I love fuscias and buy some every year and every year they die off in winter, is this normal, i thought they were hardy plants and lived for ever.
I dont have anywhere to store them over winter, what am i doing wrong is there a variety that will over winter safely
thansk
debbie
Deb, when we never had anywhere we used to wrap them up in newspaper & put straw in a plastic bin then put the fuchsias in cover with more straw put a brick on the lid we always got at least a 90% survival rate, then in April we used to pot them up again wrap fleece around the pots put some of the straw in the centre for a week or so, on good warm days take it off put back on at night (important). I hope this helps i am addicted to them i have quite a lot now would you like a couple?. rosebud ;D
There are hardy varieties, but most of the bedding fuchsias are half hardy. In a mild winter they will probably survive, but last winter was 'rather harsh', and many will have succumbed.
In the next week or so I shall be sorting out plants. What plants have survived the winter and what need chucking out. From the plants that have survived I shall be busy taking cuttings.
valmarg
hi guys thanks for the replies sorry its taken me a while to get back i will try the straw method
i would love a couple if you can spare them im certainly happy to pay for them and postage please pm me
i just love them but never manage to keep them and its so sad to see them die off in the winter
many thanks
debbie xx
We were amazed that ours survived the winter-it was cut back then put inside one of those shelving units with a polythene cover on it. This was in the side alley between our house and our neighbours, a veritable wind tunnel. We had many nights well below freezing, and we really thought it was dead when we took it out , but no, it's still with us, and putting out new shoots-has been outside in its pot for several weeks now and seems fine. The pelagoniums all died in the greenhouse!
We have moved here, recently, but at our previous house we had a couple of greenhouses.
I used to save my half-hardy fuchsias by digging them out from their tubs and baskets in September, cutting them down to 2 inches, removing all the leaves, then burying them over their heads in the greenhouse floor.
Do this, then water them just the once to settle the soil around them and leave them be over the winter months. Early March, carefully dig them up and pot them up.
It's easy, no trouble and worked very well for me.
where could i leave them if i dont have a greenhouse? thats my problem :(
You could take cuttings in late summer/early autumn and keep on windowsills over winter as the pots will be small enough. They soon grow into large plants the following year. Just watch out for vine weevil.