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Your Questions Answered

There are a number of questions that come up time and time again at the many flower shows that we attend throughout the country, in this section of our catalogue we would like to try and offer some help with the commonest queries regarding fuchsias.

How do I grow a standard fuchsia?

Standard fuchsias are very attractive, but do take some patience. You will require a heated greenhouse or conservatory, where you can keep a plant overwintered at nothing less than 5ºC.

There are two ways in which you can get started - 1) purchase a 'whip' or baby standard, or 2) take your own cutting.

The advantages to purchasing a whip is that you will already have a strong plant grown from a variety which is particularly good when grown as a standard. The advantage to taking your own cutting is that you can make a standard from any variety of your choosing - plus you know you have done all the work yourself! We recommend that if you have not tried growing a standard before you start off with a whip.

Either way that you start the important thing to remember is that you must protect the growing tip at all costs until the whip has reached the desired height. The usual procedure once a fuchsia cutting has rooted is to 'pinch out' the growing, or axial, tip to encourage bushy growth. When growing for a standard do not do this. If the axial tip is left on the plant all of the plant's energy will go to this one tip and it will shoot upwards.

As the plant grows up support it with a split cane, tied in loosely with twist ties - do not tie too tight as the stem will thicken and can become strangled against the cane leading to distorted growth.

As the plant grows up the split cane check regularly and tie in to avoid flopping. Also remove any side shoots that may start to form - however do not remove the large leaves growing straight out from the main stem. These leaves will be providing food for the axial tip as it grows skyward and will drop off naturally when they are ready. However, you must remove any flower buds should they begin to form as this will be taking away vital energy. Do not remove the flower buds until the tip as grown out past them as otherwise there is a danger that the tip could be removed as well.

Whips are usually for sale supported by split canes in 10 cm pots. Once the whip has reached the top of the cane it is time to repot and provide a larger bamboo cane for stability.

As the whip starts to reach the desired height be careful about removing the side shoots. Ideally you want to leave about three sets of side shoots at the point where you remove the axial tip. These side shoots will be the basis for the head of the standard.

Once the tip is removed allow the side shoots to grow out and then pinch them out to start the head forming. The principle is then the same as for promoting bushy growth in a plant grown as a shrub, pinch out the side shoot tips every two to three breaks until the head is formed, then allow flowers to form. Don't forget to allow up to 8 weeks for single flowers, 10 weeks for double flowers or 12 weeks for triphylla flowers. Once the head starts to form the 'whip' is now a standard.

How do I overwinter a standard?

First point - although many hardy fuchsia varieties make good standards, no standard is hardy. ALL standards no matter what the variety need to be kept in during the winter at a minimum of 5ºC, this is because you must not let the plant die back.

A bush fuchsia, or hardy fuchsia planted in the garden, will die off over the winter and shoot from the base next spring. If you let a standard fuchsia die back it too will shoot from the base and you will end up with a bush the following year. Standards must be kept ticking along throughout the whole of the winter.

However, growth will slow down and for this reason it is important not to overwater as roots left sitting in constantly wet compost will soon rot away. Keep a close eye on the standard - it ideally needs to be just moist.

A light trim round the head of the standard in the autumn will help promote a good shape for the next year and make it tidier for storage. This will also enable you to see when new shoots start to form in the spring. Once new growth is in evidence a bit of fresh compost and increasing the watering will see the standard burst into life and be ready to give you another year of pleasure. But remember, still pinch out the early season growth on the head for a bigger better standard with even more flowers!

How do I overwinter my bush/basket fuchsias?

Non hardy fuchsias need to be given frost protection during the winter no matter how they are grown during the summer - planted out, plunged into beds in their pots or just on the patio in pots or baskets. Hardy varieties grown in pots for effect also need frost protection as otherwise the valuable root system will die off.

Before the first frosts of winter come lift plants from borders and put the root ball into the smallest possible pot. Reduce all the plants to one third of their summer size, this will mean that you can store them more easily and by cutting back hard will give you more vigorous growth the next spring.

Fuchsias are naturally deciduous and to reduce the possibility of harbouring any pests and diseases we recommend that you remove as many of the old leaves as possible. They will only fall off anyway over the winter and leaf litter in the greenhouse is an ideal breeding ground for all sorts of potential problems.

There are a number of ways to provide a frost free environment:

1) A heated greenhouse or conservatory is the easiest answer, in fact if you can keep it at a minimum of 5ºC the plants will keep ticking over during the winter much as a standard (see above), giving you a bigger plant with flowers earlier in the season.

