Fuchsias are ideal pot plants for a heated greenhouse, where they will flower in flushes of blossom from April to November. In unheated greenhouses the flowering season is from May until early October.
With little care, fuchsias can easily be trained into a verity of shapes by pinching out the tips of the main stem and the side shoots that grow from them.
Each time a shoot is stopped, the stump of the shoot branches into two or more new shoots. The more shoots you encourage the plant to form, the more bushy it will become. And since fuchsias flower mostly from the tips of the shoots, the more shoots there are the more flowers will be. Greenhouse fuchsias, like their outdoor relatives are not difficult to grow.
The most important caring instructions
Always use a good potting compost. When potting up, firm the compost lightly with your fingers. Shake the compost into the root system by tapping the pot sharply on the edge of a bench or with a trowel.
Start training early, wrapping plastic ties firmly around the supporting cane, then slacken as the plants grow.
Do not let your fuchsias become pot bound. Examine the rootball regularly and when the roots become visible as a network on the outside of the compost, pot on.
Water regularly early in the day. Keep the compost just moist it is important neither to let it dry out nor become sodden.
In hot weather keep the doors and windows open, and cover the outside of the glass with shading paint. Dampen the floor at midday to increase humidity and keep the temperature down. Aim to keep the plants at a temperature of no more 24 Celsius.
When the flowers are open do not spray the plants to avoid bloom spotting. Once a week give a plants a liquid feed of balanced fertilizer. Most houseplants feeds are fine. Keep Reading 6 Ways You Can Prepare Your Garden For Winter
Inspect for pests, most common problem is white fly.
If you grow the flowers in pots then you will have to feed them with fertilizer from the garden center. If you grow them in a greenhouse border then you might want to check out how to make your own feed, this can be useful if the plants in a rich soil and need additional feeding, you can find how to do it on my caring for your tomato plants hub.
