overwintering fuschias

Can anyone tell me how to keep fuschias successfully over winter, do I keep them in a bright greenhouse or a dark shed, do I cut right back immediately or in Spring and when do I start to feed?

 

In the past I've not liked to cut mine back too hard but this leads to spindly growth in the spring. So cut them back by about 1/3 to 1/2 and keep them in a frostfree light place. Take cuttings from the bits you prune off, then you have new plants and back-up.
Start cutting them back soon, before the frosts. I dont feed mine until spring but they need some water. It's also worth checking pots for vine weevil etc.
I've found their most vulnerable time is when they start back into growth.
Here's a good site with lots of information:
http://www.bonsaigarden.net/ftwinter.asp
Great plants!

 

thank you Liz, would you suggest I put them in new compost for the winter or just let them go to sleep? And should the compost be kept fairly moist even though they are dormant?

 

I usually replace some compost as I don't use insecticides so have to manually check for vine weevils etc, but don't put in a bigger pot. Water sparingly- they shouldn't dry out completely, and if you water too much they might rot!

 

Liz I got a lot of help from Kath at bonsaigarden .A dear friend met her in GB adn FLAW.
Fuchsias like to rest Jill as i said to Kath a few yrs ago I buried my fuchsias in a trench as they were took off the old leaves jus tpruned back a little.
Covered with horticultural fleece an dleft til ealry March.
By th eway my greenhouses are unheated.

this has normally worked for me but last yr lost all my fuchsias.

I have now taken in all my fuchsias indoors an dcut back they are now startign to pruduce new shoots again,whcih I will as they get bigger pot up tip cuttings.

I also have a welsh friend who now lives no tfar from me ,has grown fuchsias and showed for many yrs.

She has adised me to spray my fuchsias with tepid water and only but only a teaspoon of water to help keep her fuchsias ticking over during the winter.

And this method works for her.

It you find a good method and it works well for you an dyou are happy stick by it.

 

Me I overwinter thalia, and other tender fuchsias in my frost free greenhouse when the temperatures really drop. I trim the plant back, drench with provado and then leave well alone. I water only rarely and then just a sprinkle.

The fuchsias in the border, are hardy and I leave them alone. The sticks left after the frost protects the crown - I chop them back in the spring about late April.

 

Fran, I have some small hardy fuchsias and I lost a couple last year. Do you think it would be better to keep them in the greenhouse [hopefully frostfree] until they are bigger, or plant out and protect with fleece?
None of them are much more than 1-2'.

 

Its a bit late for them to get established in the garden, so I would overwinter them in the greenhouse, or close to the wall of the house, where they will be kept warm as well as dry. I would also try to take some cuttings as insurance. Fuchsias are very easy to take soft wood or tip cuttings from. (never end a sentance a preposition with :D )

 

Again, I just cut mine back to about 1/2 size & put them in my cold frame over the winter, water a little every couple of months. I have successfully kept mine like this for three winters in a row. Good luck