2) An unheated greenhouse, shed or garage. In this environment the plants will be kept just above freezing and will go into a much deeper dormancy. The dormancy will mean that a lack of light will not be a problem, but you will need to let the plants dry out much more, however don't let them go completely crispy dry. Also if a very hard frost is expected it would be advisable to give the plants an extra degree of protection - hessian, straw, polystyrene chips, or horticultural fleece will all offer one or two degrees more of protection.

3) 'Laying down' is a very traditional way of seeing fuchsias through the winter. Dig a large pit in an area of the garden where the ground will not become waterlogged, line the pit with a thick layer of straw. Plants can be cut back hard and laid one on top of the other. Another layer of straw is put in place and then the pit backfilled to give a minimum of a 6" depth of soil. The fuchsias are then left until spring. When the plants are lifted from the pit they will sport long white shoots, although this means they have got through the winter successfully cut these back hard to promote stronger growth.

If you have literally no way of providing a frost free environment it may be best to take a few cuttings in the autumn. These can be grown on during the winter in the house - all it needs is a sunny windowsill, but be careful they do not get too hot once spring comes.

How do I take some cuttings from my plant?

A question most nurseries dread as lets face it we would much rather sell you another plant!! However, many people do want to try their hand at cuttings, and for some it is the only way to keep a plant over winter. There are many different schools of thought on cuttings, we opt for tip cuttings taken late autumn/early spring.

Prepare your cutting tray in advance of searching for the cutting material. We use a peat free seed compost and firm it into a modular type tray before giving it a good drenching. The modules allow excess water to drain away and make it easier for subsequent potting up. Once rooted the cutting can be pushed up from below giving a good 'plug'.

When searching for cutting material you are looking for soft growth, with no buds forming in the tip. If there are flower buds these will use up all the energy and it will not root. If you only have shoots with buds you can try taking a cutting, but carefully remove the buds without disturbing the axial tip and be prepared that it may take longer to root than from a flower-free cutting.

Using a very sharp knife make a clean cut ideally about 1½cm below the first full set of leaves. There is no real need to worry about leaf nodes. We do not use any form of rooting hormone, but many people do and it is really a matter for personal choice.

Once the cutting is taken time is of the essence. You do not want the end of the cutting to dry out so transplant it to the modular cutting tray as soon as possible. Make a small hole with a cane, pop the stem of the cutting in and then firm the compost back against it. Try to avoid any air pockets as this will cause the stem to dry out and it will not root.

Providing some heat under the cutting tray will speed up the rooting process. You can expect to see results as early as 14 days in spring, or allow up to a month in the autumn as daylight hours shorten. Do not let the cuttings dry out at any time during rooting give them a light mist each day.

Once the cutting has rooted you will see the axial tip begin to grow, it will appear as a lighter green. After a couple more days the plant can then be carefully pushed out and potted on, the tip can even be pinched out and the whole process started again!

Can I keep a hardy fuchsia outside in a pot over winter?

No, is the simple answer. It is the rootball of the fuchsia which is hardy, but only when planted into the ground. If left in a pot the frost can attack the roots from the side and the plant will die.
Ideally hardy fuchsias need to be planted out. If they must be kept in pots then they need to be treated as tender varieties and kept frost free.

What should I do with my hardy fuchsias?

A general heading which needs to be subdivided:

Planting them out - Hardy fuchsias need to be in a minimum of a 9 cm pot before being planted into the garden. In fact the larger the plant is before transplanting the better chance it has of survival, so grow it on in a pot for a while if possible.

To become established enough to withstand the winter the plants need to be in the ground ideally at least two months before the first frosts are expected.

Many books advocate planting them 3" below the soil level in their pots - perfect if you have a large plant, but often when setting up a border with young plants this would mean burying them completely! Don't, is the simple answer. A much more sensible approach is to plant them out and enjoy the summer flowering and then take a simple extra precaution over their first winter.

Overwintering - For the first winter we recommend mulch over and around the base of the plant. The plant will have grown well for the summer and a mulch (bark chippings or peat for example) will give the rootball the 3" layer of protection mentioned above.

After the first frosts you will find that the top of the plant has died off. If the plant is very untidy it can be lightly trimmed, but leave as much of the dead wood on as possible. This is twofold - firstly it will indicate where your fuchsia bush is over the winter, secondly the dead wood will again give another degree of frost protection.

In the spring once the frosts have passed cut the dead wood back hard - about 4" above ground level. This will promote young vigorous growth and give the best display possible for summer.

After the first winter the plant should not require any additional mulching as it will be well established, but continue to cut back hard each and every year for the best results.

How do I plant up and grow a hanging basket?

For best effect only use one fuchsia variety in a basket. This is because most varieties mature and flower at different rates leading to a straggly display. If you want to break up the plants it is better to use something different altogether as a foil for the fuchsias. Whichever route you go down make sure that the fuchsia you choose has a naturally lax habit.

