FUCHSIA'S - 2015

I know what you mean Pam, I ordered 10 from a place in Newcastle Upon Tyne called Fantasy Fuchsias and only 2 were true to their name. 3 of them were exactly the same and it was a cultivar I already had and hadn't ordered.

I complained and they said that I'd left it too late for them to do anything regarding refunds/ credit notes/ replacements.

Obviously it was quite a while after delivery as I had to wait for them to flower before I knew they were not what I'd ordered.

I'm now waiting to see whether they send anything with this years catalogue.

 

Something a bit different.....



Fuchsia Procumbens fruit

 

I have a lovely diva neon white, how shall I protect it over winter? I have a greenhouse and have just purchased a parasene heater for this winter.

 

I believe Fuschia fruit is edible, have you tried it Anthony and what does it taste like please?

 

Hi Charlie,

Congratulations, you've totally got me in this one as to regards hardiness.
I think if it was me I would treat it as a tender/half hardy cultivar and give it some protection.

This is all i can find out about it.......

Fuchsia Diva Neon White, introduced by Christa Kievit of the Netherlands in 1999, real name is " Kiefudin ".

Patents have been requested in both the USA and Canada as Diva Neon White but have either been refused it are still pending. This is because the the company promoting it as part of their " Diva " range of Fuchsias have effectively stolen it and want to re-name it.

PS.... I'm intrigued where you've bought it from as I can't find it for sale in the UK. If it's from a reputable company I wouldn't mind having a look at their catalogue to see what other unusuals they sell.

 

Hi Sheal,

Yeah I've eaten it a few times, it tastes and has the texture of a grape.

I haven't actually eaten the Procumbens yet though as this is the first year we've grown it and it isn't quite ripe yet.

 

They look like mini aubergines, moussaka

 

Hello @Anthony Rogers thank you for the info. It was from Morrisons believe it or not! I can't say I've seen it for sale anywhere else though.
It's in a pot currently flowering nicely, would I be ok just to put the pot in the greenhouse for winter then?

 

Hi Charlie,

Keep your eyes open as to regarding overwintering. I'll put up a full post in the next couple of days.

 

Here is my fuchsia 'Display'

 

Will a Fuchsia carry on blooming through the winter if brought indoors?

 

Hi Jiffy,

Which cultivar/variety is it ?

Last year I had a " Cascade " growing in a hanging pot. Around the start of November I brought it inside. I took it out the pot ( it was just getting pot bound ) and carefully removed the bottom 2" pf compost. I then replaced this with fresh in the bottom of the pot and replaced the plant. Then I just put about an inch of compost on the top.

All I did to the plant itself was remove any dying or yellowing leaves and give it a light trim to keep it tidy.

I kept it hanging from the curtain rail in my unheated bedroom with the window slightly open to ensure fresh air.

Using this method it didn't stop flowering until I pruned it right back in March.

 

As promised this is my guide to overwintering Fuchsias............

There are two main ways of keeping Fuchsias alive during the Winter
1) In a state of dormancy
2) Ticking over in green leaf

DORMANCY.........

All Fuchsias to be overwintered in a state of dormancy should first have their wood hardened ( ripened ). We do this because they will stand up to the rigours of winter temperatures much better with hard wood than with young fresh sappy growth.
If you live in an area where you get a few light frosts before the main onset of winter then don't worry if your plants are affected by them. In fact, a light frost can be beneficial to inducing a state of dormancy.

Once the wood has been hardened off then the next stage is to gradually withold water as this will then encourage the plant to stop flowering and lose it's leaves, but REMEMBER to NEVER let the plant go completely dry.

DO NOT attempt to do any Autumn pruning. The sap is high in the stems and the bleeding that occurs after the cut may result in dieback disease. Also if you leave the pruning until the Spring you can see where the new shoots are growing from and therefore keep any branches that are still alive and remove any dead stems. What you can do is just remove the fresh growth, probably about the end 2 or 3" at most.
ALL MAJOR PRUNING SHOULD BE DONE IN SPRING.

By early to mid November ( although this may be earlier depending where you are in the UK ) the plants should be showing signs of slowing down . This is the ideal time to start the process above.

If the plant doesn't shed all it's leaves naturally then you can remove any that are left by hand just leaving the bare stems.

Once this procedure has been followed then you can safely store them in any unheated area such as a shed, garage or anywhere that is frost free. You can also provide an extra layer of protection by covering them with fleece, newspaper or old material. In using this method you don't want the temperature to rose above about 3 deg C (36 deg F).

The most important thing to remember during the Winter is to check your plants at least once a month ( more if it's warmer ) for moisture.
Remember MORE FUCHSIAS ARE LOST DURING WINTER STORAGE FROM DRYING OUT THAN FROM THE COLD

.....................................

KEEPING FUCHSIAS IN GREEN LEAF DURING WINTER

To start this method off you need to give the plants just a light trim so they become a manageable size. You can trim them a little harder than you would in the above process but it's still advisable not to cut into the old wood too much. You're aiming to have a nice shaped plant with little side shoots barely growing. It may also be necessary to re-pot them by giving a little root prune and putting them back into the same pot or even one the next size down.

For this method to work you need somewhere where the temperature can be kept at a minimum of around 5 deg C ( 40 deg F ) during the night and a minimum of around 8 deg C ( 46 deg F ) during the daytime.

If the plants can be positioned on a windowsill then the temperature can be allowed to rise with the sunshine ( although they don't want to be in too much bright sunshine especially in the spring, it can be surprising how warm it can get through glass).
The thing to remember here is the higher the temperature the more light they need.

This is the preferential method for Triphylla types ( such as Thalia ) and the more tropical species such as Boliviana and their cultivars as these can be very difficult to get started again in the spring from a dormant state as in their natural environment they are evergreen trees.

Also follow this for any cuttings that are growing .

If you can provide a light place and the right temperature then there is no reason why you can't have Fuchsias flowering all through the Winter.
........................................

HARDY FUCHSIAS

If these have been planted in the open ground as described in a post earlier on in the year then these should be good, however for plants experiencing their first winter you could provide a little extra protection around the crown. I usually use a cut off piece of an old duvet ( the actual duvet not just the cover ) placed around the plant and held down with stones.

Again, the thing to remember here is NOT TO PRUNE any stems left on will provide protection to the crown. Also, only remove dead leaves not new or green ones.

 

Thank you Anthony, that's extremely useful advice.

 

Superb post Anthony. Will use this advise for next year.