How to pinch fuchsia at home and how to prune fuchsia in spring

Formation of fuchsia

Fuchsia amazes its owners with its bright flowers of unusual shape. The buds combine several shades at once: pink, red, purple. In agricultural technology there is no clear indication of what the crown of the plant should be. The florist can choose any shape. Pruning is more necessary to eliminate weak shoots that will bloom worse. Thin, long branches or shoots with only two or three leaves are cut from fuchsia. Branches that have become woody are also cut off. It is forbidden to touch the plant trunk itself when cutting.

Possible growing difficulties

One of the reasons for problems with fuchsia is considered to be poor ventilation of the room. Lack of air movement can affect the health of the plant. It is for this reason that it is recommended to ventilate the room with the flower more often or move the pot to fresh air in the warm season.

Flowering ends too quickly

A flowering wave that ends too quickly can be caused by several factors. The first of them is insufficiently cool wintering and abundant watering during this period. Other reasons include lack of lighting during the growing season or lack of moisture and nutrients in the summer. Flowering can also be harmed by excess nitrogen in the soil - in this case, fuchsia may not bloom. The addition of phosphorus and potassium will help correct the situation.

Sometimes the reason for the lack of flowering is a too small pot. In this case, the bush will need to be transplanted into a more suitable container.

The leaves are falling

Falling leaves may be due to unfavorable growing conditions for the plant. Causes may include too little lighting, improper watering, low humidity, or excessively hot weather. If a fuchsia sheds its leaves in winter, the bush is probably in too much sun and needs to be removed. Untimely buds are pinched off during this period.

Spots on leaves

Leaf spotting can occur due to excessive watering in winter. If the foliage turns pale, the bush may have been planted in unsuitable or too poor soil.

Dropping buds

During bud formation and flowering, you should not disturb the fuchsia bush - in this case, all the flowers will fall off it. To avoid this, you do not need to move or rotate the pot, or expose it to drafts.

Pests

Whiteflies and spider mites can settle on a fuchsia bush. The presence of whiteflies is manifested by the appearance of rusty spots on leaf blades. Fuchsia can react to spider mites by dropping leaves. Such pests should be controlled using insecticides.

Choosing a season for pruning fuchsia

Initially, the gardener must figure out when to prune fuchsia and for what purpose. Pruning is done in the spring months, until the time when the plant begins to form buds. With proper manipulation, fuchsia will bloom more abundantly and longer. The plant can also be pruned in the fall. The best period will be the last ten days of October or the beginning of November. This method is suitable for indoor plants. In autumn, gentle pruning is recommended, which concerns the parts of the plant where the flower stalks were.

If the plant is still blooming at this time, it is recommended to postpone the procedure to a later period. You can do pruning in winter. But fuchsia must be pruned before wintering, when the plant enters the dormant phase. To prevent it from weakening, there is no need to trim the shoots to a length of less than 15 centimeters. When the crown is formed, only weak shoots are eliminated. They are thinned out and shortened to 1/3 of the original height.

Features of cutting

Choosing the season: when is the best time to start?

First you need to decide when is the best time to prune fuchsia. Most often this process is performed in the spring. It is worth pruning before new buds form. Thus, flowering will become lush and long-lasting.

Can this be done in the fall and winter?

It is possible to prune fuchsia in autumn, but only do it in late October - early November. This option is suitable for those gardeners who grow fuchsias as indoor plants (read about the nuances of growing fuchsia at home here).

Pruning in the fall takes place in a gentle manner. On each branch, remove those parts that had flower stalks. Cut the branches down to the first pair of leaves with stone buds from the top. When fuchsia still continues to bloom in the fall, it is better not to touch it, but to postpone this matter until winter.

Conduct winter pruning for those plants that bloom until late autumn. In addition, winter pruning is mandatory before sending the flower for the winter (read about how to preserve fuchsia in the basement and apartment in winter).

Pruning should be strong, leaving shoots 15 cm long. If the crowns are already formed, then remove only weak shoots, thin out and shorten the remaining branches by 1/3 of their height. Subsequently, to form a standard tree, the shoots are pinched in specific places.

Tools and disinfection

To trim fuchsia, use a sharp knife or garden shears. Before starting the process, one of the important points remains the disinfection of garden tools. This will prevent the development of viral diseases, the transmission of which occurs through the sap of affected plants.

During the disinfection process, various compositions that contain alcohol are used. You can use alcohol-containing wipes, medical sprays or household products: chlorine, kerosene.

Advice! Permanganate sulfate (5-10%) has a disinfecting effect. Dip the instrument into this solution for a few minutes, and then wipe with a clean rag.

For lush flowering

The intensity of flowering depends on pruning. The later the procedure is carried out, the later the fuchsia will begin to bloom. It is advisable to prune twice a year - before wintering and in early spring. Autumn pruning is preventive in nature, since in its process damaged, frail and thin branches are removed.

Spring pruning is performed in February-March. Its main task is to form a beautiful crown with a large number of young shoots, at the ends of which buds form.

The pruning process has the following features:

The first step is to remove the small, frail branches. Most likely, there will be no flowering on them, and if there is, it will be very weak.
Now you can move on to removing dry and very thin branches.
Cut off those shoots that are directed towards the center. This will prevent the bush from getting too thick.
When pruning shoots, ensure that the crown is of the correct shape. Make the cut at a distance of 1.5-2 cm from the node.

Tools and their disinfection

The gardener should use a knife or garden shears when processing the plant. Before the procedure, the instrument is disinfected to prevent the development of viruses. The scissors are treated with a product containing alcohol (spray, wipes). Kerosene, potassium permanganate or bleach are also used. Place the instruments in an antiseptic solution for several minutes and wipe them with a clean, dry cloth.

Preparing a houseplant for winter

From time to time it is important for every plant to rest. If the fuchsia is in a heated room, it is fed and watered as in summer, then the plant will not have the strength to bloom. In addition, the bush grows quickly and occupies a large area. Before wintering, you should examine how much the branches have grown.

In the first year of fuchsia growth, you should not overwinter with shoots that are too long. Therefore, they are cut short, leaving a length of about 15 centimeters. After the bush is formed, all weakened and diseased branches are cut off. You should not thicken the bush too much, otherwise it will not grow well. The plant should only have strong shoots left, the rest should be cut off, leaving 1/3 of the shoots.

You need to pay attention to semi-ampeloid forms. Their weak shoots break under the weight. Only strong branches are left on the bushes. To switch to winter mode, plants need to drop the temperature to +10 degrees. Therefore, fuchsias are put away in the basement or placed on a glazed balcony. In such a room, the temperature should not be below zero so that the indoor plant does not die.

If there is no cooler place, then you can simply choose a cold corner in the house. When the fuchsia continues to grow, fresh shoots are cut with scissors or pinched.

Before leaving the winter hut, all diseased parts of the plant are cut off and overgrown branches are removed. To make the crown more lush, it is recommended to pinch the tops of the shoots after growth begins. Flowering occurs no earlier than two months after the procedure. In order for the plant to actively produce buds in the summer, it is necessary to pinch it no later than April.

Do I need to pinch fuchsia?

