Hints & Tips

Here are some hints and tips collected from fuchsia growers who have had many years of experience.

Keep cuttings in a warm place avoiding direct sunlight and keep them humid by placing them in a ventilated plastic tent.

If leaves start to turn yellow during the growing season try to give them some Epsom salts. A teaspoon on a 6 inch pot, sprinkled on top of the soil then watered in.

Stand plants on wet gravel to keep humidity up this will also help control red Spider mite.

In hot weather your plants may wilt, mist the plants with water to help them perk back up again.

The head of a plant needs to be 3 times the size of the pot, for example: A 5 inch pot need to have a top of about 12 - 15 inches.

When you stop a plant this encourages it to make new shoots from the leaf joints. Points where sunlight is allowed to reach will stimulate new growth. To increase light past the leaves try reducing the leaf size by cutting them in half, allowing enough light to reach the lower axils and this should stimulate new growth from these points. The new growth should shield the cut leaves which will turn yellow and drop of naturally.

Try growing plants using the double pot system to help prevent the roots being scorched by the sun. Place a pot the same size as the one on the plant inside a larger pot, fill the gap in between the two pots with grit, sand or gravel. Place your plant in its original pot into the prepared double pot. You can water the material between the pots freely (provided there is adequate drainage) this will aid humidity around the plant. Treat the plant as normal regarding feeding, watering and turning. This method also helps prevent plants being blown over in the wind.

To remove lime scale and sterilise your pots fill a bucket (3 gallon) with water to within 2'' of the top, then add 1/3 of a bottle of toilet cleaner ( like Harpic or own brand). Submerge the pots for a couple of days and every trace of lime scale is removed, the pots are sterilised at the same time. Remove the pots and rinse under clean running water and wipe with a sponge. It maybe best to wear rubber gloves when doing this.

Standard sizes: