With the popularity of the fuchsia in this country one could be forgiven for thinking it was indigenous to the British Isles, but how wrong one would be, for the fuchsia comes mainly from Central and South America. The fuchsia was discovered by a French Jesuit missionary, Farther Carole Plumier an eminent botanist in 1703. The plant he discovered was named after another eminent botanist, a German by the name of Doctor Leonhard Fuchs (1501-1566). It is known that the plant that Plumier named after Dr Fuchs was that of the species Fuchsia triphylla flore coccinea.

The introduction of the fuchsia into Britain is surrounded by conjecture, but the most widely held belief is that it was brought over by a certain Captain Firth in 1788 after an expedition to South America. Captain Firth presented Kew Gardens with seed of the fuchsia triphylla coccinea. During the same year the same species was some how acquired by James Lee a botanist and nurseryman of Hammersmith, London The story is told that James Lee was informed of a strange plant growing in a window box in the district of Wapping, London. A sailor son, returning from South America had given the plant to his widow mother. James Lee persuaded the widow to sell the plant for eight guineas, and then he set about building up a stock of some three hundred plants. The first fuchsias to be sold to the general public were in 1793 at prices ranging from ten to twenty guineas, depending on the sizes.

The fuchsia was rediscovered in1832 when the first cultivar was presented, followed in 1850 by the first double cultivar. The continental countries of France, Germany and Belgium became interested, and a great deal of hybridising was done in these countries, especially with the triphylla hybrids.

The following sixty years were the heyday of the fuchsia. The United States hybridisers started producing new and unusual cultivars after World War 1 and the American Fuchsia Society was formed in 1929. A number of British enthusiasts formed The Fuchsia Society in 1938 which was renamed The British Fuchsia Society in 1939. During the last two decades such has been the interest shown in growing fuchsias that several local groups have been formed throughout the British Isles.

The West Wales Fuchsia Group (later renamed the Llanelli and District Fuchsia Group) was formed in 1981 by local enthusiasts with the express aim of encouraging interest in and improving the cultivation of the fuchsia.

Growing fuchsias generally starts with seeing plants at a show or in a neighbour’s garden, or by being given some plants by friends or relatives. However one starts, producing a handsome plant invariably gives a great deal of satisfaction and a sence of achievement.

Remember that fuchsias, in this country generally speaking are deciduous shrubs, and should with care, last for several years. The initial purchase cost is comparatively small in relation to the pleasure you will get over the years, once you have a few plants, you can in a short space of time, increase your stock through propagation.

Fuchsias can be purchased from your local garden centre, cultivars will be limited, but the plants will be the easier ones to grow and a good place to start. Plants will either be rooted cuttings or established plants in 2½-inch pots. Rooted cuttings bought in March should make a decent plant in its first year.

Rooted cuttings can also be purchased by mail order; any gardening magazine will provide you with a list of mail order suppliers. But take care, whilst there are many reputable nurseries there are equally a number of bad ones. A recommendation of a good nursery could save you a lot of disappointment in the long term.

Try contacting your local Fuchsia Society, the members of the society will be only to pleased to put you in touch with a reliable supplier and could also advise you where you can get that special cultivar you require. Finally, when you do get your plants make sure that they are free from any pests or disease.

Let us now consider, the more established plants that you have bought If they are of the hardy type you may want to plant them out in their permanent position in the garden These should be in at least a 5 inch pot full of roots, they need to be planted out as soon as possible after the last frosts have gone (normally about the first week in June). When planted out at this time the plants will have time to establish a good and fairly deep root system before the first frosts of late autumn arrive. Frost getting at the roots of fuchsias will definitely kill the plant. When planting dig just a little deeper, and plant a little deeper than the compost level in the pots draw a little extra soil around the crown when the first frosts arrive. Non hardy cultivars can also be planted out directly into the garden, but must be lifted and protected from frost in late autumn.

As an alternative to planting into the open ground fuchsias will give a magnificent display in patio tubs, window boxes, hanging baskets and pots. In all of these circumstances remember that even if they are classified as hardy they must be given frost protection. Leaving them out in their containers could prove fatal. You can of course take the plants, containers and all into a frost-free greenhouse, porch, garage or shed.

The main method of increasing stocks of fuchsias is by cuttings; there are other methods of propagation, but for beginners we will concentrate on increasing stock from cuttings.

Before we look at the cuting material that we require let us first examine the rooting medium, there are a number of choices. A 50% peat and sand mixture, or an 80% standard soil-less compost with 20% perlite give good results, there are also other to choose from. Generally speaking any well draining compost or mixture should ensure success. You may have heard of people rooting in water, this is not recommended as the roots that form are not normal feeder roots, they are know as hydroponic or water roots and are brittle and can be damaged when potted into a compost mixture.

When preparing your medium keep it light and fluffy, do not compress it, as you will restrict root growth. You can of course take fuchsia cuttings throughout the year while you have green material on your plants but the best time is early spring as your plants are coming into full growth and they are at their most vigorous.

Look at the plant you are going to use for cuttings, with care pick the best material, small evenly developing growth that is well balanced. Most fuchsias have their leaves growing in pairs and occasionally leaves will be found in groups of three – these make excellent cutting material. Leave any material that has leaves that are not opposite or uniform in size. Do not use any material that has flower buds showing as these will give all their energy over to the flower and rarely produce good plants. The cuttings needed need must be fresh and turgid, so water the stock plant in advance of taking the cutting, feel the leaves, if they appear at all limp they will not be charged with water and should be left until they are.

Tip cuttings required should have two sets of leaves plus a growing point, again make sure the material is young and soft. Remove the cutting from the stock plant just below the third set of leaves. You now have a cutting with three sets of leaves and the growing point, and also a short length of stem below the bottom set of leaves, with a sharp knife or blade cut this stem off about 1/8th of an inch below the leaf joint and with care cut the bottom set of leaves off as close to the stem as you can without damaging the minute growth at the base of each leaf. Hormone rooting powder can be used if required, but is not essential since fuchsias will root equally well without it. The cuttings are then placed in the compost up to the next or only set of leaves.

Internodal cuttings require a length of stem with two sets of leaves and no growing tip, take the stem from the plant as described above, cut across the stem with a sharp blade, then remove the bottom pair of leaves. Put the cutting into the compost up to the remaining pair of leaves. The side shoots on the remaining pair of leaves should be allowed to develop.

The two methods described in this booklet are the main methods of taking fuchsia cuttings.

Although not essential a heated propagator will ensure that the healthy young cuttings are successfully rooted. Ideally a propagating unit with a temperature of 60F bottom heat is best, but as beginners not everyone will have such equipment. We must of course keep the cuttings turgid so a fairly high humidity is needed. A plastic (clear) bag placed over a 3½in pot with a wire to stop the leaves touching the plastic is ideal. or an inverted jam jar placed on top of a 2in pot works just as well. Why a 2in pot? Well if you use a bigger one the compost in the centre of the pot will get cold and rooting will take longer or stop altogether. Small propagating cells about 1 inch tall are ideal since these will ensure the cuttings are close to the heat source in the propagator.

Keep the propagator away from direct sunlight and never put them on a sunny windowsill or they will scorch. Look for top growth and do not try and remove any of the cuttings until this is evident When the roots have formed, pot each young plant on into a 3in pot and label each clearly. Remember these plants have been in warm conditions while rooting and will not take too kindly to the cold, so harden off slowly. For normal pot plants or plants that are for the open border, stop the main lead after two sets of leaves have been produced and do the same on the side growths.

Care taken from taking the cutting to it’s first stop, is the most important part of the plants life, get this correct and you will have a wonderful show each year, get it wrong and you will be very disappointed.

Now that you have rooted your cuttings successfully what is the next step? Gently tap the plant out of it’s 3in pot (better done if the compost is slightly moist) and check that the roots have started to fill the pot, if they have it is time to pot the plant into a larger pot. The ideal size to pot into next would be a pot 1in larger, do not be tempted to pot directly into a 5in or 6in pot, you may save time but your plant will not develop as it should. When potting from a small pot to a much larger pot by the time the young feeder roots reach the compost around the edge of the larger pot, most if not all of the nutrients in the compost will have deteriorated and possibly have turned into toxic salts. Therefore it is always better to pot on in stages, e.g. 2 to 3, to 4, to 5in to 6in.

Fuchsias are versatile plants and will grow in most types of compost when treated as pot plants; the compost can either be of the soil-based type or the soil-less type. The main requirements of any type of compost being that it is free draining with the ability to retain a small amount of moisture. More plants are lost through over watering than any other factor, if the young roots are constantly wet they soon rot, eventually resulting in the death of the plant. If there is any doubt as to whether to water or not DO NOT water, the plant will show when they require water, and the leaves will become limp.

