Fuchisia Just Delivered.

Hi All.
Just 10 minutes ago had my hardy fuchsia Garden news delivered in a 1 litre pot. The plant is very healthy but I am a bit concerned about its height.
It must be around 9" (22+ cm) tall. The stems although lovely & healthy seem very ,what is the word "soft"?? No doubt grown in a heated greenhouse and I am worried as they are soft will snap in any wind. I have already pinched growing tips off and put it in a shady place in the garden to recover. I will put it back in unheated greenhouse tonight and bring it out for hardening off for a few days, possibly longer. Do you think the hardening off will harden off the soft stems or and I must admit I have never even read what I am going to suggest but cut stems down to a noad by about 3"??
Thanks for any info.

 

Hi Trogre,

I wouldn't pinch anymore out as you're going to delay flowering. Garden News us a double so it will take each branch you cut around 12 weeks to start flowering.

Also, being a hardy, you need to bury at least 3" when you plant ( see post in Fuchsia thread how to do this, I think it's on page 7).

I remember talking to you before but I'm not quite sure where you're from, was it Wiltshire ? If you are down there then i would leave it in the shady place it's in, the nights where I am ( Worcestershire) are not dropping below 9/10 deg now so you should be safe.

As for the wind, remember that a soft and supple stem will bend with it whereas a harder woodier stem may snap.

 

Hi

Only thing I would add is put out during the day and bring back in the house over night just for the next week , it will soon toughen up , dont be cutting as Anthony has already mentioned .

Have you prepared the planting site ? and what have you done as this is the key to success.

 

Hi All. Read your post Anthony on the plant being buried 3". I would of just covered the plant 3" to start with but can see your point in letting the soil being blown into the saucer shape over summer.
As far as preparing the planting site yet Spuce all I have done is dig one hole. I have 2 more hardy fuchsias being delivered,one should be here at 4pm- ish (Sat) , and a hardy geranium delivered yesterday.I must admit the reason I have not prepared the site/s yet is although in my mind I know where I want them to go, once I have all the plants I will put them in situ and get approval from the boss indoors .
I will obviously dig the hole much larger than the pot and fill it with old compost from the bin which is like fine earth now. I also have some fresh MP compost if I run out of home made compost. I have a bag of Peat , bag of rotted manure (homebase) also have some agricultural sand & gravel if need be.
Do you think I need to mix anything with the compost before planting?? I expect by the time all the plants arrive and I harden them off it will be over a week before I plant them.
Would I need to mix any say blood fish & bone or growmore with the compost?
Thanks for your advice.

 

ALL off the above mixed in will be ideal , it requires drainage thats the secret to get fuchsia through the winter (agricultural sand & gravel is ideal and the manure ).

But I woudnt go crazy with the MP compost as it will hold too much water close to the roots over the winter months so make sure you really dig that in.

Mixing in grow-more into the planting hole will give it a boost and get it growing well I would dig the hole at least 4 times the size of the pot if the soil hasnt been turned before.
What type of soil do you have ie clay , well drained ?

"get approval from the boss indoors ." keep in mind the fuchsia will like a protected spot out of cold wind and too exposed !!

Spruce

 

Hi All.
Got approval from the boss indoors Planted 2 Fuchsias & one hardy geranium,just waiting for the last Fuchsia to be delivered.
You do not realize when you dig a hole how much soil comes out into wheelbarrow.