Forming fuchsia at home is a rather exciting and interesting process, since the crown of the plant can be given almost any shape. This can only be done in one way - by pinching. And this process is mandatory, since it is thanks to it that additional side shoots are formed with buds located on them, which as a result bloom. This simple procedure helps the plant bush even more and acquire more lush flowering stems.

Thuja hedge - pruning and shaping

If it becomes noticeable that the plant has been crushed and no additional shoots have appeared on it, pinching the fuchsia must be done. Due to the procedure, the flower will perk up, it will have more incentive to grow, and after a short period of time, a significantly larger number of buds will appear on it than before.

Important! Many varieties of fuchsia do not have a tendency to branch independently and grow like a flower on a stick. And only pinching can force the plant to bush and help the formation of new side shoots with buds.

How to pinch fuchsia at home

To carry out the procedure, one of two main methods is usually chosen. The classic version of pinching fuchsia:

with each procedure, the growth point of the flower is removed, this helps to double the size of the plant, and with it the number of flowers;
for the first time, for fuchsia, the cultivation of which begins from a cutting, it is necessary to carry out three pinching procedures. It would be enough;
the formation of a fuchsia crown may take time - 2-3 months;
flowering will occur after long daylight hours have been established in the apartment, no earlier than 2 months after the last pinching procedure.

The second option for pinching fuchsia at home is K. Dave’s method. It is based on the ability of the plant itself to double the number of new shoots without new internodes. With its help, a lush plant is formed in a relatively short time. Since the number of growing shoots is quite large, it should be used with caution; there is a risk that the stems will break under the weight of the flowers.

The plant can be pinched at any time of the year; it is especially important to do this in winter to avoid stretching of the stems during the rest period. If you figure out how to pinch fuchsia, everything will work out.

Important! There is no single rule on how to pinch plants. There is no right or wrong process of crown formation, it all depends on what effect you want to get in the end.

Crown formation

To form the crown of a standard tree, it is easiest to use upright varieties. At the first stage, it is recommended to tie them to a solid base until the shoots become more stable. You can also use hanging varieties, the effect will be amazing, but this will require more effort. The main stem must be tied to a peg in several places. Once the plant reaches the desired length, the growing point must be pinched to form side shoots. This is how the crown will form. Once this process is complete, the support peg can be removed.

The formation of ampelous fuchsia involves removing growth points to form new side shoots. Initially, you need to let the main stem grow to the desired length, and then start pinching.

Formed crown of ampelous fuchsia

Pruning when wintering fuchsia on the ground

Fuchsia is not recommended to be grown in the garden. It does not tolerate frost well, but in rare cases this type of cultivation is used. Growing is possible in the southern regions of the country, where winters are milder than in Siberia. It is best to plant the plant in a flower garden, placing it in a container so that you can dig up the fuchsia when autumn comes.

When the bush overwinters in a flowerbed, the fuchsia is pruned as much as possible so that only the strongest branches remain. Don't leave all the plants in the ground. It is recommended to dig up some of them. A month before the onset of frost, the bush is prepared for new conditions. Nitrogen is removed from fertilizers and only phosphorus is left. The gardener should reduce the number of waterings and the interval between them.

Plants are kept outdoors until frost occurs. This way they will gradually enter the resting phase. Before the procedure, it is necessary to treat with compounds that protect against fungus. After the product has completely dried, you can trim the bushes. Only woody branches remain unpruned. Green branches simply will not survive the cold winter.

The bush is inspected for the presence of weak, diseased or damaged branches. All the leaves are torn off the branches. All weak and diseased shoots should be cut off. They also eliminate all crooked processes. The remaining branches are cut by a third. Only a few skeletal branches and a trunk are left on the bush. After this, they are inspected for pests. Insects happily eat weakened fuchsia at the beginning of spring.

The plants are dug up and moved to a box. The roots are shaken off the soil and wrapped in damp moss. Despite this, fuchsias often die during wintering. Experienced gardeners prepare cuttings in advance in the fall so that they have something to plant in the spring. Planting material can be created from fragments of branches cut when thinning the bush. They are cut into pieces from 5 to 8 centimeters. Such cuttings should be dug into the ground and kept warm for some time. After rooting, they are removed to the balcony until spring.

Aphids on fuchsia: how to get rid of them

Identifying pests is usually not difficult if you monitor your “green pet” regularly. Pests often grow on weak plants that are already affected by some diseases or pests. Pests often move to fuchsias from neighboring plants, as is often the case with aphids, which are very often found on indoor plants.

It is easier to identify pests than any diseases, since caterpillars or other insects can always be seen even with the naked eye. However, questions may arise with identifying pests that grow in the roots.

It is extremely difficult to remove this very common pest from fuchsia. This is due to the fact that this insect still returns, and one treatment is usually not enough.

Aphids most often infect the entire plant rather than just any part of it. Fuchsia leaves may curl and fall off, and they often turn yellow quickly. You may notice sticky, sticky secretions left by insects on the plant. These green insects are easy to spot, even though they are small. If measures are not taken in a timely manner, the fuchsia will die.

It is useless to catch aphids by hand; only complete treatment of the plant using a special product can help.

Whitefly

Another fuchsia lover that is difficult to remove is the whitefly. Whiteflies are very small, white, winged insects that quickly attack fuchsia.

You can fight whiteflies using professional insecticides or folk remedies. Whiteflies often appear on fuchsias in the warm season, when they can freely fly into the house through windows. Whiteflies may cause fuchsia leaves to begin to fall off, and droplets of a characteristic white color may form on them.

If white midges appear on fuchsia, you need to act immediately. The first aid may be to treat the leaves with a soap solution made from laundry soap.

Nematodes

Nematodes are quite dangerous worms that can infect the entire root system of a plant in a short time. Nematodes often attack the roots of fuchsia. You can see characteristic brown-brown spots on the leaves. When affected by nematodes, the leaves begin to fall off, and the plant itself gradually withers. It is often almost impossible to determine it by external signs in the first stages of the disease.

If the root system is damaged by such worms, the plant can only be helped by treatment and immediate replanting.

Spider mite

If cobwebs, black dots and a gray coating appear on the fuchsia foliage, then most likely the plant has been infected by a spider mite. This parasite often causes plant leaves to curl, but curing them is not difficult.

Caterpillars

In most cases, caterpillars are very easy to deal with. They are usually collected by hand, after which the plant is treated with a soap solution or a special insecticide.

Sometimes aphids attack fuchsia bushes. The way to combat this small fly is to wipe the plant with a cotton swab dipped in medical alcohol, and then treat it with special insecticides. One of these drugs is Akellic. One ampoule of the product must be diluted in a liter of clean water. In order to completely remove aphids, the treatment procedure is carried out every three days.

Aphids on fuchsia

Pruning after flowering

After the bush has flowered, it is recommended to partially cut off the branches. This will allow the bush to gain strength. The procedure is carried out twice a year: in September and April. First, all wilted and dry stems are removed from the plant. The next step is for the gardener to cut off all the young shoots. Then the fuchsia is formed to the desired shape. The plant can wrap around supports. Therefore, the stems can be braided or intertwined with each other. In the fall, the gardener should inspect the fuchsia for the absence of pests and diseases. If detected, the diseased branch should be cut off, including the healthy part.

