Grow Your Own Magazine

Help; I'm growing some Fuchsias from plugs for the first time, and I have read that you have to "Pinch" out the growing tips. Can anyone give me some detailed information as to how and when this is done.

'pinching out' is the top middle bit of the plant you just nip it out with your fingernails, stops them getting too leggy and encourages them to bush out more, also if theyve got any tiny flower buds i'd take those off now as it much to early and the plants energy should be directed at making a stronger plant not flowers this early...hope that makes sense if not maybe somebody else can explain it better than me

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The love of gardening is a seed once sown never dies ...

I would leave them for a bit workhorse and then when they have about 5 pairs of leaves on cut the top 3 pairs off and then you can root the cuttings

If you do a search waaaaay back I did a message about Fuchsia's and maybe Dahlia's as well. but it's probably 2 years ago. That had some pretty drawings on to help explain it

Just for info if you are planting baskets or tubs up they always look better in odd numbers (1,3 or 5) and I usually put 3 in a mixed basket ( around 12" dia) and 5 if I just want a basket or tub of 1 variety of Fuschia.

If you have a frost free place you will be able to save any plants you like and if you give them a bot of warmth and a few sprays of warm water to soften the bark up they'll give you loads of cuttings next year.

Save you looking I found it

Fushia cells

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ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

Thanks NTG, that is a great link, and has explained it fully, not that you didn't of course.

Probably the one's we tried to follow - I think there are some plants that are 'bogey' plants, just couldn't keep fuschias alive. Think we probably kill 'em with kindness by overwatering or some such....

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Manda.

"Wouldn't it be nice
For maybe an hour
To not have a care."

Probably where you were going wrong sbp is that you were 'trying to keep them alive'. Fuchsias benefit from a dormant period, ie dropping their leaves, and being kept quite dry.

At this time of year, start watering to start the plants into growth. When you have some good shoots, you can start taking tip cuttings. I use a 50/50 mix of multipurpose compost and vermiculite. They root very easily.

The other thing that might have prevented you from keeping them is the vine weevil grub. If you tip the compost out of pots and find white 'C' shaped grubs with a brown head, you have vine weevils.

I find fuchsias very easy to grow, but they are very addictive, and I try to grow too many.

valmarg