Mike

Mike

I'm hoping I have MANY more seed pods this fall! I already have quite a few that have developed! Hoping I have seeds for everyone! :) We all know how these little beauties have hundreds of little seeds in each pod! Enjoy the pics - as I know there are quite a few! :)

Mike

'Naughty Nick' & 'Neon Orange' decided they wanted to reach out & touch the celing! lol!

'Xena' took up alot of space in the center of the room! But, she's my baby!!

'Confusion' is, well, just confused!! rofl! He doesn't know what to think! Blooms are turning orange & then that sickly brown! We had so much rain lately! Glad he's inside now!

I've got quite a few seedpods on various plants! Something I'm going to start another thread about! I NEED to know about seedpods! lol!

Mike

Mike

I use cups with holes in the bottom. So - if you use cups without holes, you'll have to drain the cups by hand. Thought I'd point that out. I also use a 'dummy' cup with a 6" stick in it! rofl! The 6" stick is about the same size as a brug cutting in diameter. I guess it's really not necessary - but hey, it works for me. Wonder if that stick will ever grow?? lol! When the 'dummy' cup dries - I know I need to water. I've not used my moisture meter once this year.

When your first set of green leaves appear - start fertilizing with a water soluble fertilizer at 1/4 strength! I fertilize them weekly. Some fertilize new cuttings, with new root growth, just a couple of times a month.

I'm not saying this is the ONLY method - or the BEST method! I'm just saying it works for me! :)) Everyone has a method they use & like. I think I've tried them all - except the 'layering' method. Who knows? I may have to try that method at some point!

I hope if anyone decides to try this method - they let me know how it works for them! Comparing notes can lead us to hopefully having LESS brug cutting losses! Isn't that the idea??

And that's all folks........

But new people - means many questions! And it's the time of the year we start doing cuttings, bringing in the Brugs for the winter, & overall, we're all pretty busy! You know - the year-end, clean-up stuff! lol! The sharing, trading, & love of the Brug stuff that we all do!

Anyway! (Sorry - I do ramble, ask anyone!) An important topic this time of the year is storing the Brugs for the winter, and hoping to NOT lose any Brug cuttings!

Let's hear how everyone stores their Brugs, start cuttings, etc....

Had to throw in the (etc....) - you never know what bit of information may appear that one can use!

And feel free to ask questions - don't be shy! :)

You may never find the answer if you don't ask!

I've been potting up Brugs that didn't do much this summer for the last two months. I've been getting them ready to take in for the winter! And I'm hoping this thread will give me/you & everyone, a little bit more knowledge on overwintering a Brug plant - versus cuttings! Everyone knows I usually have several hundred cuttings through the winter - but this year, not too many! I'll still do some cuttings - don't get me wrong! I can't imagine going through the winter without all the pain & suffering I go through when I lose one! ;) Most of us know THAT feeling, right?

I've gotten a few helpful hints from two forum members already - via email! Thank you both! :)) I appreciate the info ALOT!! Others may be interested as well! Any information that can be helpful - feel free to post, post a link, etc. Everyone has certain things & ways to take care of their Brug plants, cuttings, etc. A bit of information that doesn't mean anything to you - may be very important to someone else! I mean seriously! How many Brugs cuttings have most of us DROWNED in the past few years! lol! Think about it!

I hope this becomes a thread with tons of information for the new person/people on the forum, lurkers, as well as us old-timers! :) And if you happen to be a lurker - join in & say 'Hello!' Love to have you & get to know you!

Ok! Who wants to start?

Brenda, Lucy, Karyn, Kristy, Brandy, you? :) Anyone?

Mike

Barbra!!

Wow! Wow! Wow!

I didn't think I was ever going to get to the bottom of that box! lol! So many goodies! In the box were the following:

Brugmansias - I love each one of them!! Ya-hooooo!! :)) 'Needed' & wanted them FOREVER!!

