Standard fuchsias

[Joan]

I bought three beautiful "standard" fuchsias, they are about 1m tall, transplanted on some other plant..Ow kay, my question is, should I prune them now or wait and see whether they will grow after the mild winter?The brances are not dead/ dry... seem flexible to me.

[Tara]

Joan, if they have been in your garden for a full year then yes, by all means prune them lightly. But if you have only just planted them, then they need time to settle and re home themselves to get over the shock of transplanting, in which case rather wait until next April to give them a light pruning. After that, you can cut them back quite hard, but not yet.

[Joan]

Originally posted by Tara
Joan, if they have been in your garden for a full year then yes, by all means prune them lightly. But if you have only just planted them, then they need time to settle and re home themselves to get over the shock of transplanting, in which case rather wait until next April to give them a light pruning. After that, you can cut them back quite hard, but not yet.

Thanks Tara, I bought them last year, so will prune them lightly but keep them in the same containers I think, they can stay there for this summer... will just add more compost and fertilizer....

[Tara]

Originally posted by Joan
Thanks Tara, I bought them last year, so will prune them lightly but keep them in the same containers I think, they can stay there for this summer... will just add more compost and fertilizer....

Joan, check under the pot to see if any roots are growing out of the hole. If there are then the plant will be potbound and they hate that, so you would have to re pot in the next size up, then wait a couple of settling weeks before pruning.

[Joan]

Originally posted by Tara
Joan, check under the pot to see if any roots are growing out of the hole. If there are then the plant will be potbound and they hate that, so you would have to re pot in the next size up, then wait a couple of settling weeks before pruning.

I will do so boss Tara!!!

[Tara]

Originally posted by Joan
I will do so boss Tara!!!

unny:

It works both ways Joan, you the boss of the Muti and me the boss of the blommetjies!

[Joan]

Originally posted by Tara
unny:

It works both ways Joan, you the boss of the Muti and me the boss of the blommetjies!

And a bright sunny one at that too!!

[Bushbaby]

I have a fuschia running wild in my hallway. Brought it back as a cutting from Castlebar last October and it has recently sprung to life. It will have to go in the ground as soon as we move - at the end of this month.

I do not know what variety it is - was a cutting taken from a friend's garden - it has variegated pink and white leaves and has lovely red flowers. The bush the cutting came from was about four foot high and 3 foot in diameter. I figure if it could grow in the heavy clay of Co. Mayo it will grow well in Dublin.

[Joan]

All my other fuchsias survive each winter, last year was the first time I bought the standard ones. They are quite tall and look so pretty on their long stems and with the flowers tumbling down.
The "ordinary" ones are beautiful, double flowers and huge blooms too.
They sure do not need a lot of attention in the UK, I used to be so careful with my fuchsias in SA.... but then it is the sun that damages them there.

[Bushbaby]

Originally posted by Joan
All my other fuchsias survive each winter, last year was the first time I bought the standard ones. They are quite tall and look so pretty on their long stems and with the flowers tumbling down.
The "ordinary" ones are beautiful, double flowers and huge blooms too.
They sure do not need a lot of attention in the UK, I used to be so careful with my fuchsias in SA.... but then it is the sun that damages them there.

Joan - I noticed flower buds on the fuschia this morning - if I transplant it outside do you think it will drop the flowers?