Let’s consider soil-based composts. There are many propriety brand names available from large stores and garden centres, however the quality of this compost is only as good as it’s age. Compost up to a month or so old should be ideal, but anything older than this can be considered as having started to deteriorate, the older it is the worse it is. How can you tell the age of the compost? You can’t, as manufacturers have not yet seen fit to date stamp their products; therefore if you do purchase these products you have to hope for the best, sometimes at considerable expense.

Of course you can mix your own soil-based compost and be absolutely sure of its freshness. These are normally done to the John Innes formula, which require a good type of loam as a base. Stacking pastureland turf upside down for a year can produce a good supply of loam and then passing the resultant loam through a sieve, alternatively a good garden soil can be selected for heat sterilisation. To this loam, a quantity of peat, sand and a base fertiliser are added, all to the John Innes formula.

Soil-less composts are a lot easier to buy than the ones you prepare yourself. The shelf life of this compost is a little longer than the soil based compost, but again it is not date stamped and you can not be sure of it’s age. If you want to be sure of having fresh compost then mix your own, it’s not difficult and there are many successful formulae that can be used.

One such formula which has provides good results; mix six two gallon buckets of sphagnum moss peat with one bucket of horticultural grit and one bucket of horticultural sand. Added to these is a packet of Chempak Potting Base fertiliser and after thoroughly mixing these ingredients you should have an ample supply of compost for your plants. It is not advisable to use builders sand or gravel, these could contain toxic salts harmful to the fuchsias you are growing. All materials mentioned are readily available from your local garden centre.

Try both types of compost and see which is best suited to your growing methods, but remember that once you have potted your plant into any one of these composts there will be sufficient fertiliser in this compost for only about one month. After this you will have to feed your plants at regular intervals.

Fuchsias are gross feeders and respond well to correct feeding. Care should be exercised in what and when you feed your fuchsias. The wrong feed at the wrong time can be a complete waste of time and money.

Before progressing further on feeding it is essential to get an understanding of the ingredients in a packet of fertiliser. The three basic ingredients of a fertiliser are normally referred to as N. P. K. the effects of these on the plants are as follows.

In addition to these three basic chemicals a number of trace elements are also required, but only as a minute percentage. On a packet of fertiliser you will see the N .P. K. analysis expressed as a number e.g. 10. 10. 20. these numbers represent the percentage of each chemical in the fertiliser.

Early is the season the plant is required to grow so a high (N) fertiliser is used e.g. 25.15.15. When the developing plants come into bud, a change to a high potash (K) fertiliser is needed e.g. 15.15.30. Plants should be fed at the recommended strength once a week, but it is accepted and preferred by many to feed at one quarter strength every watering.

Visit any garden centre at any time of the year and you will normally find the shelves stocked with balanced or high potash fertilisers, there is a very limited range of high nitrogen fertilisers. However, you should be able to find Chempak No.2, or Vitafeed 301, both excellent high nitrogen fertilisers. There are of course others, but you will really have to search to find them.

As stated earlier fuchsias are gross feeders and should be fed at least once a week and the dosage should not exceed that stated on the package. In addition to feeding at the roots, fuchsias will also respond well to occasional foliar feeding, Maxicrop general fertiliser is ideal for this purpose.

Since the majority of feeds have to be diluted in water it is essential that water is not taken straight from the tap, this can be excessively cold and could cause a severe check to the plant. Let the water stand in the greenhouse for some time so that it’s temperature can rise a little. Alternatively add a little warm water and stir thoroughly just to raise it by a few degrees.

Fuchsias are the most versatile of plants, and may be grown in many different shapes from natural growth to standards, pillars and other forms.

Natural Growth This type of growth is generally associated with hardy types of plants such as the Magellanica family, where they are planted permanently in the garden and are allowed to grow naturally, with only some pruning back in the spring to keep the plant to a convenient size, left alone these types of plant can grow to over six feet high, and over four feet wide. Other cultivar can be allowed to grow naturally; such as Mrs Popple, Lady Isobel Barnet, Stardust, and String of Pearls. When using these named varieties it is best to allow the plants to grow to a height of 12 to 18 inches then pinch the leading growth out, and then allow the laterals to develop.