Flower pruning in autumn

Autumn is the period when active flowering of fuchsia ends and the dormant period begins. Pruning during this period should be carried out immediately, as soon as the fuchsia has stopped blooming and has entered a dormant state. This contributes to good winter hibernation and successful spring awakening.

To do this you need:

Carefully remove the bush from the pot and inspect it for diseases and parasites

You should remove the fuchsia carefully so as not to damage the roots that may have grown to the walls of the pot. It is better to throw away the old soil, as it may be infested with pests. Fuchsia should be cleared of parasitic insects and their eggs

Diseased roots, black, with a grayish tint, are cut off. You should trim with pruning shears, capturing the healthy root about a centimeter to prevent re-infection. The pot is thoroughly washed and disinfected. Next, you should fill in a new drainage and fresh soil, into which the flower is carefully placed.

After all the manipulations, you need to place the fuchsia in a dark, damp and cool place where the plant will spend the whole winter.

This is a very important difference from spring transplantation, when fuchsia is left warm. In autumn and winter, the plant should rest and gain strength before the new growing season.

Do not allow the earthen ball to dry out and periodically water the plant with clean, settled water. There is no need to fertilize at this time.

How to properly form a plant

The plant is distinguished by interestingly shaped flowers that combine several shades. On each branch several thinner stems are formed, on each of which 3-10 inflorescences subsequently develop. The flowers have an outer row of strongly expanding pointed petals, several rows of rounded small petals and long stamens at the core. Each of these parts may be different from the others in color, blue, yellow, white, pink, red or purple.

Note! There is no single requirement on how to form a fuchsia bush correctly. The crown can have any shape depending on your own wishes.

Pruning is necessary to remove the weakest shoots that will bloom poorly. For example, you can immediately remove stems that are too long and thin or those that have only a couple of small leaves, while the rest are distinguished by an abundance of greenery. It is also necessary to trim stems that have become woody over time. Only the trunk of the bush cannot be trimmed.

What types of fuchsias are there?

Depending on the purpose of the plant, you can choose one of three forms of the bush:

erect, with shoots directed upward;
ampelous, the branches of which cascade down;
semi-ampeloid, in which the shoots stretch upward, and when flowering, under the weight of lush caps, they bend and hang below the bottom of the vessel.

Fuchsias bloom from spring to autumn and are striking in their diversity. The plant begins to produce buds at a tender age; they can be seen even on small cuttings. Some varieties form inflorescences collected in racemes, with various colors, from white to purple. The calyx of the flower can reach a length of 10 cm, there are double varieties with a large number of petals, and there are more modest, but no less charming inflorescences.

When growing hanging forms, a tall flowerpot covered with decorative vines looks very beautiful. But if the vessel is low, the middle appears empty. Do not forget that breeders have developed different types of fuchsias, this will help you create a complete composition. Plant a cutting of an erect variety in the center of the flowerpot; it will grow into a lush bush that adorns the top of the flower bed.

Fuchsia has faded: what to do next

What to do with fuchsia after flowering? It is necessary to partially cut the stems, this will have a beneficial effect on subsequent flowering. It is better to prune twice: in early autumn and in mid-spring. First of all, wilted or shriveled stems are removed. After this, young shoots and branches at the ends should be trimmed. Next, the fuchsia is trimmed based on decorative preferences, that is, the desired crown shape is set.

Note! Fuchsia can easily curl around a support. It is often braided so that the stems grow in the right direction. Young stems can be intertwined with each other so that they form one low trunk of an interesting shape.

When pruning fuchsia in autumn, it is important to inspect the branches for the presence of harmful insects or diseases affecting the bark. If something like this is actually found, the diseased branch and its small healthy part will have to be removed.

Care

Growing fuchsia does not require any special skills from the gardener. The ampelous variety prefers lighting of moderate brightness. Direct ultraviolet rays have the most depressing effect on fuchsia - the plant does not die, but the formation of flower stalks becomes rare, and the buds themselves become smaller, and it will be almost impossible to return the plant to its luxurious appearance by moving it to other conditions. The plant feels comfortable in light partial shade; low temperatures, cold winds and drafts are contraindicated for it.

These factors should be taken into account when planning plant placement. The best option would be a place where the sun shines only in the morning, and starting from noon it is better for fuchsia to be in the dark

However, you shouldn’t plant it in full shade either - in this case, it stops producing flower stalks, and the decorative appearance of the bush noticeably deteriorates.

Landing

When planting, it is very important to prevent overheating of the root system, therefore it is recommended to plant fuchsia in light ceramic pots with thick walls. The top layer of the substrate should also be sprinkled with light gravel.

If these measures are neglected, the roots will quickly heat up and rot.

Fuchsia is not particularly demanding on the soil, but it grows and develops much better in fertile soil with neutral acidity and high air permeability parameters. The soil mixture for fuchsia is made up of peat, turf and leaf soil, river sand and compost, taken in equal parts.

Trimming

Ampelous fuchsia tends to branch strongly, and new flowers are formed in large numbers. In such conditions, the root system experiences significant stress, which is why all excess shoots must be cut off in a timely manner. It is very easy to determine that there are too many shoots - fuchsia begins to bloom poorly, some shoots dry out, and extra flowers often break branches with their weight.

Watering

For full growth and development of ampelous fuchsia, it needs to be watered regularly and in moderate amounts. Throughout the entire growing season, an optimal level of soil moisture in the container should be maintained, but moisture should not stagnate. After each watering, you must wait 15-20 minutes, then drain all remaining moisture that has formed in the pan. With the onset of the dormant stage, the amount of irrigation is reduced to 1-2 times a month. Fuchsia responds well to periodic spraying of foliage.

Fertilizer

Like many other exotic plants, fuchsias need fertilizer. Feeding is carried out approximately once every 7-10 days. It is best to use complex compositions for ornamental plants, which can be purchased at any specialized store.

It is very important to strictly follow the dosages indicated on the fertilizer packaging. With an excess supply of microelements, the plant begins to actively grow, this creates an increased load on the roots, and in addition, the plant does not have the strength to bloom lushly

How to form fuchsia on a trunk: pruning scheme, recommendations

What to do next when the fuchsia has faded? After the fuchsia has faded, the faded cuttings and twigs that have formed above the young buds are removed.

The standard is formed from a healthy cutting with a strong, straight stem. When planting, it is necessary to install a stick to support the main trunk. Next, you need to figure out how to shape the planted fuchsia. To start forming fuchsia on a trunk, you first need to let it grow to the desired height, cutting off all the side shoots. When the stem reaches the desired height, the top is cut off, and immediately after this young side shoots begin to form. By pinching them, you can get a lush flowering bush.

Forming a fuchsia crown is easy; this way you can give it a certain shape. For example, you can give it the shape of a heart, a ball or a small tree, based on the calculation that from each cut piece two more will grow. They will be directed towards the angle at which the trim was made.

Fuchsia pruning scheme

Diseases

Fuchsia is rarely affected by diseases and insect pests. The main problems arise from careless plant care. Let us introduce you to some of the problems that arise when growing fuchsia at home.