'Sam'

'Orange Infusion'

'Dream Angel'

'Georgia Peach'

'Salmon Perfektion'

'Miss Emily Mackenzie'

On with the list!

Three varieties of Hostas.

One large Christmas stocking. Now I wish I had bought a house with a fireplace!

Three pair of Wrangler socks!! Yippeee! I love socks!! :))

A very nice trowel & hand cultivator set! I've always wanted a set of these!!

Christmas 'Angel' ornament! Now I need a tree! ;)

A baggie of 'Mountain Laurel' seeds! I thought they were PECANS!! lol! I was ready to get out the nutcracker!! And then I saw the label!

And two plants I'm going to have to email you about - concerning the appropriate care for them. :))

Thank you very much Barbra for the thoughtfulness you put into that package! I really, really appreciate everything!

And more brugs!! And socks!! Yayyyy! :)) Did I mention? 'I love socks!!'

Santa himself could not have sent a better package!!

Merry Christmas to you!!

Mike

And before anyone asks - 'Did you take pics?'

Of course I did!! :))

They may be a little blurry - as I was excited & felt like (for a moment) a kid at Christmas!!

Mike

Brenda

I've been pretty busy finishing up a few things! Today I learned my 24 year old nephew got hit while riding his motorcycle. Nothing serious - but enough to send him to the hospital. Dr. on call at the Emergency Room wrote him out some prescriptions for pain. He was banged & bruised up a little - but nothing serious.

While waiting at Wal Mart for them to fill his prescriptions - he thought he'd run down the street to the Sonic for a quick bite of lunch. As he walked out of Wal Mart - he was hit by a car! The woman just left the scene - without even checking to see if he was all right! He was hit hard & knocked to the ground. To the Emergency Room again! He now has torn ligaments in his legs & various other injuries. Bruised, scrapes, etc. Nothing broken that can be found! He was very fortunate! Wal Mart is helping the Sheriff's Dept. by going through their outside surveillance cameras to help identify the woman. My nephew didn't get a license plate number! Hopefully she'll be caught!

And it gets worse! Everyone who knows me - pretty much knows I love Siberian Huskies! I've posted many pics (of my six!) & some even know them by name! And I appreciate that!

'Arrant' my male (the baby) who has seizures at least once a month - had two seizures on Wednesday. During the course of one of his seizures - he now has lost some ability to stand. With his rear knee problems - it's affected him (and me) tremendously! When a person takes their knee cap & moves it left to right a little - this is normal. But 'Arrant' - his knee caps go clear to the side of his legs either way. Much further than normal. The knee caps could actually 'snap' at anytime. He's had this problem since he was about a year old & I'm praying & hoping he hasn't 'snapped' one or both.

There have been times over the last three or four years where he could have had an operation to 'possibly' correct the problem. The outcome consisted of two things:

1) He may be 'hooked' to a little pulley cart for the rest of his life.

2) He would never walk again.

I made the choice of him NOT having the surgery! I just devoted myself to making sure he had as 'normal' a life as possible - as one of the 'kids.' It was a decision that had to be made. And thinking of 'Arrant' going through life hooked to a pulley cart, or not being able to ever walk again - was a very hard, and personal decision I had to make.

Today he was worse. I called & talked to my vet. He had me come in & talk with him. He decided to put 'Arrant' on previcox for pain. He will take it today, Saturday, & Sunday. Appointment for him to have x-rays of his legs, blood work done, etc. are scheduled for Monday at 10:00 am. Vet also gave me another piece of information - it may be Neurological. But nothing can be known for sure until Monday. This is going to be a very hard & long few days.

Just wanted to let you know what's going on & to ask for a little prayer for 'Arrant!' I would appreciate it! This is hard on me & alot for me to deal with right now.

My nephew - well, he's not injured to badly, and he's a big boy! He'll live! I'm glad he wasn't seriously hurt, or worse!

I'm going to try & busy myself answering a few emails, making a couple of posts & then spend a little time with the 'kids!' :)) All of them!