Bush It is the pot grown plants that are trained into the various forms of growth, however, choose a variety that allows itself to be trained into the shape you choose. The most common type of growth is the bush shape. A rooted cutting is grown up into a 3-inch pot, the growing tip is removed (stopped) after two or four pairs of leaves have developed. It is better to stop at an even number of leaves, as the growth of the fuchsia is cruciform in shape, that is the second pair of leaves grow at right angles to the first pair.

Having stopped the plant at the desired number of leaves the side shoots (laterals) are allowed to develop, and are stopped again at either two or four pairs of leaves depending on the size of the plant you wish to grow.

Further stopping may be made, but bearing in mind that every time stopping takes place flowering is delayed by eight to ten week for singles and ten to twelve weeks for doubles. A bush grown fuchsia must have a maximum one and a half inches of clear stem between soil level and the first pair of branches. As the plant grows in size remember to pot on into larger size pots.

Shrub A shrub is a plant that has more than one stem coming from the soil. This type of growth generally occurs on older plants, say, two to three years old, when plants will send up several shoots from soil level naturally.

To obtain shrub growth on a one year plant is difficult, but can be achieved by taking an internodal cutting, that is a cutting that has two pairs of leaves and no growing tip. The cutting is placed into the compost so that the lower leaves are level with the soil, then rooted in the normal way. This will produce two shoots from the leaf axis, repot when rooted with shoots slightly below soil level.

Another method is to take a normal rooted cutting and remove the bottom pairs of leaves and then repot the cutting, burying the nodes from which the leaves have been removed, below soil level. Remove the growing tip to encourage side growth.
The training of top growth for a shrub is carried out along the same lines as that for bush growth.

Ball The mature ball shaped plant should be completely spherical in shape, with foliage trained in a downward direction to cover the pot. The growing method is the same as for either the bush or shrub type of plant. Choice of plant should be a lax type of growth with stems so pliable that they can be trained down the side of the pot as well as in an upward direction.

Standards The length of clear stem, from soil level to the first lower branches determine the type of standard.

The size of container in which standards are grown should be in proportion to the size of the plant.

Generally a standard takes two years to produce. Take a cutting in May or June. When the cutting has rooted place a cane in the pot, and as the cutting grows progressively tie the plant to the cane at two inch intervals. When tying do not do it too tightly, allowing the stem to increase in diameter as it grows. As the plant grows remove all the lower side shoots, but not the leaves, also leave the top three pairs of side shoots. Pot the plant on as necessary, never allowing the plant to become pot bound. Fast growth should be encouraged using a high nitrogen feed. The length of cane used depends on the height of standard to be grown. The cane should be long enough to reach into the head to be developed. Mark the cane where the first branches are to be grown, having reached this mark allow the plant to grow another four or six pairs of leaves and then remove the growing tip. The development of the head from this point onwards is the same as that for the bush growth. When the side shoots have produced a fair number of leaves begin to remove the leaves from the main stem, do not remove all the leaves at once, but two or three pairs every couple of days.

Sometimes fuchsia cuttings produce three leaves at each node instead of the usual two, it is these plants that make the ideal standards. Stem ties should be removed when the stem is strong enough to support the head.

As stated earlier the growing of standards takes two years, therefore during winter months the plants must be kept growing unchecked, in order to do this a minimum constant temperature of 45F must be maintained.

Hanging Pots Put one plant in a six inch hanging pot, pinch out the growing tip at two or four pairs of leaves, then stop the laterals at two or three pairs of leaves. Further stopping may be at one or two pairs of leaves, depending on when you require to plant the flower. Growth is similar to the bush type only pendulous.

Half Basket The wired half baskets need to be lined in order to hold the compost. There are several materials with which to line these baskets, such as spaghnum moss or plastic sheet, if using plastic remember to make holes in the bottom to act as drainage holes. Having lined the basket half fill with compost, take three or four rooting cuttings of the same cultivar, which should be in 3 inch pots by this stage, remove from the pots and place in the half basket two or three around the front edge tilting slightly outwards and one in the back at the centre. The level of the compost of the potted plants should be the same as the top of the basket. Fill around the plants with more compost. The plant at the back should be grown as a bush, stopping at two pairs of leaves and all further laterals at one or two pairs, the other plants should be stopped at three pairs of leaves and the laterals at every third pair, allowing the plant to cascade over the side.

Full Basket The method used for half baskets does equally well for the full basket, the only difference being in the number of plants used. It is usual to use five or six plants in a full basket. Grow one plant in the centre of the basket as a bush, if using five plants, one in the centre and four around the edge or if using six plants one in the centre and five around the edge.