Fuchsia has dropped its buds. Probable reasons:

insufficient or excessive watering;
moving a pot with a flowering plant to a new place;
insufficient lighting;
air temperature is too high;
lack of nutrition in the soil.

Why does fuchsia shed its leaves? Probable reasons:

indoor air is too dry;
high air temperature;
lack of moisture in the soil;
lack of nutrition in the soil.

The fuchsia leaves have turned yellow. Probable reasons:

waterlogging of the soil (water the flower correctly, excess water from the pan must be drained. During the dormant period, reduce watering to a minimum).

Dark spots and small drops of dew appeared on the fuchsia leaves. Probable reasons:

The air humidity in the room is too high (it is necessary to reduce the humidity, ventilate the room more often, spray the fuchsia with special preparations).

Fuchsia does not bloom. The reasons may be the following:

unfavorable conditions during hibernation;
late circumcision or untimely pinching of fuchsia;
the plant is in direct sunlight;
little light (the shoots will stretch out, will be thin and frail, the buds will be weak or not formed at all).
the pot is too large for the flower (fuchsia will bloom when its roots completely entwine the entire soil in the pot. If the flower is still small and the pot is too large, most likely you will not see flowers this year);
the soil in the pot is poor and too light (such soil quickly becomes compacted from watering, there are few useful elements in it. The root system is located at the edges of the pot, cannot weave the entire earthen ball in the center and suffers greatly from this);
the soil is too heavy, the roots develop poorly or stop developing altogether (the plant does not receive moisture and nutrition, the soil turns sour, the roots rot);
the flower was overfed with nitrogen fertilizers (the green mass will begin to increase to the detriment of flowering. Until the fuchsia uses up the entire excess supply of nitrogen fertilizers, it will not bloom).

Pinching and forming a fuchsia cutting

You should not pinch the plant too often, at least you should be careful with this before flowering begins. Pinching involves cutting off young shoots and leaves. The ends of very thin branches that have recently formed are cut off, so the tree’s energy is not used to grow greenery that is useless this season, but to ensure that the flowers are large and bloom well. Thanks to pinching, crown growth slows down; it should be done about once every two weeks throughout the summer. Already in the fall, you can do a full crown pruning, without reducing the number of flowers on the bush. Fuchsia, pruned and pinched correctly, will bloom much more abundantly, more luxuriantly and a little longer.

Varieties of indoor fuchsia

Among the indoor varieties, it is worth highlighting the following varieties, which are in demand among gardeners:

Fuchsia corymbiflora or corymbose fuchsia. In the wild, the bush grows up to 5 m in height. The leaf reaches 17 cm in length and 7 cm in width. The leaves have a central reddish vein. Purple inflorescences with a red calyx appear in July and August.
Fuchsia magellanica or Magellan grows up to 50 cm. The stems of the plant are purple with slight pubescence. The leaves are arranged in sequence or collected in whorls of 3 pieces. The edge of the leaf blade is serrated, and there are purple veins on the surface. Flowers are single or collected in inflorescences of 4 pieces. The flower with purple petals has a pale red crown tube. Blooms from late spring to late summer.
Fuchsia boliviana or Bolivian can reach a height of 1 m. The leaf blades are elliptical in shape and pointed at the end. There are small serrations along the edge of the sheet. The plant blooms from mid-spring to late summer. Inflorescences are dark red.
Fuchsia fulgens or shiny comes from Mexico, reaches a height of 2 m. It has bare branched stems with large leaf blades of a heart-shaped or elongated configuration. Racemose inflorescences consisting of small pale red flowers appear at the end of the stem. The plant blooms throughout the summer.

Wintering fuchsia in open ground. Winter pruning rules

In most cases, gardeners are advised to dig up fuchsia for the winter and leave it in pots indoors or at home; fortunately, this is not so difficult to do. This will protect the tree from frost by keeping it warm. If the bushes have already reached quite large sizes or there are a lot of them on the site, it will not be possible to store them indoors. In this case, you can simply cover the plants with spruce branches or spunbond. They should survive the winter well. Some varieties need to be cut almost to ground level, covered generously on top, sometimes even sprinkled with 10-15 cm of soil. At the end of spring, the plants are dug up, after which they begin to grow again.

Note ! Annual varieties of fuchsia do not need to be left for the winter; instead, cuttings will have to be re-rooted every year.

Fuchsia transplant

For successful cultivation, it is recommended to replant fuchsia annually in fertile soil. It is advisable to do this in the spring. Before replanting, it is necessary to remove old stems and trim the root system. The soil for planting fuchsia is a slightly acidic substrate of peat, deciduous soil and sand in a ratio of 2:3:1. The second substrate option consists of sand, greenhouse and clay-turf soil (1:2:3).

You need to lay a drainage layer at the bottom of the pot, which should occupy 20% of the container, then add new soil, place the flower and sprinkle the empty spaces, fixing the plant in the ground. You need to thoroughly spray and water the transplanted bush generously, then move it to a well-lit room. In the middle of summer, fuchsia can be replanted in fresh soil.

Fuchsia transplant

The pot should be chosen a little larger than the previous one so that there is room for roots to grow. But it is not recommended to replant the flower in an overly large pot, in this case only the root system will develop.

Useful tips for gardeners on pruning and shaping fuchsia bushes

Many people are interested in how to prune fuchsia at home and whether it should be done at all. Pruning fuchsia at home should be done less often than when growing in open ground. A significant difference will be the size of the bush and the thickness of the stems. If in natural garden conditions you can get a bush-shaped tree 1.5 m high, then at home a small bush no more than 20-30 cm will grow.

Important! We need to figure out how to prune such a small fuchsia without cutting off excess stems. The pruning scheme is the same as for large bushes; young shoots are cut off by 1-2 cm so that several new ones grow in their place.

Growing fuchsia at home is a little easier due to the absence of the need to replant for the winter, and the temperature regime will not change so much throughout the year. And in summer, the scorching sun will not fall on the flower, whose rays often burn through the delicate leaves of fuchsia growing in its natural environment.

Plants that have miniature shapes and small leaf sizes, as well as the flowers themselves, require much less effort and can bloom much earlier than other varieties. They do not require as much care and will bloom even in not the hottest climates.

Fuchsia is a versatile plant that can grow as shrubs, hanging plants or low-growing trees. The plant produces flexible shoots that provide a cascading crown. Growing the crop can be done indoors or in the garden.

Trimming and pinching

Flowers appear on young fuchsia shoots.
To increase their number, systematically prune the plant and pinch out young shoots. Pinching is considered a very effective method for fuchsia to bloom profusely. Pinching makes it possible to form the desired shape. The crown begins to look like a ball, bush or mini-bonsai tree.

Fuchsia can reach a height of 3 meters. Everything will depend on what variety. It is difficult to grow such a giant at home. And is it necessary?

When the plant is pinched in a timely manner, this will make it possible to form a strong and attractive bush.

Indoor fuchsia is pruned twice a year. The first time is in October, when the flower blooms en masse. The second - in early January.

Fuchsia in the form of a tree

When the first pruning is done in the fall, it is necessary to remove all fuchsia branches that have already bloomed. Cut at a height of 2 cm from dormant buds.

