Bringing Brugmansia back to life after winter dormancy

VictoriaHamble

I was given some Brugmansia last year.  I moved them into the greenhouse overwinter and let them go dormant.  Well - they are either dormant or dead!  Does anyone have any tips on how to bring them out of dormancy? What should I expect to see and when?  When can I kick them out of the greenhouse?

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VictoriaHamble

Thank you so much for you response. They were quite well protected. We’re on the South Coast of England’s so it never gets too cold down here. Greenhouse is now heated for spring seedlings. The trunks look dead but they are firm and green underneath the bark. Im hoping they will sprout from the base. If not, i’ll Know what to do next year.

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fidgetbones

Any brown and withered stems can be cut down. I treat it like a buddleja, it gets cut down quite hard in Spring, and then feed, water and keep warm. So long as the  rootball has not been frozen, they can come back from quite low down.  Try cutting it down bit by bit. If you hit green stem, stop there.  It will need to stay in the greenhouse until after the last frost.

Brugman

Agree with fidgetbones, cut back at the brown buts always at an angle so water drips off.
One thing I will say its based on when I first started growing is try to keep it a good size. Meaning don't cut in down to the bottom if you have good and healthy stem.

If grown from a seed it take nearly two years to mature and bloom. Back in my past I used to hack them down to above the soil line, but all I was doing was making it a juvenile plant again , and I chucked away the mature material that would of made great cuttings that would flower easily within 6 months.

Hey I didn't know at the time, so if I can help someone not make that mistake, then that's great.

Happy growing.