Large fushia

Hi @Anthony Rogers & @Michael Hewett,
I have a large fushia in my garden (it was in the garden when we moved into our house about 13 years ago) every year it gives a wonderful show of flowers , later in the year I'd like you to help ID it, but for now I need to know when I should prune it? will it be ok if I prune it this weekend or should I give it a few more weeks?

 

We had two in our last garden planted by some previous owner against the house wall. These things were monsters, and an obstruction.
We attacked them with secatuers, spades, saws ... all to no avail, they'd just start growing all over again. Thoroughly indestructible. In the end we gave up and learnt to love them for their persistence.

 

I also have an established fuchsia and I have trimmed it from time to time and as you say, very vigorously comes back and I don't really mind because it is a beautiful flower.

 

I found you can prone them anytime, as they just regrow, so go ahead. I've just cut my Aron Fuchsia right back today.

 

Hi Beckie,
I think I know the one you mean, I remember the photos from last year.
I think we settled on it being a F. Magellanica Hybrid, probably " Whiteknights Pearl " or "Hawkshead ".

If it is showing new growth buds then cut individual branches down to a pair of new shoots at whatever height you want it ( bearing in mind it will probably put on a good 3/4' of fresh growth this year ). You can also take some of the branches right back to soil level to thin it out a little.

If there are no new growth spurts yet then I would leave for another couple of weeks.

 

Yes, @Beckie76 , as stated above you can prune them at any time and they will regrow from the base. I always wait until the end of April. I usually prune them back to about a foot..

 

I'm probably odd,..... dont answer that.
But I find if you prune into live wood on fuchsias at this time of the year, it bleeds.
I dont like pruning anything if its going to bleed.

Autumn is the best time for me

 

Sorry Pete, I find it hard to disagree with you but, on this occasion.....

Fuchsias should always be pruned in early Spring and if you cut just above a pair of buds it won't bleed.

They should never be pruned in Autumn. As the woody stems protect the crown. Also you don't know where next years shoots are going to grow from until the Spring. You might end up pruning off all the live stems, and, it's not guaranteed that they will re-shoot from underground.

 

Thanks so much for your replies everyone , I shall have a look at it in the morning to see if it's started to shoot

@Anthony Rogers, I seem to remember it was Hawkshead thanks for reminding me

@pete I certainly don't think you are odd, I like you just the way you are.....please don't change

@Michael Hewett, ok great I will cut mine back to a foot

Roll on the weekend so I can get in the garden

 

@Beckie76 , I should have mentioned this - I cut them back to about a foot when I can see new shoots. I cut them to the strongest shoot at about a foot high. If there are no shoots the stem may have died, so look for new growth lower down. Sometimes they shoot from ground level, and then I cut them back to there.
Hope I haven't made it sound too complicated

 

Thank you @Michael Hewett for your detailed instructions, they are most helpful