Brugmansia - Angel Trumpets overwintering - Garden Plants and Gardening Forum

Mountaingarden · 03-19-2008, 10:35 AM

Hello, I'm wondering if anyone out there has a Brugmansia that they have to bring indoors to overwinter. Mine did great this summer and I brought it indoors before the frost. It immediately was infested with spider mites and I tried everything to get rid of them without success

. All the leaves fell off and that finally got rid of them. Anyway, I figure a time of "dormancy" is probably my best strategy for it, but I'm afraid to let it dry out too much or get too cold. I have it by a window and I water it about once a week. I'm wondering if I should have put it in my basement by a window and decreased the amount of water I give it. It's about 50 degrees down there and I was worried that would be too cold. Also, this spring when I put it back outside, should I repot it and add fresh compost or should I not disturb the roots? Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks!

Constance · 03-19-2008, 05:37 PM

Are you sure it's still alive?

I had a retail greenhouse for 22 years, and grew most of my own stuff, so I know about bugs. Spider mites are nasty. They multiply and spread quickly, and the insecticides that kill them do a lot of damage to the foliage.
You can try to save it by cutting it back completely and giving it a spray (soil and all) with insecticidal soap, but my best advice is to pitch it, pot and all.

Mountaingarden · 03-24-2008, 11:17 AM

Thanks for the advice. When the leaves all fell off, the mites dissappeared. I hope they starved to death. I'm going to try to save it for now. If they come back I'll pitch it and start over. Right now, it's starting to put out some little green leaves so it seems to be coming back from it's infestation and period of dormancy. I'll put it out on my deck when it gets warm enough and see how it does. By the way, I grew up in Southern IL and I miss gardening there!

03-19-2008, 10:35 AM	#1
Mountaingarden Green Gardener Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Clark, CO Posts: 7	Brugmansia - Angel Trumpets overwintering Hello, I'm wondering if anyone out there has a Brugmansia that they have to bring indoors to overwinter. Mine did great this summer and I brought it indoors before the frost. It immediately was infested with spider mites and I tried everything to get rid of them without success . All the leaves fell off and that finally got rid of them. Anyway, I figure a time of "dormancy" is probably my best strategy for it, but I'm afraid to let it dry out too much or get too cold. I have it by a window and I water it about once a week. I'm wondering if I should have put it in my basement by a window and decreased the amount of water I give it. It's about 50 degrees down there and I was worried that would be too cold. Also, this spring when I put it back outside, should I repot it and add fresh compost or should I not disturb the roots? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

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03-19-2008, 05:37 PM	#2
Constance Green Gardener Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: southern Illinois Posts: 26	Are you sure it's still alive? I had a retail greenhouse for 22 years, and grew most of my own stuff, so I know about bugs. Spider mites are nasty. They multiply and spread quickly, and the insecticides that kill them do a lot of damage to the foliage. You can try to save it by cutting it back completely and giving it a spray (soil and all) with insecticidal soap, but my best advice is to pitch it, pot and all.

03-24-2008, 11:17 AM	#3
Mountaingarden Green Gardener Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Clark, CO Posts: 7	Thanks for the advice. When the leaves all fell off, the mites dissappeared. I hope they starved to death. I'm going to try to save it for now. If they come back I'll pitch it and start over. Right now, it's starting to put out some little green leaves so it seems to be coming back from it's infestation and period of dormancy. I'll put it out on my deck when it gets warm enough and see how it does. By the way, I grew up in Southern IL and I miss gardening there!