Expert advice about growing greenhouse Fuchsias
POPULAR VARIETIES OF FUCHSIA
Annabel
Celia Smedley
Tennessee Waltz
Pink Marshmallow
Swingtime
PLANT SOCIETIES
HOW TO RAISE FUCHSIA PLANTS IN THE GREENHOUSE
The
Fuchsias are favourite flowering plants both for the
greenhouse and garden.
Fuschia also make excellent window plants.
One of the best Fuchsias for cultivation in the greenhouse is Fuchsia fulgens, a native of Mexico, which has very at tractive orange red flowers.
Another suitable kind is F. splendens, with brilliant scarlet flowers, which are tipped with green.
HEATING THE GREENHOUSE FOR FUCHSIAS
The greenhouse should be heated to a winter temperature of 40-45 degrees f.
During the summer the greenhouse must be kept cool and airy, and free ventilation must be given in warm weather.
WATERING GREENHOUSE FUCHSIAS
When the leaves are falling off fuchsia plants, watering is gradually discontinued until, when all the leaves have fallen. The soil is left dry, except for very occasional watering to prevent its going absolutely dust dry.
LARGER FUCHSIA PLANTS
If larger fuchsia plants are desired, repotting should take place in February, and the branches should be shortened to about half their length.
In order to obtain bushy, well-branched fuchsia plants, the shoots should be stopped several tines.
FUCHSIA PROPAGATION FROM CUTTINGS
Increased stock of fuchsia plants is obtained by taking cuttings.
These fuchsia cuttings should be taken in spring when the shoots have reached a length of about 3 inches. Insert several cuttings into a 5 inch pot containing sandy soil.
If the pots are placed in a propagating case in a greenhouse, roots will appear in a few weeks.
Cuttings will also form roots if placed under a glass-covered case in an unheated greenhouse in April and May.
In spring the rooted cuttings should be potted singly in 3-inch pots containing a compost of five parts of fibrous loam and one part each of leaf-mould and sand, with a sprinkling of wood ash or soot.
When potting larger plants decayed manure should be added to the compost.
PLANTING OUT FUSCHIAS OUTDOORS
Fuchsia plants which are to be used in summer flower-beds should be planted at the end of May or in June.
FUSCHIAS IN HANGING BASKETS
The Fuchsia is very attractive if grown in a hanging basket suspended from the greenhouse roof or outside in the garden.
Some plants should be set at the edge of the basket and one in the middle of it - this is a very decorative arrangement.
The hanging basket should be lined with moss.