Sorry I vented all of this to you - but I do feel a little better! Love you!!

Mike

ps: I did manage to get your package out today! It should arrive on Monday & I hope you like what's in it! :))

Things didn't go as planned! :)) Thank God! 'Arrant' is still with us! The Prednisone is what was a major problem! It had locked up his jaw & he couldn't eat or drink. I spent two nights with him in the den spoon feeding him & tablespooning water to him. I also slept in there on the floor with my quilts. I have no more vacation days left - but I spent the last two I had doing something I needed to do! :))

Matt (the vet) had me take him off the Prednisone as it caused alot of the problems! Said it would take a couple of days to wear off. His 'frothing' at the mouth has stopped, the 'lock-jaw' is almost entirely gone, the drooling is gone, and he's eating like a WILD dog - on his own now!! (canned food - instead of his usual dry Pedigree) I have to hold the plate for him - but I don't mind one darn bit! His appetite is GREAT! Last night he actually had a few (very few) pieces of his dry food. Also is now drinking on his own - all good signs!

A little slow to get motivated when going outside - or coming in, but he's doing much, much better! His strength is getting better! I have to closely monitor him for any type of discomfort - which he seems ok so far!

He seems to be getting back to the 'old' sweet little guy!!

Back to the vet here in a few - for a check-up! 'Arrant' - not me! Even though I could use a good check-up myself! :))

It's been a long & stressful week - but with good news, I cannot complain!

Today is Friday - weekend is almost here! I'm thinking I'll have a GOOD one! ('Arrant' too!!)

Just wanted to let everyone know! Wanted to thank each & every one of you for the thoughts & prayers! I think they worked!! :)) You've ALL been the loving, caring, and wonderful people that I've gown to care about & love for the 'perfect' reasons!! Your support through this difficult time will not be forgotten - ever! :)) I think my tears of sorrow & sadness will now be of joy & happiness!

I noticed in my emails - I have quite a few to answer! It will take me some time - but I will get to them! I promise!

Ok - off for now! 'Check-up' time is approaching! I'll update when WE return!! Gosh! It's nice to say the words 'when WE return!!' :)

Love you all!

Mike

Hug someone you want to feel good. Tell someone you love them. Talk to someone you have not in a long time. Eversince Mike had said, give your pet some loving, I remember his words and give my 2 cats a lot more loving these days.
It will make you feel great! And the person and pet also!

I really do not want to make your hearts heavy too. It is just very hard to find something cheery to say. Today I am not able to. Sorry friends.

Walking through the yard I was trying to figure out what picture I can post. Nothing new around.
Then I looked into the sky and it was loaded with stars. SO BRIGHT. Calling for my attention. And I look down and see this:

From Picture of the day

I know heaven is waiting for Arrant with open arms and he will be taken care of. Lets open our arms and take care of Mike!
Not being able to rename a NOID, I know that ;-) . But this NOID brug from Kristy has been very special all year also. It has a seedpod growing and I hope I will get some seeds. I will share them with Mike and I hope that out of THIS special angel we might get one we really can call : Arrant's Star!

If you read this while it is still dark, go outside, take a look at the beautiful sky filled with a star for each of us!

Hugs and prayers to all. Especially Mike and Arrant

Lucy

After talking for awhile - Matt suggested euthanize. I couldn't do it! I realize 'Arrant' is in pain - but can't bring myself to have him euthanized. Matt gave me time to think it over & we discussed options.

We talked over the options - as there are very, very few.

Came up with the following - Steroids for the next ten days. He prescribed Prednisone 20 mg tablets. Even this is no type of 'guarantee' that 'Arrant' will get any better - but I have to try! Just a 'spark' of improvement is better than none, right? I may be grabbing at straws - but it's worth it, to hopefully see any type of improvement.