Each branch is carefully inspected to ensure there are no pests on it. Peduncles that have already outlived their usefulness and excess seed boxes are removed. If there are insect pests, the infected parts of the fuchsia must be cut off. The entire plant is treated using an insecticide.

The second pruning should be carried out in early January, before the crown of the plant is fully formed. If fuchsia happens to be overwintered in a garage or basement, the plant should be pruned in the fall. When spring comes, simply remove dry leaves and shoots from the plant.

If the fuchsia was in the room throughout the winter period. Pruning is necessary. Use clean pruning shears or garden shears to remove all long and thin shoots.

There is no point in feeling sorry for them. They are not needed, since there will be no lush flowering, and the bush will not grow attractive.

Fuchsia bonsai

When a plant is pruned after certain periods, then it will not grow in height, but will grow in width. They also get rid of woody shoots.

They are cut off because they take away nutrients, and there are practically no flowers. Only on young shoots can flowers bloom. Over time, a strong, attractive bush can form.

If there is a desire to form a bonsai from fuchsia, only 1 shoot is left. The second option is to leave 4-5 shoots. They are twisted so that they become a tree trunk. The top should be pinched. Then the bonsai forms a luxurious crown.

What are the rules for pinching so that the decorative properties and beauty of fuchsia are not affected?

When it is necessary for a tree to be formed from fuchsia, pinching should be done in winter, when all vital processes are slowed down.

All unnecessary shoots should be eliminated. 3-5 pieces are left on the main trunk. When spring comes, you will see what happened. When the fuchsia crown does not turn out the way the owner of the flower wants to see it, it needs to be trimmed again in the spring.

It makes sense to trim the fuchsia right to the stump. Then she will sleep longer and bloom later. But a luxurious bush will be formed.

Fuchsia in bush form

When only 1/3 of the shoots are cut, the plant will begin to grow in the form of a tree. You will have to allocate a lot of space for it in the room.

Those shoots that began to grow in place of the old branches must be pinched twice as they grow. Then fuchsia will delight you with its beauty and flowering.

To enhance tillering, pinch young branches above the 3rd pair of leaves. To enhance the effect of tillering, the branches that have grown back are pinched again, only around the second pair of leaves. The grower himself must decide how he wants the plant to look.

Features of the flower

There are a huge number of fuchsia varieties. The plant has a variety of flowers, which can be simple or double. In some types of fuchsia, flowers are collected in inflorescences. The plant is characterized by the presence of small foliage, the length of which can reach five centimeters. The leaves of the crop are colored bright green. The leaves are oval in shape and slightly pointed at the ends.

The color of the flowers of a plant can be varied, which allows the gardener to choose the most suitable option in accordance with the landscape design. In their shape, flowers can resemble bells or dancing ballerinas. The place where petals are formed is the tubular corolla. When the flowers are in full bloom, they resemble fluffy skirts. The decorative effect of the flower is ensured by the presence of long stamens. Fuchsia is a rather attractive flower that any gardener dreams of placing in his garden.

Fuchsias: varieties with photos and names

All cultivars can be grown as indoor or garden plants; there is no distinction between them even in catalogs. Natural species, unpretentious varieties or hybrids are often planted outdoors. Only capricious fuchsias, with the largest flowers, or dwarf fuchsias are suitable for indoors.

The nature of growth depends more on the desires of the owners than due to nature. What is shown in the photo: standard trees, ampels, scrubs - the result of the work of gardeners or flower growers. The vast majority of fuchsias are semi-ampeloid bushes, although there are pronounced ones:

erect - with rigid, upward-pointing branches;
pendules (ampels) - shoots are weak, flexible, as soon as they grow, they immediately droop.

Indoor varieties

The most beautiful or delicate fuchsias are grown in pots. In addition to large-flowered terry hybrids, miniature varieties are especially popular. Both are rarely taken outside even in hanging baskets - damage to plants can be caused by:

strong wind;
rain;
temperature fluctuations.

Little things

These are low-growing fuchsias up to 30 cm high, small-flowered, usually non-double varieties or hybrids with tiny leaves. Distinctive features:

early flowering;
the small bush is literally strewn with buds;
Large-flowered cultivars remain at their peak of decorative value longer;
best varieties for bonsai.

Sometimes fuchsias with small flowers are considered small, no matter how tall the bush is. The name is slang, although it is widely used among culture lovers.

Large-flowered varieties

Usually the largest flowers are double. There are varieties with flexible shoots - ampelous or semi-ampeloid fuchsias.

Ampel and semi-ampel varieties

Very few fuchsias have such flexible thin shoots that they hang as soon as they grow - these are real ampels. The rest are only half of them - at first they are directed upward, like a bush, then they bend and fall down under the weight of the flowers.

Garden varieties

You can grow the same fuchsias at home or outside. It’s just that resistant cultivars that can withstand short-term deterioration in weather, rain, and gentle winds without losing their decorative properties are more suitable for flower beds.

Upright fuchsias

Sometimes such varieties are called standard, but this is a mistake. Plants with rigid, vertically directed, straight branches are easier to shape into a tree. But they often grow like a bush, and with due diligence, a standard can be created from a semi-ampile variety.

Fuchsias in which the flowers do not hang down on long stems, but are directed upward, are called “sticky”.

Bush fuchsias

They can behave like semi-ampels if the flowers are large enough and cover the plant abundantly. The branches are directed upwards and to the sides, often bending, but do not lie on the ground.

Growing conditions

Fuchsia ampelous is a soil-unpretentious flower. That is why it can be planted in almost any soil mixture. In most cases, plants are grown in pots that are pre-filled with universal soil. It is best to give preference to a soil mixture with a loose structure. Sand, peat or ash must be added to it. The substrate can be prepared independently from:

There is another option for preparing a substrate from humus, turf soil, compost, and peat.

In order to provide optimal conditions for the flower, it is necessary that there be high air humidity indoors or outdoors. That is why it is recommended to place a container pre-filled with water near the pot. Flower growers are also recommended to regularly spray the crop.

Fuchsia should be placed in moderate lighting conditions. At the same time, flower growers make sure that the flower is not constantly in shading conditions. The location of the culture should be a balcony or western, eastern windows. This will provide adequate lighting to the plant in the morning and evening.

To ensure that the crop produces the optimal number of inflorescences, a certain temperature regime is observed. During the daytime, the air temperature must be between 20 and 22 degrees. At night, it is necessary that it decreases by 4 degrees. At excessively high temperatures, there may be no flowering, which will negatively affect the decorative qualities of the plant. Also, if this condition is not met, the crop may shed its leaves.

Providing optimal conditions is the key to the success of full growth and flowering of fuchsia.

Fuchsia growing and care at home

This is not to say that it is difficult to grow fuchsia and care for it. Even an inexperienced gardener can do this. This flower needs light. There must be a lot of it. Moreover, he must be absent-minded. Only in the morning and in the evening should the fuchsia be exposed to bright rays of the sun.

To prevent the flower from being burned, it is necessary to use a protective light cloth or paper. When summer comes, fuchsia is taken out into the air.

Just don't rush. They give time for the bush to adapt to new conditions. The plant must be protected, preventing drafts and rain from harming it.

