The
wintering of certain fuchsias goes not always easy. Difficult wintering fuchsias are for
example various botanical fuchsias (species), the triphyllas and the series that is known
as the WALZ-musical instruments. There are also still a number of cultivars that because
of its weak rootball easely cry off in the winter storage. Perhaps you succeed
also in helping such 'difficult wintering fuchsias' through the winter by following up the
understanding methods of care, which are succesfully tried out by me. |
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| It is advisable to set up cuttings of these difficult winterers in the end
ofAugust / in the begin of September, certainly when the plants are just one season old.
The young plants may NOT been pruned. When the plants yet have become to large for placing
in the winter storage, cut them off something untimely, but certainly not later on than
half September. It is also advisable to give these plants then still some nitrogenous
fertilizer. Young plants must also have in winter more light and heat. So place them in
the glass-house as high as possible. To prevent botrytis fallen leaves must been removed,
while the soil in the pot had to be somewhat moist. When you winter plants in a room, then place them as close as
possible near the window. Wintering in a dark cellar is only well possible when there is
lighting a lamp above the plants. Let the lamp for example not lighting 12 hours at a
stretch, but devides the lighting with the help of a switch-clock over 24 hours in periods
of 15 till 30 minutes. Out of trials by floriculturists namely,it has been found necessary
that a periodical lighting is more effective. For this lighting there are in commerce
special bulbs and TL-lamps |
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| Two methods of wintering |
| Old plants you can let wintering according to two methods |
a. Didn't prune the plants but place them not-pruned in the
glass-house, but remove then first the fallen leaves. This method asks much space, but
gives well a longer flowering period. |
| b. Prune back two
weeks sooner than normal, but do that outward the last week of September. Prune them after
two or three pairs of leaves, that are formed this year and let the leaves sitting. That
gives nice bushy plants. After pruning it is advisable for effecting a good regrowing to
give still one time nitrogen. Place the plants after pruning NOT in the
glass-house but let them standing outdoors during certainly still two weeks. This gives a
much better regrowing and less chance of botrytis. Notice well that they becomes by
raining not too wet. This second method asks more less space, but gives well a shorter
period of flowering. |
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| F.magdalenae
is a difficult wintering species |
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For both
methods concern well that the plants must stand more light than the not difficult
wintering cultivars. Didn't place them under a table. The more light such a plant gets the
shorter remain the stemlids (internodia) and they grow out through it to solid bushy
plants. For ensilage or placing in a dark cellar without lighting difficult wintering
fuchsias are not suitable, they go there certainly to death. Place the plants some more
heath in the glass-house. Through this the cold so didn't raise and the soil becomes so
less cold. |
By many
fuchsialovers there rules the idea that old plants better can withstand the cold than
cuttings. Old plants well can withstand a long cold period of 5°C better. But I have seen
old plants getting to death in a space where it has frozen five degrees, while cuttings in
the same space survived.
While the plants are run out again,
they desire also some more water than just now pruned plants. Notice especially that dry
up. But when the temperature goes down they resolute must not stand too wet. Wet soil is
much more cold and this can cause root rot.
In spring when there is growth
again (the end of March) the not-pruned plants (method a.) becomes good pruned
back till the first or second pair of leaves of each stem. The tops of these stems
generally deliver very nice cuttings.
The plants which are pruned in
autumn (methode b.) are pruned till above the first pair of leaves of each young
stem. For young plants this method of pruning obtains also. In this way you form nice
bushy plants. This method of pruning concerns also for the crown of a standard. |
| When it
is possible, prune then on a nice sunny day, sothat the incised wounds can dry well and
there is then less chance of coming into existence of botrytis. 'WALZ Bella', 'WALZ
Banjo', 'WALZ Klavier' and 'Hinnerike' (crossbreedings with in it
the difficult wintering species F.magdalenae) I let wintering allready some years
successful following method b. in the glass-house. Some normal cultivars, which
have also this problem are:'Chang', 'Ming', 'Jaspers Kleine Ding', 'Countess of
Aberdeen' and 'Eleonor Leytham'. My temperature in the glass-house 10 cm
above the ground is 5 à 6°C. These plants are standing at a hight of 1,50 m and there is
the temperature then 8 à 9°C. Against coming into existence of botrytis a ventilator
turns continue in the glass-house to hold the air in circulation. When the temperature
this allows, ventilate well the glass-house. |
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| 'Hinnerike'
is a cultivar with wintering problems |
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| Wintering fuchsias with a weak rootball |
'La Campanella' and many seedlings of this cultivar (see
Fuchsia cross-breedings with in it 'La
Campanella') have a weak rootball. Other examples of cultivars with a weak
rootball are 'Auntie Jinks', 'Foline','Foolke' and various seedlings with in it'Rosea'.
These plants have many thin roots and no thick fleshy roots. These thin roots rot off
easely by a combination of cold and moist. Wath I have tried out with such cultivars is
the following. From various of these varieties there is repot one in a pot of plastic and
one in a pot of stone.The pots and the plants were of the same format. It seams that the
roots of the plants in the porous pot of stone are better aired, through which the
housekeeping of water much easier is beyond out of our control. |
| By an
equal large gift of water the roots grow in the pot of stone slowly further on, while they
don't grow further in the pot of plastic. By a pot of stone there evaporates much water
through the potwall, through which the soil remains more well-aired. Also a more less gift
of water to the plants in the pots of plastic hadn't a good result. By plants which are
standing in a pot of plastic there can come more difficult oxygen by the roots than by
plants in a pot of stone. These 'breathe' through the potwall. Take care that in autumn by
repotting a poor well-aired soil is used. The more well-aired this soil is, the better
there can come oxygen by the roots. and this prevent for existing root rot. |
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| 'Postiljon'
has inherit the 'weak' rootball of 'La Campanella' |
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| Pots of stone also feel more warm (difference of 2 à 3°C). That means
that in my glass-house on a hight of 1,50 m by the there measured temperature of 8 à
9°C, the soil in a pot of plastic is 3 à 4°C and in a pot of stone is 5 à 6°C. |
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| Taking cuttings is more efficient |
You can save all this labour by timely taking cuttings of the
difficult winterers and then throw away the old plants. The young cuttings grow out to
more nice plants,certainly when you place some cuttings in a pot.Take into consideration
that in a polystyreen tray of 0,40 x 0,60m there goes indeed 70 cuttings while there on
the same surface can stand only 6 till 8 pots with old plants. To get a good growing out
of the cuttings I always cut the cuttings end August or in the beginning of September and
heat the temperature in my glass-house till well 36°C. There then lays no plactic sheet
or something else over the trays. Howevere the trays may certainly not stand in the sun.
The door and windows then are closed, through which it is humid enough in the glass-house. |
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November
2008