If within the ten days there's no improvement - then I'll have to make a very hard decision that I don't want to make. And I don't want to really think about it (but I know I have to) - as I've done enough crying for the day. I'm sure it's going to get worse as the days progress - but I have to be strong & to think positive.

Arrant's had a good life! I'm happy for that & the fact I could give him a good & happy life. But sometimes things happen that we cannot control - no matter how hard we want to try!

Usually I'm the happy, fun guy to be around - but today my heart is broken & I'm not taking this situation very well. I can't shake that 'chokey' feeling in my throat & chest. Going to take a few days to myself, my loved ones, and the babies! And each of 'YOU' are a part of 'my loved ones!'

I want to thank each of you for your prayers & thoughts! They've meant alot to me! In this time of need - I have my friends - all of you! And it's very much appreciated!

Just wanted to update all of you! I wish the news had been much, much better!

Love you all!

Mike

He had to make the hardest decission of his life; I am sure. So please my friends. Send out prayers for Mike to give him strength to make it through the night and be strong for Arrant one last night. With sadness I have to let you know that he will take Arrant to the Vet at 2:30 pm :_(( For his last journey here on earth. Again please send your prayers at that time especially if you can.

I know Mike will come back. He needs his friends. We can help him make it through the grieving a little easier. I hope.

Here is what Mike wrote: Please let everyone on the forum know that I miss each of them, love them & I'll be back soon. Definitely going to need a little support. Plants - we'll talk about plants!!!

From Pictures to share with Garden buddies

From Pictures to share with Garden buddies

My dear friend Mike,
with sadness and tears in my eyes I am sending you my condolences for the loss of your precious fur baby Arrant.
He is in no more pain. No more suffering.
Time will heal your pain you are in right now.
We are here for you.

Love, hugs and prayers
Lucy

My dear friends,

Mike send me a e mail early this afternoon. Letting me know that Arrant took a really bad turn and the Vet put him to sleep at 10:10 am this morning.
I think we all understand that his grief is to much right now and just so we know that he will not be coming by for a while. This way we do not have to worry that we are not hearing anything from him.

I wrote him that I do this. That way when he is ready to come back and still can not handle talking about Arrant, he can avoid this thread until one day he can read it.

Sorry to be the carrier of such sad news. I know we all were so relieved and happy for Mike and Arrant.

Lucy

http://www.arghyagardens.com

Hope it is of some help.

Here I am....

How about you? I dare yall to show your face to go with the Forum name.
"I aint proud", as Arlo Guthrie once said.

Feel free to balk on this :)

Mike

Some people have asked during the summer - if I bury my brugs in their pots directly into the ground. I don't. I cut mine each year & start with new cuttings - like most that don't have the necessary storage space for larger plants. I avoided the question because I was doing a little experiment on my own. Sorry folks for not answering you directly. I apologize. :) But now I can share the little experiment with all of you! Maybe, just maybe, it will work for others! Hope so! Especially in rooting the more harder 'doubles!' Yeah! You know what I'm talking about! The dreaded 'doubles!!' lol! Sorry - got carried away there! On with the experiment.

Many of you have a Home Depot! I do - but no Lowe's! Stinks too! I'd like a little competition between these two stores in our area. :) Anyway - at Home Depot they have a 2' long (green) hard plastic border. It's approximately 5 1/2" high. It interlocks to make your garden borders. You can keep connecting them for how much you might need as far as how many feet you want your border to be. I didn't purchase them for that reason. (they sell for $1.09 each) When wrapped around the base of your brug - it's about a 7 1/2" circle.