Choosing soil for fuchsia

A variety of soils are used if you are going to grow fuchsia. In order for her to feel good, it is advisable to put her in a mixture that is universal. You can buy such land in every store.

When you want to make the substrate yourself (as professional flower growers do), these recipes will help. You will need to have:

Peat, sand, leaf soil (2:1:3);
Compost, humus, turf soil, peat (1:1:2:1).

How to water

When watering is to be done, soft water is used. It should be at room temperature. As soon as the top layer of soil has dried, it is necessary to water. When autumn comes, watering is gradually reduced. By the beginning of December it should be stopped completely.

During the winter, watering should be done on rare occasions. There is one “but”. At temperatures above +10, watering should be increased. There is one more procedure.

The famous presenter revealed the secret! How to win the lottery and get rich: Above the purchased tickets you need to put... Read more »

This is spraying. For it, take soft water, previously settled. From September they spray less frequently; in winter there is no longer a need for spraying.

Top dressing

You should not “overdo” with fertilizers for indoor fuchsia. The plant will say “thank you” for the food. You can feed the flower with different fertilizers for indoor plants.

It is important that it has an optimal balance and is applied to wet soil. Before fertilizing, water the soil in the pot thoroughly 2 hours before. If it is not possible to regularly feed fuchsia, use dry fertilizers that act for a long time.

If it is not possible to regularly feed fuchsia, use dry fertilizers that act for a long time.

The procedure is carried out once every 30 days. Everyone must decide for themselves: after how many days to feed the plant. There are flower growers who fertilize 1 or 2 times every 7 days. But practice has shown that the best option is once every 30 days.

Young plants and cuttings need complex fertilizing, which contains a lot of nitrogen. The main thing is to do everything according to the instructions, without fanaticism.

Otherwise, you won’t have to count on wild flowering. When buds form, the plant needs potassium and phosphorus.

If weak flowering is observed, you can use special fertilizers to produce a large number of buds. They are used during the flowering period of the plant. In winter, fuchsia does not need fertilizer.

Caring for indoor fuchsia in winter

When cold weather sets in, watering begins less frequently. There is no need for spraying and fertilizing. For the winter period it is necessary to prune the fuchsia.

It is necessary to shorten the shoots by 50%, and remove the branches growing inside the bush. When fuchsia rests in winter, it is placed in a place where the temperature is +10 degrees, light and cool.

As everyone knows, it is difficult to create conditions for this flower at home. Often the pot is not removed from the windowsill, but moved to a place where it is cool.

To prevent the soil from drying out completely, you need to water it, but as little as possible. If the winter maintenance is according to the rules, the fuchsia leaves will begin to fall off quickly.

During the period March - April, the strongest branches are pinched. This will make it possible to make the bush lush. All others are liquidated. Fuchsia is well shaped using pruning. It is grown as a bush or tree.

Plant care

Fuchsia needs to be provided not only with certain growing conditions, but also with optimal care. The crop needs regular fertilization. This procedure should be carried out after the flower is transplanted and it enters the active growth phase. In most cases, mineral complex fertilizers are used for fertilizing. In most cases, the corresponding formulations are purchased from specialized stores in the form of Effecton or Kemira.

Fertilizers should be applied to the soil for the first time in March. After this, their number is gradually increased. In autumn, the volume of fertilizers should be reduced. This procedure is not recommended during the winter period.

Pruning of fuchsia should be carried out throughout the growing season. This will make it possible to create favorable conditions for the full growth and flowering of the crop. After the plant cuttings have taken root, it is recommended to pinch them. Next, the crop is regularly pruned until it blooms. In the summer, pay attention to the longest shoots, which bloom by autumn.

In order to create a beautiful crown, it is recommended to trim the side shoots that are located above the 3rd pair of leaves. This procedure will ensure the formation of a standard form. In order for the plant to have a central shoot, a support is installed. In this case, the side branches must be removed.

How to prune fuchsia correctly

The operation is done in two stages. If you “skip” the autumn one, the bushes will overwinter worse, especially fuchsias dug up from open ground, while the spring ones will be ugly and produce few flowers.

Pruning in autumn

At the end of the season, sanitary measures are required; at the request of the owners, pruning to form skeletal branches. The latter is permissible only under the following conditions during wintering:

the temperature, even for a short period of time, does not exceed 10 ° C and does not fall below 0 ° C;
no access to light;
high humidity;
scanty infrequent watering.

Basic pruning of fuchsia in autumn:

All flowers and buds are cut off.
Collect dry leaves.
All crowns directed inward, weak, thin shoots that have not yet had time to lignify, are cut off.
Strong branches are shortened by a third.
Treat the bush against pests and diseases.
Leave them indoors for several days so that the wounds heal and do not start to rot in the basement.

When wintering on a windowsill or in warmer conditions, if full pruning has been carried out, the fuchsia will definitely begin to grow. And this cannot be allowed. Owners should limit themselves to preventive treatment and removal of:

buds;
seed pods;
dry, diseased, broken branches.

Spring pruning

It is held after the New Year, usually in February. But in order to get especially early flowering, some owners perform the operation in January - 60 days are enough for the crop to remain dormant, the rest of the time it is in “overexposure”.

You can independently calculate and schedule the beginning of flowering. To do this, you need to annually record when the pruning was done and the time the first buds appeared for each variety. This usually happens 2-3 months after you finish pinching the fuchsia, plus the time from the main pruning (when it is done in the spring) necessary for the growth of young shoots.

If the skeleton is fully formed in the fall, first remove all the weak, pale growth that appears in the winter - it still won’t produce flowers in the summer. They wait for new young shoots to grow and begin to pinch off all the tops above the 2-3rd pair of leaves. Do the same with the side branches until the appearance of the bush matches the shape intended by the owners.

But more often the main pruning is carried out in the spring. Flower growers are absolutely right to be afraid of triggering increased growth of lateral stems by cutting at the end of the season if the winter is warm. It is carried out on the same principle as autumn pruning, but the details depend on the choice of crown type and the growth pattern of a particular variety.

Features of reproduction

Fuchsia ampelous can reproduce in several ways. Most often, cuttings or seeds are used for this purpose. The first method is simpler, which is explained by the fastest rooting of the flower. To carry out the procedure, it is recommended to give preference to young cuttings, the length of which is 7-15 centimeters.

It is necessary to remove the lower foliage from the cuttings and place them in water. Storage of cuttings should be carried out at room temperature. After a week, roots appear on the cuttings. During this period, the material is planted in the soil mixture.

There is another way to propagate ampelous fuchsia, which involves planting cuttings in the substrate immediately after cutting. To avoid loss of turgor by the foliage of the cutting, the container with it must be placed in a greenhouse. After the roots appear, the plants are removed from the greenhouse for a short period of time. To ensure optimal adaptation of the plant, it is necessary to gradually increase the time it stays under normal conditions.

If cuttings are used to propagate the crop, then this procedure can be carried out at any time. But it is best to carry out propagation in the spring, which is explained by the presence of optimal conditions for the flower. If the procedure is carried out in the summer, then against the backdrop of high temperatures, rotting of the cuttings may occur.

