FUCHSIA'S - 2015

Good Advice Anthony on overwintering fuchsias especially about letting the stems harden.

As it turns out I had to do some premature pruning as the chain on the hanging basket broke, good lesson to check & buy new chains if needed!!!

It squashed the trailing fuchsia and broke most of the stems. What I had to do was extract it from hanging basket and repot it into a small pot and put it in greenhouse. I asked for advice as to how to prune the trailing fuchsia and GardenBadger said he prunes to about 6".

I have included a photo as the trailing fuchsia I saved has the main stems and off shoots from the stems. Not sure if I prune the main stem down to 6" (RED) and cut off the side shoots (Black) or prune side shoots also down to 6". My feeling is cut stems down to 6" and cut off side shoots like you do with normal bush fuchsias? This particular trailing fuchsia may not survive but it at least will serve as an example of what I have to do.


Anthony Just a point about pruning ready for winter. I will keep most of my fuchsia in a dormant state although I have now got electric in greenhouse and will also be experimenting to see how I get on with the green leaf method.

Some of my bush fuchsias in pots are huge (2 feet-2`6" round) so if I am to overwinter them properly I cannot cut them down at all, just need more garage space?


What I normally do is repot the fuchsia into a much smaller pot, giving the roots a light trim if necessary to fit into pot. I then trim bush down by about 1/2 so it is more manageable to put on the racks I made to store fuchsias over winter. Come spring when they start to shoot it is then I cut right back.


This is in complete contrast to your advice and seems wrong and could end up with dieback disease. I do try to get all fuchsias in before frosts but as you advice a slight frost can be beneficial, all good stuff to know and learn. Thanks

 

Don't know Variety but if they will carry on flowering then i'll give it a go, Thank you

 

Hi Trogre,

First of all I'm sorry to hear about your basket, I know how you feel :(

I hope you managed to get some cuttings off the broken pieces.

Your large bush plants in pots... Just try to cut off as much soft growth as possible, you should be able to reduce the size considerably.
However, if you do need to cut into old wood and they bleed what you can do is lay them on their side for a couple of days ( turning them regularly ) so the sap drips onto the floor and not down the stems.

Could you possibly overwinter these large ones on the greenhouse floor just ticking over ?

Yeah, if you leave the main pruning until the Spring then you can see the main system of branches and cut to provide a nice round framework.

I don't know if these pics are any good, but this is how i'd do your broken basket plant...

.

 

Hi Jiffy,
Any chance of a photo.

 

Hi Anthony. Thanks for the pictures for pruning T.fuchsia. No problem understanding them and a Picasso in the making I see. I will take your advice also on cutting as much soft growth only off the larger fuchsias that go in garage.

I used to overwinter my fuchsia in the greenhouse which was bubble wrapped. I would also bubble wrap around each fuchsia pot twice same for the pelargoniums.I used a paraffin heater but had problems. I would check forecast and no frost so did not turn on heater predicted only to find there was a frost!! Second was the condensation build up which decimated the pelargoniums with Botrytis blight.

I decided to build some collapsible wood racks to go into garage over winter. Since transferring fuchsia & pelargonium’s to garage almost eliminated problems. I will if needed make space for any larger fuchsia in the garage.

As I did mention in one of my posts I now got electric in greenhouse so will bubble wrap the roof & sides and have a b.wrap curtain near door. I got a large adjustable heat propagator and built a frame around it which will also be covered in b.wrap to contain some of the heat.

The smaller fuchsia cuttings which I have grown which range from 2-6" will go in the propagator to see if they survive the colder temps of winter and to see if I can take cuttings from them around December. This is 1st year experiment so no doubt will have to learn from mistakes.

I will not have the lid on propagator to cut down on condensation.


One thing I am not sure about and if anyone has experience. If you have a heating cable set up it is covered in gravel with pots, seeds on top. Would I put my cuttings directly on the heated propagator bottom so heat is in direct contact with pot or would it be best to stand pot on say an upturned seed tray etc??

Thanks

 

Hi Trogre,

I only ever used a paraffin heater once and then threw it out. The trouble with them is as they burn they cause too much moisture in the air and also fumes.

Pelargoniums will stand as much cold as you throw at them as long as they're kept dry.

I'm sorry I can't help you with the propagator, I've never had/used one.

I think for a first year experiment your doing a brilliant job, keep it up

 

Good Morning @Anthony Rogers just had a catch up on your post for fuchsias as just back from holiday, great thread on wintering advice

I'm absolutely gutted........

We had someone, who works with Mr AB stay at the house whilst we have been away for our 3 weeks summer holiday. I only asked that the garden and my pots be watered....

I bet you can guess.............. the garden was watered and all my hanging baskets and pots not enough so my poor fuchsias are as dry as a bone... and fear now that the roots may have been damaged any advice for me??

 

Have they dropped their leaves? I had a hawkshead completely dry out and lose some of its leaves end of June. I watered thoroughly and placed it in shade and it has recovered, and is now in full bloom.

 

Hi Apple Blossom,

Hope you've had a good holiday
It's nice to have you back

Something you can do to check if it's still alive is " The thumbnail test ". Just scrape a little of the bark away with your thumbnail, if it's still green underneath then the plant itself is still alive, if it's turned to brownish wood then it's dead. Obviously, if one branch is dead then keep trying. I can't really see the whole plant dying off just in three weeks having been watered ( admittedly only a little ) and also having the moist, damp air and mists we have this time of year.

 

Good Morning Anthony

Had a wonderful holiday thank you
I'm just getting over my withdrawal symptoms so it's really good to be back

I will have a check today between the heavy rain we are having her and will let you know. Never thought of that I suppose I was just in shock syndrome as they were all so lovely when I left and to be honest I was been kind when I said they 'may' have had a little water!

Will let you know of the outcome

 

The first of my Fuchsias which flower during the cooler months with shorter daylight hours......

Space Shuttle



Should carry on now until about April.

Got another two just coming into bud.

 

This thread has been a superb Fuchsia growing master class @Anthony Rogers and others have posted some excellent how-to's and tips . i have read most of the posts ,can't say I understood all of them . But my Fuschia know-how has increased by a huge factor. Next year my Fuchsia choices will have a little more method to them than before.

 

Hi Harry,

Thank you so much for your comments, we're all in the same boat here..... To help when we can and to ask for help when we need it

PS.... If there's owt you don't understand just ask, or if you want to, send me a pm. I'll be only to happy to help

 

Gonna be tricky overwintering my 2 Bolivianas fuchsia if I can't give them a trim.
Not fit in the kitchen

 

I also thank you Anthony, in fact printed off your over wintering guide to refer to easily.