There are more than 10,000 varieties of fuchsias, some of which are hardy and can be planted in the garden. For the others, it is necessary ...
There are more than 10,000 varieties of fuchsias, some of which are hardy and can be planted in the garden. For the others, it is necessary to bring them into a room sheltered from the cold because they are frosty. It would be a pity not to see their fabulous bells reappear the following spring. Follow our advice to keep them healthy even in winter!
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| Winterize a potted fuchsia? All the care tips |
Trim to save space
To save space in the winter storage room, to limit evaporation and force the fuchsia to go into dormancy, a rather drastic pruning is necessary. Start by cutting with a small pruning shears all dead or damaged branches. Then prune all the stems to 10 cm from their base. Don't worry: as soon as spring comes your beautiful fuchsia will branch out and produce beautiful, vigorous and flowering shoots.
Take your plant waste to the compost heap.
Clean the pot
The fuchsia is fond of shade or half shade, ideal exposure for gastropods of all kinds. Check under the pot but also behind it that slugs or snails are not hiding there.
Also clean the surface of the pot with a sponge soaked in hot water and a few drops of white vinegar to remove moss and traces of limescale.
Often the fuchsia enthusiast is also a collector, which is understandable given the many cultivars, each one more attractive than the other. If you have several healthy (pest- and disease-free) fuchsias in individual pots and in suspensions, you can take them out of their containers, tap their root balls to remove as much soil as possible and place them together in large tubs filled with a light mixture of river sand and potting soil. This will save space in the room.
Attention ! This does not exempt you from a good cleaning of the pots. You can then immerse them in a bath of warm water with bleach to kill all pathogens before storing them. They will be ready to be used again the following spring.
Which room to overwinter a potted fuchsia?
The room must be well ventilated and frost-free. A temperature between 8 and 12 °C is ideal. If the room is not very bright (e.g. a garage with a window), this is not a major problem since the dormant plant will not produce leaves or flowers.
How to maintain a fuchsia during the winter?
Water only when the substrate is almost completely dry and never leave water in the cups. Watch out for the possible appearance of parasites that tend to develop under cover. If a plant is affected, treat it with nettle liquid manure and put it in quarantine. Treat other overwintered plants as a preventive measure.
In the spring, repot the plant in a mixture of potting soil and ripe compost. Gradually resume watering and take out your fuchsias as soon as there is no risk of frost in the shade of a large tree. Start fertilizing again every day.
Fuchsia : exceptional flowers
Fuchsia flowers beautifully throughout the summer and into early fall.
Planting of fuchsia
- Fuchsia likes half-shade or sun if it is well watered or if the soil remains cool.
- He likes rather rich and fresh soils
- Multiplication by relatively easy propagation by cutting in August.
Care and size of fuchsia
Cut off the faded flowers as you go along, this encourages the appearance of new buds.
In autumn, cut back in November at the shortest and protect the foot of the plant with a mulch of dried leaves for example.
If you fear the cold, do not hesitate to add a winter veil.
Attention if you cultivate the fuchsia and that you live in a cold region in winter, it is imperative to cultivate it in pot and to bring it in a cool place but where it does not freeze during the winter.
Pot culture of fuchsia
Fuchsia in spring and summer :
The interest of the pot is to be able to put it anywhere, on a terrace or a balcony.
But the soil also dries out much faster in pots than in soil, so it is advisable to water regularly, especially in summer.
They like light sunshine but appreciate shade in summer when temperatures are high.
Fuchsia in autumn and winter :
The same advice applies as for growing in the open ground.
Fuchsias are hardy only south of the Loire River and will need protection in all regions where temperatures drop permanently below 0°.
In winter, the pots protect the roots even less from cold and frost, so it is advisable to bring them in a cool and sheltered place during the winter.
Things to know about fuchsia
Fuchsia is actually a bushy looking shrub that is native to Central and South America.
- There are about a hundred species which offers a large number of varieties, colors, flowers and foliage.
- The large number of species also allows to vary the flowering periods.
It gives beautiful bell-shaped flowers that are noticeable for their original shape and the brightness of their colors.
Clever advice about fuchsia
To stimulate this splendid bloom, regularly bring to the plant an organic liquid fertilizer for geraniums or flowering plants.
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