This Brug's leaves have started to curl. The plant is dark green and these leaves are almost glossy. I have been treating with Flormite as I do have to keep up with spidermites. Are there any suggestions?

Your brug looks great to me! I've found that it is a plant that is hard to keep looking good. I've had spider mites and aphids on mine almost continually. In addition, there are beetles that love to eat the leaves. Despite all of this, they bloom well and smell wonderful! I just live with the ugly and sometimes curling leaves.

Thank you for your input.
Do you bring your brugs in for the winter?
How much do you cut back, if any?

I put mine in my greenhouse for winter. I usually have to cut them back about half to make them fit in with all of the other winter occupants.

GlennR, you plant looks pretty good except the top leaves. I would just remove and allow the
leaves to grow back. I have found some of the chemicals folks use are harsh and cause more
damage. If you remove the food source and properly get the affected leave taken care of you
plant will bounce back. I use the 3 in 1 rose food on our during the growing season and only
have to deal with the green worms.

In the PNW, B. Frosty Pink is the only one that will winter in the ground but as of late with
climate change all of ours go into their own house. We are busy getting their home ready
for them. We have a couple tissue culture plants that get the honor of the tropical house living.

Karen, sounds like you need a bigger greenhouse!! I have a couple 12 footers this year and
they will be cut back soon. I only cut back if they don't have seedpods.

My problem is that I have too many other 12ft plants!

Thank you all for your imput. I'm starting to think of the coming winter. I usually bring my Brug into the garage and put a daylight spectrum fluorescent light over. The garage temperature hardly ever dips below 45 degrees. Is there a better plan?
I wonder if my main trunk was started from below the "Y". I don't get blooms until later in the summer and only about 3 at a time. Any suggestions?

I took some pictures of Charles Grimaldi just now. Any suggestions of what to do with him with Fall approaching?

GlennR how are they doing? Any blooms? Have you cut them back any yet?
Still warm back there in KS?

One of our first years with Brugmanisa we made a PVC and plastic in the back of our garage as we
use the garage door regularly. We put a small heater set at 60 and it kept the small collection from
freezing. Our garage isn't insulated much.

General rule that I learned was anything above the lowest 'Y' is safe to cut off and rooted for more for
next year to sell. Also trim off the lower side shoots of the main trunk. You have a lot to work with!

Can I suggest using Rose food, the 3 in 1 fertilizer next year. It helps keep the bad buds at bay, no curling leaves
and no use of hard chemicals. Also if you remove the insects food source then won't stay around. Mites also hate daily watering.

Thank you so much. Your suggestions will be very helpful. I have gotten a bloom or two and actually have three set on at this time. The temperature got pretty nippy the other night and I was tempted to bring them into the garage, but now it's supposed to be in the 70's this week. I'll set up a mini greenhouse in the garage as you suggested. What about lighting in the winter? I appreciate all your help.

Hey GlennR, KS can have some pretty cool nights before they freeze. I also have a friend in NE and she has told me
a freeze is coming. So either put them by the house if it dips lover than 50 or bring them into the garage. When we used to bring them into the garage we had them up away from the garage doors. I have found that Walmart have a nice 4 foot LED shop light which we use in both greenhouses. I also run a small heater that has a thermostat that one can set at a temp and it will auto kick on and off. I also have a thermometer that sits in my kitchen window that allows me to
monitor the temps in the greenhouse. Hope this will help. You are so welcome, just scream if you need more help.

Of course our Houston winters are not as harsh as some of your locations, but I chop my down every winter to the ground and it's at least 10 ft tall again by summer. As for spider mites, you should rotate between miticdes so they don't build a tolerance. I rotate between Floramite, Oberon, and Minx when needed. I also grow tons of plumeria which mites love and this process works for me.
Pre winter storm February

May

Current

Thanks to you all. My brugs are in the garage now. Last week we had 3 days of high winds (35 mph with gusts over 50). As I was moving them to safety I noticed that Charles Grimaldi had at least 40 buds! I hope that they'll mature in the garage. The smaller pink one had about. 20 buds. I've never had so many buds set at once.
In my service job I go to many homes. One of my customers had a brug and would overwinter it in a shed. The other Fall I noticed that it was being chopped down and pieces were laying on the driveway. I salvaged a piece, but they don't know the variety anymore than it's pink.
I started to use Flormite for the Spidermites. It has been the most effective spray so far. I'll look into switching off with some of those other chemicals.
Thanks again, Glenn

GlennR, have you tried warm water on the spider mites? You will have to keep an eye on them and mist them
to get rid of them. I have a small steamer and have used that, but I find if you strip the leaves, you take their food
source away.

Heard Western NE got snow, did you get any there?

No, no snow yet. We haven't even had a killing frost yet in Dodge City. The roofs were frosty one morning, but with the ground still being warm, it didn't get any of the plants. The Brugs are in the garage for the winter along with the oleander. Over the weekend I made a pvc frame to go around the plants and will clip plastic around the frame. The buds are getting bigger on both brugs! Angel trumpets for Christmas?!

In the garage
Charles Grimaldi has 34 blooms open!
The pink has one, but more buds. The scent in the garage is intoxicating and wafts into our lower level.

For the last month we have been away from home quite a bit. One friend was to take care of watering the plants. Evidently she didn't understand how much to water the brugs. The friend that was to take care of the papers and mail texted me one day and told me that the brugs looked droopy, but she didn't give them any water. Then another friend stopped by, saw the brugs looking droopy, so filled the planters and trays they sit in clear to the tops with water. Came home to find most of the larger leaves on the ground. This is what I have left. Any help will be appreciated.

Strip the leave off, yes.....all of them. They will grow back. Do not allow them to
sit in water. Leaves are curled so you might also spray them once they come back.
The photo shows mite damage so remove and dispose of them.

Thanks for your suggestion. Would it be good to cut the branches back at this time also? It's going to be painful to strip all the leaves, but I'll just have to take a deep breath and go for it.
By the way, we were at our daughter's house when we were gone. She lives north of the Tri-cities in a little town called Basin City. While there I went to a nursery called "Beaver Bark". I didn't have much time, but saw some beautiful Charles Grimaldi. We want to do more browsing there on our next visit if in the growing season.

GlennR, do you want blooms this fall? If yes, just strip the leave and fertlize!
B. CG if a great brug for those that are just starting with a collection.