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New gardeners start with the easy stuff, then move on to plants that need pruning, specialist soil or are picky about temperature or irrigation. I’ve done my time shooting for success with vegetation recommended for my situation and now I’m branching out. Conservatories and greenhouses bring out the nerd in all of us and I’m here to tell you that I am not immune, no better than some and no worse than many other anoraks.
Brugmansia (angel’s trumpet)
This week’s hagiography is brought to you by Brugmansias (angel’s trumpet), which used to be called Datura, until the botanists warmed up their microscopes and blew the dust off their gene sequencers. I’ve thrown away specimens that I couldn’t bring to bloom. In the end, a gift from daughter Cineraria took me to Google for advice. The Royal Horticultural Society calls this an easy specimen to keep. I fear that these people are sadly deluded or at least, better gardeners than I am. I dowsed between the many and varied offers of advice. Should you wish to give it a go, I would like to distil what I’ve learned.
Brugmansia (angel’s trumpet) up close
Plants prefer an annual re-pot in spring, or at least top dressing the upper-most 7 cm (3 inches) of soil with fresh compost. I lard mine with “Gro Sure” fertiliser, together with a sprinkling of fish, blood and bone for luck. I chop back in early winter, after flowering has finished. Failure to do this will result in four months of looking at a very large twig. Winter minimum night temperature is 7-10 degrees C, daytime 10-12 degrees C. Prune until the plant forms a “Y”, then never, ever cut below the bifurcation. Trim to within 2.5cm (1 inch) of older wood. Remember that all parts of the plant are highly toxic and that the sap may be an irritant. Don’t pinch out the growing tips, since this retards blooming. Just resign yourself to admiring the beast with binoculars. The blossom is supposed to be fabulously perfumed but that high up, you can’t smell them.
Brugmansia (angel’s trumpet) buds
Once foliage starts in spring, water twice a week. As growth gets busy, increase to daily dowsing but don’t over water, or they’ll drop their leaves. In August, add tomato fertiliser to the watering can, once a fortnight. I’ve found that buds form better when specimens are grown in good sunshine. Shower the greenery now and again, out of bright light and damp down the floor if the weather turns particularly hot. Chance would be a fine thing. Various bugs cause lacy, moth eaten leaves; introduce biological control or spray the bastards with insecticide, without mercy. Get busy with this task as soon as you notice the first tooth marks, since delay will leave you with herbage looking like bunting. This has been a great deal of faff and no end of trouble. Was it worth it? You tell me.
I fell and injured myself; not from toppling from a tree or too much spade work but by tripping in the kitchen. Until broken bones set, I shall be taking a break from blogging, when I can type with two hands. Thank you for reading my waffle, gardeners are the best people on Earth.
Leading A Horticulture 
Beautiful brugmansia and well done for growing it to perfection.
So sorry to hear about your broken bones. My son tells me that I must be careful because I am now heading to the age where I no longer fall down or trip over. For people of a certain age, falling down is called ‘having a fall’. I am sure you are too young to ‘have a fall’, so you must have fallen down; still nasty though.
Thanks Chloris, the blooms on the Brugs are my happy place at the moment. They dominate the conservatory beside my armchair, filling my head with illicit thoughts of acquiring more. Fair to say that i had a fall, after many years of chanceing my arm in more risky pursuits than washing the dishes. Will take more care where i put my flat feet in future.
The brugmansias are a delight, but tease with their slow opening. Your collection is magnificent.
Get well soon. May your readers hunger for more be sharpened by your absence. X
thanks jam, the Brugs are blossoming beside my armchair, filling my head with the serene thoughts of a job well done. Atilla attends my every need and most of my whims, i hope only that he can hold off physical and emotional collapse until i’m ready to take my turn.
Sorry to hjear of your accident – I seem to recall you tumbled once at a writers’ meeting indoors too – stay outside as much as you can and get well soon for all our sakes! Look orward to the next blog.
thanks for this. i’ve made a habit of falling of late, i think i’m trying to perfect my technique. Botanical Barbara arrives tomorrow to plant bulbs for me. This is unfamiliar territory, just hoping that for once i can keep my big mouth shut.
I’m so sorry to hear about your accident — I hope you are well on the mend, and that you will soon be able to catch up with the things you like to do. I’ve always been afraid to grow such toxic plants as Brugmansias, and now that I hear how much work they are, I don’t feel so bad about it — yours look beautiful though. Heal up soon! Best, -Beth
Thanks Beth, i’m so thoroughly strapped that i feel like a cyborg. my armchair is beside the wide conservatory window, so i can admire the ridiculous Brugmansia blossoms for hours. many of the plants are toxic, some cause trouble just to the touch, Euphorbias and Aconites, to name but two, both so beautiful that i don’t care if i have to prune them whilst wearing a containment suit. i got all of the tender plants indoors the weekend before my, well, face plant. Truffle for those silver linings, lots of time to plan Xmas presents. keep well, warm best wishes, Debbie