Hello All.

I am a long time Brugmansia grower and last year I acquired some Brugmansia vulcanicola. These plants come from the high Andes of Colombia and Ecuador and grow in well draining volcanic soil (hence vulcanicola). These plants will not tolerate wet soil.

My plants were doing quite well last year, but this year the shoot tips seem to be turning brown, all the leaves are falling off, and my poor, quite valuable babies look like they are going to die.

Last year I grew them in a mix of Botanicare Aeration Mix mixed 50/50 with FoxFarm Ocean Forest. I fed them every couple of weeks with House and Garden Bio 1 and Roots Excelurator. I didn't really measure the fertilizer. Just kind of threw a mix together.

Things seemed to be going good, then it came time to repot. I added dry fertilizer to a new soil mixture which was basically miracle grow with a shitload of perlite.(WHat the fuck was I thinking?) This is when things went down hill.(Fungal attacks, brown shoot tips, all leaves falling off)

I repotted them yesterday in pure Botanicare Aeration mix hoping that they will recover(thinking the problem was too much fertilizer and wet feet). I will also be using Botanicare Pure Blend Pro Grow and Roots Excellurator for the fertilizer.

The Aeration Mix says 4 - 6 waterings a day with fertilizer. Do any of you water and fertilize that much with said soil mix?

Thanks for any and all help!

Love,

Grandma