Pillars There are several ways in which pillars may be grown, single stem, multiple stems, or using two or three plants. If using the single stem system then a suitable cutting is put into a 3 inch pot and an eighteen-inch cane placed alongside. Tie the plant to the cane at regular intervals so as to keep the stem straight. When the plant has reached twelve inches in height pinch out the growing tip, this will encourage all the side shoots to develop. Repot the plant into a larger pot, 5 inch, and replace the cane with a longer one. Of the two side shoots that grow below the pinched out tip, select the stronger one and train up the cane, allowing the other shoot to develop as a lateral. When this second stem has reached a further twelve to eighteen inches pinch out the leading growth, repeat the process until the desired height is attained. The laterals should be allowed to develop and stopped after three pairs of leaves and again at two or three pairs of leaves.

Multistem Pillars These are grown on a similar system using two or three stems. A rooted cutting is stopped after two pairs of leaves and from the four developing side shoots choose two or three shoots and train up the canes as on the single stem system stopping and training as required. The outward growing laterals are retained, but the inward growing laterals are removed. The multistem pillars are grown as novelties using three different cultivars growing in the same pot and being trained up the same can placed in the centre of the pot, this type makes for a very large structure ending up in 10 inch pots and a cane about three foot high. Pillars are cylindrical in shape and have the same diameter all the way up the plant.

Pyramids These are grown in a similar method to the pillar shape. Pyramids, as the name suggests, have a wide base and taper to a point at the top. To start, use a plant in a small pot, inserting an eighteen-inch cane, stop the plant at two pairs of leaves. Choose the strongest two side shoots and tie on to the cane, allow these to grow until a height of twelve to eighteen inches has been reached, stop one of these stems at this height allowing the other stem to grow on. Stop the lower laterals at three or four pairs of leaves. The central laterals are stopped at three pairs of leaves and then two leaves, at the upper portion the laterals are stopped at two pairs and again at one pair of leaves. The top laterals are stopped at one pair of leaves. The final shaping is carried out manually.

Fans These are shaped like an open fan, usually against a wall or at the back of a greenhouse. If grown in the open one should have the same amount of flowers on the back as on the front of the fan. Choose a plant that has two leaves at each node, grow on until the plant has six or eight pairs of leaves, repot into a 5 inch pot. Place two canes two or thee feet long in the opposite sides of the pot splayed outwards so that the tips or the canes are about three feet apart, tie canes in a horizontal position six inches apart against the vertical canes creating a framework. Remove the side shoots growing outwards at the rear and front, training the side shoots that are growing sidewards on to the frame in the shape of a fan, the bottom pair of shoots will be the outer edge of the fan. As the plant grows and further laterals develop take out all the shoots growing to the front and rear, shoots growing in the right direction are trained to fill the main structure.

Espallers Another flat type of growth, in fact any shape other than a fan. Espaliers have a central stem with laterals trained horizontally. Start the plant in the same way as with the fan, but place two canes vertically and the cross members at intervals necessitated by the growth of the laterals. Type of training required depends on the final desired height. If a final height of three or four four feet is required, stop the main growth at eighteen-inches, then train up another shoot so the laterals develop as in a pillar. If a height of twelve to eighteen-inches is desired grow the plant in a six inch pot with the framework already in position, laterals towards the front and back should be removed while the other laterals should be tied into the framework. As these side shoots develop, remove all secondary shoots except the ones growing upwards, retaining the secondary shoots to fill in the framework.

This list of recommendations is based on the personal choice of the writer. There are around two thousand cultivars available from specialist nurseries with well over eight thousand listed in Leo.B.Boullemiers checklist.

This chapter deals with non hardy fuchsias which will be allowed to go dormant naturally during the winter period. To ensure your fuchsias survive successfully through the winter there are two very important things you must do. Frost must be kept away from the roots of the plants and they must not be allowed to dry out completely over a period of time. With a little care and understanding you should be able to overwionter your fuchsias with very little trouble.

Towards the end of late summer you must decide which, in not all of your dormant fuchsias you intend protecting over the winter months by the use of a heated or unheated greenhouse, spare room, or buried in the open garden. This must never be left as a last minute rush job, but needs a set programme.

