogen also encourages them to flower as does a bit of
benign neglect of watering. Plants that feel a bit threatened by
environmental stress often flower soon after as a result.

If you know the species then one of the experts may be able to tell you
what to do to initiate flowering in the UK. My outdoors ones are back
up to flowering size now in N Yorks.

Regards,
Martin Brown

"Charlie Pridham" wrote in message
...

"Rupert (W.Yorkshire)" wrote in message
...

"K" wrote in message
...
I have two brugmansia which I grew from seed. One is heavily scented, a
butter-yellow variety of one which is, I think, normally white, and has
flowered happily for the last four years.

The other is a different species, about 3 years old and 5 ft high, and
has
never flowered. I feed it regularly with tomato fertiliser. I had a
feeling that maybe it needed a certain amount of heat to persuade it to
flower, so this year I've left it in the greenhouse, but still nothing
(the other has been flowering since June on a S facing terrace).

So - any ideas to encourage flowers?
--
Kay

Sumat in the air round our area:-)
A one year old plant has flowered and done its stuff. A two year old
plant,
identical sort, has made loads of growth but has no sign of any pods yet.
I have noticed that Brugmansia for sale in the local garden centres
always
seem to be in remarkably small pots, so perhaps they need a starvation
regime. If mine does not flower I shall butcher it to half size and see
if
it responds with flowers next year.
There will be an Urgler somewhere who can offer better help.


The cuttings will often flower when in tiny pots and very small, but
established plants even if in a big pot once they get their roots to the
edge no amount of feeding will make them happy (say about 3 years in same
pot) so its either start again with a smaller plant or go up a couple of
pot
sizes. Alternatively you could put it out in the ground after whipping off
a
few cuttings for next year.
--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs)


Thanks for that info Charlie. I will put it in the ground and hope it gets
through the winter along with all the other tender gear.
Cuttings for next year (as an insurance)

Martin Brown writes

K wrote:
I have two brugmansia which I grew from seed. One is heavily scented, a
butter-yellow variety of one which is, I think, normally white, and has
flowered happily for the last four years.

The other is a different species, about 3 years old and 5 ft high, and
has never flowered. I feed it regularly with tomato fertiliser. I had a
feeling that maybe it needed a certain amount of heat to persuade it to
flower, so this year I've left it in the greenhouse, but still nothing
(the other has been flowering since June on a S facing terrace).

So - any ideas to encourage flowers?

Some need a bit more warmth than others to get going. High potash feed
and less nitrogen also encourages them to flower as does a bit of
benign neglect of watering. Plants that feel a bit threatened by
environmental stress often flower soon after as a result.

I've given it all the heat that is available, and the tomato feed is of
course high potash. They get the benign neglect by default.

If you know the species then one of the experts may be able to tell you
what to do to initiate flowering in the UK. My outdoors ones are back
up to flowering size now in N Yorks.

"Back up" to flowering size? - what happened in between?

"Outdoor" - presumably outdoor summer only? In pots, or in the ground?
--
Kay

Charlie Pridham writes



The cuttings will often flower when in tiny pots and very small, but
established plants even if in a big pot once they get their roots to the
edge no amount of feeding will make them happy (say about 3 years in same
pot) so its either start again with a smaller plant or go up a couple of pot
sizes. Alternatively you could put it out in the ground after whipping off a
few cuttings for next year.

Thanks. How do I do cuttings from Brugmansia (cuttings are not my strong
point)?
And if I go for repotting, what time of the year? It's too late now for
flowers this year (Yorkshire). Am I better to repot now or will the
effect have worn off in spring?
If I get a cutting to grow, what do I need to do to encourage it into
flower?
--
Kay

"K" wrote in message
...
Charlie Pridham writes



The cuttings will often flower when in tiny pots and very small, but
established plants even if in a big pot once they get their roots to the
edge no amount of feeding will make them happy (say about 3 years in same
pot) so its either start again with a smaller plant or go up a couple of
pot
sizes. Alternatively you could put it out in the ground after whipping
off a
few cuttings for next year.

Thanks. How do I do cuttings from Brugmansia (cuttings are not my strong
point)?
And if I go for repotting, what time of the year? It's too late now for
flowers this year (Yorkshire). Am I better to repot now or will the
effect have worn off in spring?
If I get a cutting to grow, what do I need to do to encourage it into
flower?
--
Kay

You can do cuttings any time they are ingrowth, about 3-4" long with half a
leaf at the top. they will come into flower during summer with no extra help
from you!
Repotting is best done in spring.
I often bring my potted one in around late October with a flush of buds on
which will come into flower through November, scent is wonderful inside but
the location is so dark that they normally go dormant until the spring.
Outside they are often severely frost damaged and take until July to start
flowering.

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs)

K wrote:
Martin Brown writes

Some need a bit more warmth than others to get going. High potash feed
and less nitrogen also encourages them to flower as does a bit of
benign neglect of watering. Plants that feel a bit threatened by
environmental stress often flower soon after as a result.

I've given it all the heat that is available, and the tomato feed is of
course high potash. They get the benign neglect by default.

A bit more potash and even less nitrogen maybe.

If you know the species then one of the experts may be able to tell you
what to do to initiate flowering in the UK. My outdoors ones are back
up to flowering size now in N Yorks.

"Back up" to flowering size? - what happened in between?

Cut down by winter frosts. They regrow from the extensive roots (either
in pots or in the ground). My heavy clay soil tends to waterlog in
winter so mostly they live in pots.

"Outdoor" - presumably outdoor summer only? In pots, or in the ground?

No. Winter and summer and regrown again from seed when they fail to
over winter successfully (survive about 4 in 5 winters OK under a 4"
mulch of pine needles).

I wouldn't treat choice plants this way, but since these seem to
tolerate it and still flower...

Their poisonous seeds make excellent rodent bait too.

Regards,
Martin Brown

Martin Brown writes

K wrote:

I've given it all the heat that is available, and the tomato feed is of
course high potash. They get the benign neglect by default.

A bit more potash and even less nitrogen maybe.

Hmm. I'm of the "you'll eat what's given to you and like it" school
where plants are concerned. No faffing around with special diets! I'll
have to consider more carefully whether this particular brugmansia gets
its pot space. Maybe give it one more year.

If you know the species then one of the experts may be able to tell you
what to do to initiate flowering in the UK. My outdoors ones are back
up to flowering size now in N Yorks.

"Back up" to flowering size? - what happened in between?

Cut down by winter frosts. They regrow from the extensive roots (either
in pots or in the ground).

Wow! I've had one die off in winter in the (heated) greenhouse.
Maybe I'm too cautious and should start pushing the boundaries a bit.
And doing something about snails.

"Outdoor" - presumably outdoor summer only? In pots, or in the ground?

No. Winter and summer and regrown again from seed when they fail to
over winter successfully (survive about 4 in 5 winters OK under a 4"
mulch of pine needles).

Their poisonous seeds make excellent rodent bait too.

Mine doesn't seed - is this because I only have the one flowering? Are
they not self-fertile?
--
Kay

Charlie Pridham writes

You can do cuttings any time they are ingrowth, about 3-4" long with half a
leaf at the top. they will come into flower during summer with no extra help
from you!
Repotting is best done in spring.

Thanks :-)

I often bring my potted one in around late October with a flush of buds on
which will come into flower through November, scent is wonderful inside but
the location is so dark that they normally go dormant until the spring.
Outside they are often severely frost damaged and take until July to start
flowering.

Mine takes till July even overwintering in the greenhouse!


--
Kay