When the brug is planted - wrap one of these borders around the brug. Fill it to the top with Shredded Cypress Mulch! I put a little more! Make it a HEAPING pile! lol! I did this for two reasons. One - to help retain moisture during the hot summer! Less watering always helps! We all know how they LOVE to drink!! And two - coming soon! I've included pics & I'm sure some are a little blurry! (It was down right COLD this morning!!) Im sure you'll see what I'm talking about as you scroll down. Mind you - I only tried this method with the 'doubles!' They are ones I seriously have a problem with in rooting. Out of the double brugs I have - ALL worked with this method. If it had been a little warmer I would have taken pics all darn day of my progress! lol! But then - I couldn't have gone to work! I hate work - it's a dirty word!! I would imagine this method would work with the singles also! (Duh! Had to throw this in!) lol! I've also added a little information below each picture. Before & after shots! :) Received an email from Bonnie concerning rooting an 'Adeline! Bonnie - this first set of pics are for you!! :))))

Green garden border around 'Adeline!'


Green garden border removed - exposing Shredded Cypress Mulch!


Pull away Shredded Cypress Mulch - very gently! And look what we have here!! Roots!!


ALOT of roots!

Most of you know I purchased the new house in August! These babies didn't have alot of growing time to get established - but they did WAY better than I thought they would. They probably would have had larger root systems if they had not been moved! But - it had to be done! The nice thing about this method - just thought I'd mention this. The original root system is still IN the ground - covered & mulched for the winter! If they come back next Spring - Great! If not?? Isn't that why we have BACK-UP cuttings?? :))))

This is a list of what I ended up with - already rooted:

'Adeline' - two rooted cuttings.

'Creamsickle' - five rooted suttings.

'Day Dreams' - three rooted cuttings.

'Divinity!' - (Brenda's baby - the triple white) - one rooted cutting.

'Double Delight' - to rooted cuttings.

'Double Peach' - one rooted cutting.

'Enchanted Double White' - two rooted cuttings.

'Golden Lady' - two rooted cuttings.

'Hawaian Double White' - three rooted cuttings.

'New Orleans Lady' - three rooted cuttings.

'Pink Perfektion' - two rooted cuttings.

'Sweetheart' - two cuttings.

'Tiara' - two rooted cuttings.

I'm happy the way this little experiment turned out! And if anyone else decides to try it - good luck to you! I honestly think it can work! But does this stop me from getting MORE cuttings to cause me winter stress?? NO!! lol! I love cuttings!! The more - the better! :)

Mike

Tyler:

Here are instructions for imbedding clickable thumbnails:

1. After you log in to your account - you should see a page like this. Go to the red circled tab:

2. Then - click on the blue "images from my pc" tab:

3. Browse out to the new picture you made with paint:

4. Select your new picture that you want to upload and hit "open"

5. Hit the Upload Button

6. Check the Checkbox next to the image you want to show

7. Go to the bottom of the page and click the "generate HTML and IMG Code" button

8. Select the code in the top box by just clicking in the box. The code will be automatically copied.

9. Come back to the "message" box for the Brug forum and RIGHT click your mouse button and hit paste.

10. Hit the Preview button

11. You should see the small thumbnail in your preview

Hit POST. . .and viola. . you're done.

I hope that makes sense. I tried to give you step by step.

I'm using an 18 gallon Rubbermaid container (found on curb)
2 10 inch airstones
one small aquairum airpump

I cut a small hole near the top of the container to run the tubing through, and glued the suction cups inside the container with nail glue (like for fake nails, it dries in seconds) I then attached the airstones to the suction cups and ran tubing from each of them to the "tee". Then a single piece of tubing from the "tee" to the airpump. This way you can run 2 stones off of one pump/

close up of the "tee"

outside w/pump

added about 4 inches of water and plugged in the pump

I attached lengths of bamboo to the bottoms of the cuttings to elevate them about a half an inch off the bottom of the container (to keep them from getting mushy)
Brug stilts.

A shot of the inside

The beginnings of a jungle

Hope this is clear, if not ask away. Georgia

Mike

Mike

I have about 18 more with buds & I'll take pics as they progress! I'm hoping the others catch up! Even after the move - they STILL didn't let me down! Yippee! :)

Mike

Mike

Yvonne contacted me, for the first time, back in 2004. She was looking for someone to continue the strain of her "giant salvia," which she had cultivated for several years. She originally bought the seed from Parks, as a medium height salvia, but one plant grew above the rest. She harvested seed from that one plant, and, eventually had 6-footers. (Since this whole thing started, there are some salvia experts who think that Yvonne's Salvia is a strain of a giant type that originated in Brazil (I think). It is a splendens.)