Most people find that they have too many fuchsias for the available overwintering space and these are left, like the hardies, to their chance in the borders. They should survive a mild winter but are likely to succumb to any severe frosts

Those plants you intend taking out of the open garden should be dug up in late October and placed in pots filled with spent composts, never new, as new compost will give feed to the plant at the time when you want them to go to rest. Water well and wait for each plant to recover the shock before starting your preparations.

Now all your plants are in pots and happy, stop feeding and slowly reduce the watering. The plant will start to produce ripe wood (brown bark in place of green or red stems). The leaves will start to fall and at this stage spray against pests, doing it three times at three-day intervals. You do not want to overwinter your plants with greenfly etc. Before the first frosts and after your plants are almost completely dried out (note almost, never completely) cut them back to the ripe wood and remove all the leaves left on the plant. Check these three or four hours later to see that you have not got any stems bleeding, if you have then your plant was not dry enough. Remove any dead or dying material that has fallen into the pot. Your plants are now ready for placing in site.Now all the plants except those in the pit(see later) need some water throughout the winter but never a lot at any one time.

Now let us look at the different methods.

Unheated Greenhouse.Ventilate the greenhouse as often as you can, even in December when the outside temperature is fairly cold, the more air flow the healthier your plants will be. Try and double glaze with bubble sheet. Remember with you fuchsias going into a state of dormancy what you are going to achieve is preventing frost getting through to the roots of the plant, this can be prevented in many ways. If you have soil in yout greenhouse borders you can submerge the pots up to their rim in the soil. You can place them under the staging and cover them with newspaper for extra protection, thick cardboard boxes act as efficient insulators, place you plants into them as light is not an essential commodity at this time of year. If you have a concrete floor this is the coldest part of the greenhouse, raise your overwintering plants up away from this cold area. You can prune back your plants so that they store more easily and don’t forget that you are looking to give the pots and the plants root system total protection from frost, there are numerous other ways in which this can be acheived with a little ingenuity.

Garden Shed, Garage or Cold Frame.Cardboard boxes are ideal for these situations and can be stacked on top of each other for economy of room. The same conditions must be met as with the unheated greenhouse.

Buried in Open Garden (The Pit Method) This is a very old method but it does work. Dig a pit or trench two feet deep and lay your plants in their pots at the bottom, on their sides. Put a stake into each corner of the pit and replace the earth. All plant material must be more than six inches below the surface. ‘Anything below six inches will live through the hardest of winters. The stakes are there to remind you of the plant’s location. If you have straw then pack it around and over the plants before covering them. In the spring uncover with great care and you will find long white shoots already growing, but if these are knocked off during the uncovering it will do no harm.

Starting into Growth. If your plants are completely dormant by springtime and you want to know if the branches are still alive, scrape the bark, and if it shows green below, then you have life, if it shows brown, try lower down and repeat until you find it. All dead wood must be removed. Spray all branches every morning with tepid water, this will soften the bark and permit the new growth below to break through. When you have a good even structure of small young breaks you can think of changing the compost.

Knock the plant out of it’s pot (best done when compost is almost dry) and with care remove as much compost as you can. Replace the old pot with a clean one, but one inch smaller, using fresh compost. Again spray your plant until it has got over the shock of re-potting. Only at this time should you think of starting to shape the new plant.

Before you think of heating your greenhouse through the winter think of the cost of heating. It can be expensive. If you are still interested here are some hints.

1. Clean the glass, as you will need maximum light throughout the winter.
2. Double glaze with polythene as this will save on heat loss.
3. Give ample room for each plant, as a house half full at the start of winter will be full by spring.
4. If the conditions are right for fuchsia growing then they are also right for pests. A tight check must kept for these throughout the winter months.

For your plants to grow they need a number of major elements in the proper amounts, they are, light, heat, air, and feed in water. A lot of people will forget one of these, that is air, you need a change of air within the greenhouse of about one and half times per hour. So ventilation is the key word, do not make the greenhouse airtight.

In November to February aim for a temperature of at least 40F increasing through March to May to 45F. It is of no use giving your plants 50F in November and December as the light is not good enough and all you will do is to produce long jointed plants not fit for anything but the dustbin. Turn every plant every three days by a quarter of a turn of the pot to give the plant an even growth. The best way to check on this is to have all the labels facing one way and if you find some out of sequence you are able to correct the fault.

Keep a check on your heater. If you are using paraffin the air change within the greenhouse is most important, as the fumes given off will discolour the leaves. Keep the greenhouse clean throughout the winter months or Botrytis will become a major problem.