To obtain seeds at home, fuchsia is artificially pollinated. If cross-pollination is carried out, this will lead to the production of new plant hybrids. Several weeks after the procedure, the ripening of the plant fruit will be observed. It must be cut and the seeds removed. After drying, the seeds are planted in the ground.

For planting seeds, a traditional substrate is used, which is pre-moistened. The material is dispersed over the soil surface. Place film or glass over the seed container. The container is installed in well-lit places. After two weeks, as a rule, the appearance of the first shoots is observed. After several months have passed, it is necessary to pick up the seeds. They should be planted separately at a short distance. After several months, the seedlings are planted in separate cups.

Propagation of fuchsia is a fairly simple procedure, which is explained by the complete establishment of the plant.

Features of caring for fuchsia at home

Fuchsia blooms profusely and for a long time, under favorable conditions from mid-spring to autumn. However, to enjoy its beauty, you will have to make a lot of effort; the plant will bloom only if an optimal microclimate is created for it and if there is a properly organized dormant period in the winter months.

Lighting

Fuchsia prefers bright, but diffused sunlight through light tulle. During the midday heat, the bush needs to be covered, but the soft rays of the morning or evening sun will only be beneficial, so when choosing a place on the windowsill, you should give preference to rooms on the east or west side. During the active growth phase, the pot can be rotated so that the branches develop evenly, but as soon as the buds appear, the fuchsia cannot be touched, as this threatens them to fall off.

Air temperature

Tropical fuchsia - caring for it requires a special microclimate, but fortunately, in the summer this is quite doable. The optimal maintenance temperature is from +18 °C to +25 °C; closer to winter, it is necessary to gradually lower the temperature and provide a rest period in conditions from +6 °C to +10 °C.

The plant needs clean and fresh air, so at any time of the year the room should be ventilated, but do not leave the flower pot in a draft. In good weather, fuchsia can be an excellent decoration for open terraces, verandas or balconies.

Fact! At air temperatures above +30 °C, the shrub sheds its leaves and buds; do not be alarmed, this phenomenon is temporary; the beauty of the plant will be restored when it is moved to a cooler place.

Air humidity

During the active growth phase, caring for fuchsia at home will require additional air humidification. The florist will need to be patient, because spraying from a spray bottle should be done daily, preferably 2 times a day - early in the morning and around 5 p.m., so that drops of water do not cause sunburn. Additionally, you can use wide containers filled with pebbles and water.

Watering fuchsia

With the arrival of the spring sun, fuchsia growth resumes and the plant requires a lot of moisture

During this period, it is important to water the bush abundantly, using only soft, warm water, free of chlorine impurities. The earthen ball should not be allowed to dry out; between watering procedures, the top layer of soil should dry out quite a bit. In winter, if fuchsia dormancy is ensured according to all the rules, watering is reduced as much as possible.

In the case when the flower remains in a living room with moderately warm air, you should focus on the condition of the substrate and moisten it as necessary

In winter, if fuchsia dormancy is ensured according to all the rules, watering is reduced as much as possible. In the case when the flower remains in a living room with moderately warm air, you should focus on the condition of the substrate and moisten it as necessary.

Soil composition for growing fuchsia

The substrate for growing shrubs needs to be slightly acidic - a pH value of no more than 6.0. You can purchase a suitable soil composition at a flower shop or prepare it yourself:

leaf soil - 3 parts,
fibrous peat substrate - 2 parts,
medium-grained sand - 1 part.

Like any plant, fuchsia needs drainage from broken bricks, small pebbles or expanded clay.

Advice! Fuchsia does not tolerate high soil temperatures, so for planting it is better to choose ceramic pots, in which the roots do not heat up so much.

Fertilizer application

To have blooming fuchsia on the windowsill, care at home is unthinkable without regular fertilizing. It is best to use complex mineral formulations designed specifically for flowering indoor plants. The optimal ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium guarantees juicy leaves and abundant flowering. Fertilizer needs to be applied every 2 weeks. Having provided the fuchsia with a period of rest, fertilizing should be abandoned.

Pruning fuchsia

In order for the shrub to look beautiful and noble, pruning is necessary twice a year.

In early spring, the branches are shortened by at least a third, paying special attention to old, dried shoots. Autumn pruning is no less important, but if the plant will be kept at room temperature all winter, then you should not shorten the branches too much. Using pinching, you can shape the fuchsia to your liking.

So, to give the shape of a bush, the shoots are cut after the second pair of leaves, and for growing in a hanging flowerpot or tall flowerpot - after the third

Using pinching, you can shape the fuchsia to your liking. So, to give the shape of a bush, the shoots are pruned after the second pair of leaves, and for growing in a hanging pot or tall flowerpot - after the third.

Providing winter quarters

If the crop is grown in the garden, then it must be provided with proper wintering. At the end of the growing season, it is recommended to cut the flower to half and then dig it up. Plants are placed in ordinary boxes. They should fit snugly against each other. Watering the crop should be done no more than once a week. In order to limit the possibility of plant growth, it is necessary to provide it with a temperature of 10 degrees. After the foliage has completely fallen, the plant must be placed in a dark place. In this case, watering is carried out no more than once a month.

If the room temperature does not reach the required level in winter, then the fuchsia can be additionally covered. In the month of March, it is necessary to carry out appropriate activities that will have a positive effect on the revival of the plant. For this purpose, the flower is pruned so that the length of its shoots does not exceed 15 centimeters. In spring, the plant is replanted. For this purpose, a nutrient soil mixture is used. It is also recommended to increase watering of the plant.

Some gardeners prefer to leave fuchsia in the ground for the winter. To cover the plant in this case it is necessary to use spruce branches. Before frost sets in, the crop is pruned above ground level. After this, it must be covered with earth. The soil layer should be within 20 centimeters. To avoid the negative effects of moisture, it is recommended to place a piece of roofing material or film on top of the embankment. The plant must be opened in early May. The first growth will appear in June. The plant will bloom at the end of summer.

Wintering fuchsia is a fairly important aspect in its cultivation. That is why flower growers are recommended to strictly adhere to its rules.

Aftercare

Despite its unpretentiousness, fuchsia has its own characteristics. She does not like the scorching sun and overheating, so it is better to place her in partial shade. The soil in a pot or flower bed should be neutral, light, and with good drainage. Most varieties tolerate cold weather well, so from May to October fuchsia can be kept on the balcony or veranda. At home, pots should be installed away from heating appliances and radiators.

In the summer, fuchsia is watered frequently, almost every day (early in the morning or late in the evening), but drops of water should not fall on the leaves, much less the flowers. As the temperature drops, watering is reduced; in winter, it is enough to moisten the soil a couple of times a month. Fertilizers are applied only during the growing season. Any complex fertilizer for house plants is suitable for this.

Since fuchsia is a perennial plant, some annual maintenance is required.

Transfer. In the first 2-3 years, this must be done once a year, then less often. Fuchsia does not like pots that are too large; they need to be changed only as the root system grows, so that it can develop well and bloom luxuriantly

When replanting, the plant is removed carefully, with a small lump, the rest of the soil is changed and new soil is added. This procedure will help assess the condition of the roots and help cope with certain diseases.

