Fuschia

[Tyke]

I've tried making cuttings of a few different fuschias this last year, with zero success. They are supposed to be very easy to do. I put them in modules as recommended and put them in a propogator and water them a little every day. half go mouldy despite a fungicide i used one. The others either die of too little water or just go brown.

I do get initial rooting and growth - i even had flower buds on a few, but ultimately they die.

What am i doing wrong????

[Tyke]

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

too little ventillation in the propagator? Why use a propagator at all? I root mine in water

[manicscousers]

we never water direct, put them in a container in their pots and water from the bottom..we also keep the plants quite dry, we water them more like once a week, less over winter  :)

[Tee Gee]

Code Select Expand

I put them in modules as recommended

Personally I don't agree with this method I find they dry out too quickly hence your need to re-water which is often fatal.

I use a compost of 50% silver sand and 50% seived multi-purpose compost in a tray. I cover this compost with a layer of dry silver sand and push the cutting into this. The silver sand filters down into the hole formed by the cutting thus eliminating any air pockets. Once I have taken sufficient cuttings I soak the tray with clean water and that is generally it, as far as watering is concerned.

If I find the plants are wilting a bit perhaps on a very hot day,I lightly spray them with a hand spray. Just enough to coat the leaves not to soak the compost.

Sometimes (if I remember) the spray is filled with a 50% strength general fungicide but this is not essential I have found.

My way; http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Fuchsia/Fuchsia.htm

[pigeonseed]

This is all very useful - I've always wanted one of those fuchsias with little pale flowers, which you can grow to big rambling trees - ever since I saw one covering the castle wall in a tea shop garden in Pevensea years ago

i've just spotted one in my neighbour's garden, so I'm thinking of asking for cuttings!

is this a good time of year or too late?

[valmarg]

Its a bit too late this year pigeonseed because the plants have had a good pasting with frost.

We have the pale, small flowered one you mention, which I believe is f. magellanica alba.  We also have a very dark beetrooty cololured variety f. Lechlade Magician.  They would make a good contrast colour combination.  Both are hardy.

Shall have to wait until next year to take cuttings, but if you think you might like them, I'll see what I can do.

valmarg

[Pesky Wabbit]

I take my cuttings in the late Feb/ early March, beforethe weather gets too warm  (???). I use a mixture of 50%sieved multipurpose, 25% grit & 25% perlite.

Water & stick 'em in 3"pots in an unheated propagator.

There should be just a small patch of fine condensation on the prop. lid. If its covered in condensation or there;s water droplets forming and running down, the whole thing is too warm & should be moved to a cooler, shadier spot.. If there's no condensation at all, its too cool - move to a sunnier place.

They sit in the propagator for 3 to 4 weeks (2 Weeks if done in April/May), and then are fed and treated as grownups.
Rooting success is about 85% & because they're already in pots these less root disturbance when potting on.

[pigeonseed]

Thanks for the tips and advice. I think I'll leave it till next year then. Though we haven't had frost yet here in Hastings, and the fuchsias are all in bloom still.

But as I have so much to do with my wasteland of a garden, in the house we've just moved to, I should be glad of any job which can be put off till next year. Must concentrate on one thing at a time!

I'm bookmarking this so I can look up the tips when I get the cuttings - it's a good way to get to know your neighbours  ;)

And thank you Valmarg for offering to share your fuchsia cuttings with me. I shall have to hold you to that next year!

[Tyke]

thanks for the tips. I'll try again next year - just thrown away another 8 cuttings that have turned brown.

[Tee Gee]

just thrown away another 8 cuttings that have turned brown.

Sounds like they are too wet and or too cold.

The dull weather we have had of late won't help the issue either, they need good light but not direct sun to root.

[flowerofshona2007]

We do them a diffent way !!

We take about 400 cuttings for showing and we do them this way.

Strip plants in September time and dip them and put them into the greenhouse and they shoot fresh shoots which we take and put into 5" pots of compost and vermiculite and water in without touching the cuttings and put a plastic bag over the top and blow it up with air to keep it off the cuttings and they are put in an unheated propergator and not touched till they show signs of growth and they are slowly uncovered, we get very few losses this way !

[Tyke]

wow - that's quite elaborate.