Lastly look at the cost. If we say to greenhouse 40F costs Łx, then to heat to 45F will double your bill i.e. Ł2x and to 50F Ł4x, so the real control on temperature will be the cost. Do not waste money.

Pest and Disease Fuchsias suffer no more, and often less than most other plants. It is impossible to eradicate completely all pests and diseases; the best we can achieve is to keep them at bay by means of regular spraying or fumigation programmes. To spray only occasionally or when you have an infestation is no use whatsoever, make it a habit to spray regularly.

Do not guess as to when you sprayed last, make a note or devise a system to remind you. One good method is to spray weekly on the same day and the same time, after a while this becomes second nature to you.

When possible spray early in the morning before the sun becomes too strong and you will avoid the chances of leaf scorch on your plants. There are available today a wide range of pesticides and fungicides that offer a good deal of control, change makes from time to time in order that the pests and diseases do not build up an immunity against one type. One word of warning, before using any brand make of insecticide or fungicide read carefully the manufacturers instructions and follow to the letter.

As a guide a list of pests and diseases that you are likely to encounter and some of the preventative measures to take against them are listed below. Remember that if you maintain a high standard of hygiene and carry out a regular spraying programme you are unlikely to be affected to any degree.

CautionTake all necessary measures to prevent inhaling all chemical sprays and powders. Avoid skin contact.

Aphids.Attack growing shoots, sucking sap. Leaves a sticky honeydew which attracts ants.
Spray with malathion, Fentrothion or Bio Flydown.

Botrytis.Greay fluffy mould on stems which also turn black and eventually rot. eaves a or Bio rot. Caused by damp cold conditions, also by high temperatures with high humidity as found in propagators with poor ventilation.
Spray with Benlate, or cut out the affected stems. Improve ventilation and drainage and avoid over watering.

Capsid_Bug.Reddish brown spots and ragged holes in the leaves. Kills the flower buds.
Spray with Fentrothion, Lindex or Bio Long Last.

Caterpillars.Not many of these attach fuchsias. The one most likely to is the caterpillar of the Elephant Hawk Moth; this is a very large grey caterpillar, feeding on the foliage. Pick off and destroy.
Spray with Fentrothion.

Compost pests.Sciarid Flies: Tiny black flies and maggots, very common where plants are kept indoors. Springtails: Tiny jumping pests. Symphilids look like very small centipedes.
Water pot plants with Bio Flydown and water the soil with Hexyl.

Damping off.This affects seedlings, stems shrink, plants fall over and die. Damping off is caused by over crowding, over watering, and poor ventilation.
Water with chestnut compound.

Flea Beetle.This beetle eats small round holes in the foliage. They are tiny shiny black and yellow beetles that jump when disturbed.
Spray with Lindex, Cropsaver, Bio Long Last, Hexyl, Liquid Derris, and dust the soil with Sevin Dust and also with Derris Dust.

Cuckoo Spit (Froghoppers).Frothy white mass on the stems, froth contains a small grub, wash off with jet of water.
Spray with Malathion, Bio Long Last, or Hexyl.

Moss.Moss growing on the top of the pot soil is generally a sign of over watering or poor drainage, compost pressed too tightly in the pot. All pot compost should contain 20% air.

Red Spider Mite.Very common on fuchsias raised in the greenhouse, leaves become speckled, very brittle and fall off. Tiny spider like mites on the underside of the leaves and leaf axils, making white webbing.
Spray with systemic insecticide, Liquid Malathion, Liquid Derris, and Bio Flydown.

Rust.Orange or brown spots on the leaves, underside having a peppery looking dust deposits.
Spray with liquid copper fungicide, Dithane 945 or Plantvax.

Wasps and Bees.Corolla becomes discoloured where the wasps and bees have gripped the petals. Keep the greenhouse wasp and bee proof, and spray with Bio Flydown.

Whitefly.One of the worst pests of greenhouse culture. Tiny white moth like flies infesting the undersides of leaves, they fly off to other plants when they are disturbed. Leaves turn yellow and drop off. The white fly lays hundreds of eggs under leaves which hatch in five to seven days. The eggs are immune to sprays.
Spray with Bio Long Last, Malathion, Systemic insecticides and Lindane Smoke. Spray every seven days until cleared.