It is best to plant up your baskets as soon as possible in the new year, with plants grown from autumn cuttings grown on into 9 cm pots. For a 30 cm diameter basket you will need 5 plants, odd numbers of plants generally give a better shape to the finished basket.

When planting the basket rest it on a bucket or similar to support it. The basket should remain in the protection of a heated greenhouse until all risk of frost has passed. It is best if left down on the bench as it will not dry out so readily and is easily available for pinching out to promote bushy growth.

Once the basket is hung out into its summer position be aware that the additional air circulating around it will cause the compost to dry out more readily. Baskets should be checked at least once a day - preferably twice in very hot weather. Another consideration is that due to the extra watering baskets have above pots or plants in borders, they are more susceptible to leaching out of vital nutrients and they may require feeding more often during the flowering season.

One word of warning, although baskets do require extra watering still ensure that there is adequate drainage. You do not want to basket to be soaking as the roots can rot away.

What pests and diseases affect fuchsias and how do I combat them?

Fortunately there are not many pests and diseases which attack fuchsias. The important thing here is vigilance - acting as soon as you spot a problem is the best advice, don't let a small problem escalate.

Whitefly - Probably the commonest problem to fuchsias. If you have seen one whitefly assume there are more and act quickly - they can multiply with extraordinary speed.

Wet sprays can be used when there are no flowers on the plants. Any proprietary whitefly spray used at the correct dilution should be effective, but do check the label to ensure it is safe to use for fuchsias. The only downside to spraying is that it will only kill the adult whitefly and therefore regular sprays at intervals of 3 - 4 days will be necessary until the risk has been diminished.

If the plants are heavily in bud or flower then wet spraying will mark the flowers. Then it will be necessary to use a fumigation product, these do tend to be more expensive and again will only kill the adults so be prepared to carry out the treatment more than once.

A preventative form of treatment can be the use of the insecticide Provado. This breaks the life cycle of the whitefly and therefore one dose early in the season when the plants are growing vigorously usually provides season long protection. Provado is available from most garden centre outlets.

Red Spider Mite - Not really a spider at all, but certainly one of the worst pests to attack fuchsias. The main problem is that they are virtually impossible to detect until a problem develops. The symptoms are leaves turning bronzy and very brittle. Once this happens act quickly.

Isolate the infected plant as red spider can spread with remarkable speed. Pick off all the leaves and throw them away - do not put them on the compost heap. Treat the plant with a good proprietary spray and leave isolated until fresh growth returns and it is clearly over the attack.

After an attack all the plants in the greenhouse should be sprayed as a preventative measure, but again take care if heavily in flower as it can cause marking. Red spider mite thrives best in very hot dry conditions, keeping the humidity up in your greenhouse should offer some protection.

Vine Weevil - Probably the most publicised fuchsia pest at present. Early symptoms are notches appearing on the leaves, later symptoms are complete and apparently healthy plants just keeling over, due to the root system having been eaten by the larval grubs.

There are a number of companies working on providing an answer to this problem. Provado is one which can be used as a drench through the compost in pots. This sterilises any eggs that may have been laid.

If you suspect vine weevil presence check each pot carefully. Knock the pot off gently and the grubs can usually be seen in the compost at the side of the rootball. Remove and crush the grub and drench the pot with Provado which is freely available in most garden centres.

Rust - Although this disease will not cause the death of a plant it is very disfiguring and extremely contagious. The first sign noticed is often a yellowing patch on the upper surface of the leaf. On turning the leaf over bright orange spores are present.

Remove all infected leaves very carefully. The spores spread in the air so careful removal will go a long way to preventing contagion. Again throw the leaves away do not compost as the spores can also live in the compost and remain dormant for some time. Once every infected leaf is removed scrape off the top surface of compost in the pot and replace with fresh.

Spraying with a reliable fungicide is the only option. Regular spraying early in the season will provide protection throughout the summer. Rust thrives where there is poor air circulation, if you experience difficulties in getting this problem under control you may have to temporarily thin out your fuchsia collection until the rust is eradicated.

Unfortunately for amateur growers in recent years many of the tried and trusted favourites in the fight with rust have been removed from the shelves. However, we have received reports from a number of our customers that Fungus Fighter, a new organic spray, is proving to be very effective.

Botrytis - Sometimes known as 'damping off' this disease is characterised by grey mould. Overcrowding, overwatering, poor air circulation or leaving old leaf litter lying around, are all factors. The plant is literally rotting away. Addressing all of the above problems will usually effect a cure. In severe cases a dose of fungicide may help matters along.

Yellowing leaves - Not really a disease at all, it can be caused by simple old age, overwatering or underfeeding. The latter two can easily be remedied. If it is old age, take cuttings to rejuvenate stock and throw the old plant away.