Anyway, in 2004, she gave me hundreds of seeds, more than I could possibly use. I offered the rest here on the Seed Exchange, and people from all over the country snatched them up. Some people from other countries, as well!

This summer (2007), there was an article in "Birds and Bloom" magazine, featuring the story of Yvonne and her salvia, and there was another rush to get the seeds. Unfortunately, the article was published in July, when the seeds aren't ready to harvest, and there was none to distribute, at least from my garden.

There have been a few other people who generously offer up their harvest, too. And, I hope that even more are offering them, just not necessarily via the Garden Web or internet.
If you would like some of these seeds, what I ask in return (in addition to SASBE) is a note for Yvonne. She recently had to move in with her daughter, due to health issues, and I know these notes mean even more to her now. If you are reading this, and you wrote a note in the past, know that she still has it, along with hundreds of others, kept in a box. She re-reads them...tells me "there's so many nice people in this world!" She's about to turn 93.

Send me an email, and I will send along the information.

Thanks!
Emily

Here is a link that might be useful: picture of salvia from my garden 2007

Mike

Updated pics of Maybe new Dat. Anybody got this color or
seed pods that look like these? Have collected some seeds
and so far they look like the seeds that come from the
single white.

Regards,

Jack

A $100.00 bill in a Christmas card!! (no - just kidding!)
Socks (yay!!)
Texas coffee cup - with a great Texas skyline!
A mini FM radio & she included the batteries. :)
Dutch Iris mix - love them!
winter botanical stickers - which always come in handy.
Crinum lily - never had these before, so what a treat!
Magnolia tree seeds - never seen seeds of a Magnolia, very cool looking!
assorted Cannas - which will come in handy - as I only have the 'Mr. President'.
Datura Triple Purple seeds
Datura Ballerina Double Yellow - didn't have this one.
Red Cypress Vine seeds - hummers are going to LOVE it!
Wisteria - had this ONCE & really like it! :)
Texas Hummingbird Sage - have to do research on this one!
Datura Huge Double Alba seeds - can't wait to start them!
Imperial Giant Larkspur - never had these before - but looks great!
Scarlet Flame Zinnia - for the hummers!
Forget-Me-Nots - very dainty & cool looking blue flowers!
Amaranth Joseph's Coat - will definitely compliment the Joseph's Coat Rose that I have!
Purple Hyacinth Bean - my FAVORITE vine!
Nicotine Perfume Red - will have to do some checking on this one!
Spacemaster Cucumber?????? lol! I'll try it - who knows what may happen!
The Alpine Tundra 9th in Series Stamps from the Nature of America Collection - LOVE them! Wow! And of course I won't use them! :) Just for admiring!
White Ginger plant - now I have TWO! lol!
A 'Creamsickle' - great size brug cutting.
And I think she's 'enabling' me on this one - a Pink Plumeria!! I've not had these before - but I've read alot of postings here concerning them! Oh am I in trouble!! :)
Chocolate Santa's filled with Caramel!
A landscape 2008 Calendar!
And last but not least - something from my 'want list' which I've wanted for a very long time. A 'Versicolor Orange' brug cutting!! It's a great size cutting & I can't wait to see roots! lol! Thank you! Thank you! :)

Kristy

Thank you very much for the GREAT Christmas surprise! It's very much appreciated! A Christmas complete is all I can say! I have my friends here on garden web, family here at home, and many things to be thankful for! You & everyone here on garden web are the BEST! Merry Christmas to all!

Mike

I 'think' something's going on with the Pink Plumeria you sent me!! Am I correct?? :)

Mike