Vine Weevil Very serious pest of pot grown fuchsias, also very fond of polyanthus. Adult beetle eats holes in foliage, but most damage is done by the vine weevil grub. The adult beetle lays the eggs in the soi1 which hatch out into white grubs with a brownish coloured head.The grub is about 3/8inch long and curls up when disturbed. Each hatch contains about five to eight grubs. They feed on the roots and in no time at all will have eaten all the roots so that plant collapses. Early symptoms are that the makes no growth, the leaves turn yellow and plant could fall over, as it has no roots. If it is suspected that a plant has vine weevil lift the plant by it’s stem, if it comes away from the post or feels loose it is probable it has vine weevil lava. At this stage there are no remedies, if the plant feels loose water the soil with Hexyl and await results. If the plant comes away from the compost then the plant is finished.
Incorporate a soil insecticide into your compost mix, nematodes are available which attack the grubs in the soil.

Although a certain number of insecticides and fungicides have been mentioned there are a great deal more on the market which are quite suitable.

Do take a little care with your plants, your attention will be rewarded.

Do remember to inspect your plants regularly for signs of pests and disease.

Do feed your plants regularly with the appropriate fertiliser.

Do damp down the greenhouse floor during hot sunny days to deter the red spider mite.

Do keep your plants clean by removing dead flowers and fallen leaves from around them.

Do protect your white and pastel shaded blooms from the bees, they can leave unsightly brown stains on the flowers.

Do show your fuchsias toyour friends and neighbours so that they can also enjoy and appreciate them.

Don’t overcrowd your plants, allow room for them to devlop and for air to circulate.

Don’t spray plants when the sun is directly on them or their leaves will scorch.

Don’t spray plants when in full bloom.

Don’t forget to protect plants from frost.

Don’t allow your overwintering plants to dry out completely

Acid: Compost with a pH content below 7.0.

Alkaline: Composts or soil with a pH of above 7.0.

Anther: The end part of a stamen containing the pollen.

Axil: The angle between a leaf and the stem.

Biennial: Plants propagated one year to flower the next year.

Bleeding: The loss of sap from a plant, which has been cut.

Bottom Heat: Heat provided from below the plant usually by electric cables.

Break: Buds that appear at a leaf axil when the growing tip has been pinched out, also buds that appear naturally.

Chlorosis: The loss of chlorophyll causing the leaves to turn yellow.

Corolla: In fuchsias this refers to the petals.

Cutting: Usually refers to the short pieces of the plant including a growing tip used for propagating i.e. tip cutting.

Damp Off: Seedlings dying off when quite young.

Damping Down: Watering the floor and benches of the greenhouse. Dead Heading: Removing dead or faded flowers to prevent seeding

Dormant: The resting period of plants.

Drawn: Applies to plants grown too far from the light.

Espalier: A plant with a vertical stem with pairs of opposite horizontal branches.

Fasciation: When two branches, leaves, or buds grown joined together side by side.

Fertilisation: The act of transferring the pollen from the anther to the stigma.

Filament: The stalk of the stamen.

Fumigate: The act of destroying pests in a greenhouse usually by smoke.

Hardening off: Subjecting plants gradually too colder conditions before planting outside.

Hardy: Plants that tolerate frost.

Hybrid: The seed product of crossing two varieties of the same closely related species.

Internode: The space between nodes.

Mutant (Sport): A branch on a plant, which is different from the parent. Usually produces different flowers or foliage.

Node: A stem joint from which leaves and flower bud appear.

Organic: Material derived from the decay of living organism.

Pedicel: The stalk of a flower.

Petaloids: Small petals at the top of the corolla.

Petiole: The stalk of the leaf.

PH: A scale use for measuring the acid alkaline level of the soil. 7.0 being neutral, above 7.0 alkaline, below 7.0 acid. Fuchsias prefer slightly acid soil about 6.5.

Pistil: The complete female organ of the flower including the stigma, style, and ovary.

Pollen: The male cells of a plant.

Potting On: Repotting into a larger pot.

Potting Back: Repotting into a smaller size pot.

Self: Refers to a fuchsia where the sepals and the corolla are of the same colour i. e. Rufus.

Sepals: In the case of the fuchsia, sepals refer to the bud casing, which opens out to become part of the flower. A single bloom has four petals; a semi-double has five to seven petals, a double has eight or more petals.

Stamen: The complete male organ of the flower, filament, and anther.

Stigma: The tip of the female reproductive organ becomes sticky when ready for pollination.

Stopping: The removal of the growing tip.

Style: The stalk between the stigma and the ovary.

Transpiration: The loss of water via the leaf surface.