FUCHSIA'S - 2015

Cor, that Fuchsia Procumbens is a stunner @Anthony Rogers

I picked up a couple of hardy fuchsia's for £1 each at Morrison's. Now, I've never had them before, so this will be my first year of trying them. I've got:- Shrimp Cocktail and Army Nurse. Shrimp Cocktail because I really liked it and Army Nurse because ... that's what I wanted to be when I grew up ... plus, it was the only one of that variety they had. The plan is to put them into pots for this year just to see how they take.

 

Why not just stick em straight in the ground? It'll save you having to worry about them next winter.

 

That's a good idea, Freddy, and great advice ... but, I'm still deciding where things are going to go

 

Hi "M"

I'll be growing mine on for about another 4/6 wks and then planting them out in their permanent positions.

Have a look on page 7 of this thread and I've put up a diagram of how to plant them out.

 

I would have missed that if you hadn't pointed it out

 

No problem, glad to help

 

Hiya @Anthony Rogers
I'd be interested to know if you have a particular feeding routine throughout the season?

 

Hi Freddy

While the plants are still young and in their pots I use a high nitrogen feed (NPK 3-2-1 or 3-1-1 ).
I do them about half recommended strength every week.

Once they're planted out I use a tomato food (NPK 1-1-2 or 1-1-3) again once a week but this time at the recommended strength.

 

Thanks for that In the past I've given them a nitrogen feed early on followed by a balanced feed, something like Phostrogen, but it makes sense to give them a high Potash feed.

 

I've taken cuttings from blacky and hawkshead, all apart from one seem to have taken root. They can wilt in hot weather but soon recover. The tip cuttings seem to have worked best.

 

When I trimmed David and Hawkshead back in the spring I cut the woody bits with growth emerging into 6 or 7cm sections and potted them up - very high strike rate.

 

I might try that Longk, my Hawkshead is only just leafing up so I'll give it a couple of weeks.

 

I just figured that if it has to be cut I may as well try before I bin it. I was surprised by the strike rate.

 

Nothing ventured......

 

Two perfectly good cuttings taken at the same time.................


One planted at the edge of the pot..............


And this one was one of the ones in the middle of the pot............


It still amuses me that they prefer the edge of the pot.