Brugmansia grows at an exceptionally fast rate and as a result is a very hungry plant. Container grown Brugmansia will require more feeding than one which is in the ground. The Brugmansia is from the Solanaceae family, the same as tomato, aubergine and pepper, so with a good all round tomato feed you can't go too wrong, but there may be requirements for additional supplements to keep you Brugmansia super happy.
Below is a list of nutrient requirements for Brugmansia from the RHS book 'Huandaj':
For best results, compound mineral fertilisers for Brugmansia should contain:
Nitrate (N) 15-18%
Phophorus (P) 8-19% (and should not exceed this)
Potassium (K) 12-22%
Magnesium (Mg) 2-3%
Where only very hard water is available the following amounts would be recommended for compound fertilizer : 18N +10P + 18K + 2Mg.
For soft water areas the following should be applied: 15N +5P + 15K + 3Mg+ 7CaO
All good fertilisers should have trace elements Included.
CAUTION: Too much N & P will overpower trace elements such as Ca.
For liquid fertiliser Brugmansia require up to 80g of feed per week. The best time to fertilise is early evening at a rate of 1g per litre per day or 3g per 3ltrs every 3 days.
For Sphaerocarpium Brugmansia the above amounts should be a quarter in dosage as they do require as much feed as the warm growing species of Brugmansia.
If you do not have enough time to acquire the correct dosages above you really can't go wrong with chicken pellet fertiliser and liquid tomato feed. This will supply the nutrition your Brugmansia requires and present healthy leaves and flowers in abundance.
Try this technique next season and watch your Brugmansia bloom over the summer!!