Since fuchsia can suffer from overheating, it is better to use ceramic or clay pots.

Trimming and pinching. In autumn, you can not only remove dried parts, but also give the plant a more neat shape. Experienced gardeners advise removing all thin shoots, leaving the most productive ones, but it is better to reduce their length by a third.

Treatment with fungicides and insecticides. Fuchsias often suffer from diseases and pests. If there are spots on the leaves or they have turned yellow, cobwebs or insects have appeared, treatment should be started immediately. In order not to neglect the plant and take timely action, a thorough inspection is necessary at least once a week.

If you do everything consistently, take care of the plants and pay attention to them, they will present beautiful bright flowers as a reward. In the next video you will find vegetative propagation of fuchsia

In the next video you will find vegetative propagation of fuchsia.

Secrets of cultivation

In order for a plant to grow and develop quickly, certain aspects must be taken into account. For example, if the summer is excessively hot, then it is recommended to remove the pot with the crop indoors and place containers with ice around it. To grow flowers, it is best to use ceramic rather than plastic pots. This is explained by the fact that in the summer the root system in them will heat up less.

Like any other plant, fuchsia can be damaged by pests. The most common sighting on a flower is the whitefly. These are miniature flies, white in color. If the plant is shaken, the pest will fly off. The whitefly sucks the sap from the plant, which leads to wilting and drying of the foliage. To combat this pest, it is necessary to use appropriate insecticides. The most frequently used drugs are Aktelik and Aktara. These drugs must be alternated.

If there is increased air or soil humidity, this can lead to powdery mildew. The fight against this disease is carried out with Fundazol or Topaz. A short flowering period of a crop may indicate excessive watering or insufficient fertilizer. In some cases, red spider mites appear on the underside of the crop. When this pest appears, rare pale spots are observed on the foliage, which after a certain time form a single spot. This pest causes yellowing and dying of foliage. Its appearance can be diagnosed against the background of high temperature or dry air. Pest elimination is carried out by Confidor or Agravertin.

Ampelous fuchsia is a very beautiful flower, which can be grown in the garden or on the balcony. In order for a crop to grow fully, it is necessary to provide it with optimal growing conditions. Fuchsia also requires minimal care, which consists of timely watering, pruning, and fertilizing. In order for the crop to bloom fully, it is recommended to provide it with proper wintering. When pests appear, it is necessary to combat them, which will limit the possibility of the flower dying off.

Growing fuchsia from seeds

It is not difficult to grow fuchsia from seeds yourself. The optimal time for sowing seedlings is the end of February, March and April. The first thing you need to do is purchase seeds of the desired variety. Secondly, take care of quality soil. The following composition is ideal for fuchsia: turf soil, peat and sand, taken in a ratio of 3:2:1, respectively. Fuchsia loves when the earth breathes and moisture flows well and stays in the soil. Choose a wide container so that the plant feels comfortable and spacious in it. When everything is ready, you can start sowing the seeds:

The prepared soil must be poured into a container. The soil should be moistened, sprayed with manganese solution and compacted. Why treat the soil with potassium permanganate? This substance works as a pest control agent: it kills harmful organisms and microbes that can destroy seeds.
Seeds are sown in the ground. You cannot dig in or sprinkle with soil; you just need to lightly press the seeds into the soil. If the seed is buried, it will not receive enough sunlight and will not germinate.
Now it is necessary to create greenhouse conditions for fuchsia seeds. For this you can use ordinary polyethylene or glass. The container with seedlings should be placed in a warm place, but you should beware of direct sunlight. The optimal temperature for seed germination is +18. +20 degrees.
It is necessary to water the seedlings only when the soil has become completely dry. You don’t need to fill the seeds with water; just spray the soil with a spray bottle.

The first shoots should appear in a month. After the first sunrises appear, the greenhouse must be opened even more often. At the same time, the time spent outdoors must be gradually increased so that the plants get used to the new air and it is not stressful for them. When the second leaves appear at sunrise, the seedlings must be planted in different containers. The composition of the soil does not need to be changed.

When planting fuchsias in different containers, you need to be very careful, since the root system is not yet strong enough. It is necessary to press the soil tightly around the plant. This will help the young sprout to stay firmly in the ground. You can water fuchsia only through a tray or onto the edge of a container and only when the soil becomes dry. Fertilizing plays an important role in growing fuchsia from seeds. It must be done regularly once every two weeks. During the growth stages, you need to select special mineral fertilizers. And when the sprouts reach 10 centimeters, pinch off the tops.

Propagation by seeds

Fuchsia seeds

Growing from seeds at home is rarely used in the case of fuchsia. Only experienced flower growers or breeders can do this. Sometimes, for the sake of experiment, amateur flower growers also try to collect seeds from a plant and grow their own fuchsia specimen from them. If you want to try it too, we'll tell you how to do it.

The procedure for obtaining fuchsia seeds is quite labor-intensive, but interesting.

To begin with, exclude the possibility of the plant self-pollinating or pollinating it by random insects. To do this, remove the anthers from a selected flower that has not yet bloomed. Then, on the stigma of the pistil, on the stamens, apply pollen from the variety of fuchsia that you want to grow. Now carefully put a fabric cover on the bud or wrap it with a piece of gauze and secure it with thread. In this form, the flower will stand for several weeks until the fruit ripens.

When the fruit is ready, remove it from the stem with tweezers. Carefully cut and remove the seeds. Dry the seeds for several days before planting them in the ground or storing them. It is better to plant seeds in tall containers with a lid. You need to sow seeds on a damp surface of the substrate (peat plus coarse sand).

Don't cover the seeds, just press them down a little with your fingers. Close the lid and place the container in a well-lit, warm place for germination. But not in direct sunlight! It is advisable to sow fuchsia in early spring. The lack of lighting must be compensated with the help of additional lighting with fluorescent lamps.

After one and a half to two months, young fuchsia bushes need to be pruned. Before replanting the plants, the substrate in the container is well watered. The seedlings are taken out along with the soil from the root system, one at a time, and planted in a separate pot. Water generously. The soil can be used purchased for flowering plants, or you can prepare it yourself from equal parts of turf and leaf soil, humus, peat and coarse sand.

Remove the pots with young plants from sunlight and into the shade - let them gradually get used to the new conditions. After a couple of weeks, pots with young fuchsias can be placed in a permanent place prepared for them. Further care consists of regular watering, good lighting, and a comfortable temperature.

Fuchsia seeds

Fuchsia can

cuttings, leaf cuttings, and seeds.
The latter method is less popular, because it takes a long time to wait for the first flowering, and also very often fuchsia differs from the mother plant. by seeds
by experimenters, breeders, and also by those who like to watch the growth of their plant.

Seeds

You can purchase it in online stores or remove it from your plant yourself, but this can only be done by a person with good patience and experience in floriculture.

Fuchsia flower

Fuchsia flowers

unrealistically beautiful, very bright, interesting.
They can be terry or simple. The colors
of the flowers are varied; lilac, crimson, pink and purple tones predominate.

The corolla-shaped bright cup and tubular corolla are the main components of the flower.
The stamens
are very long, larger than the calyx,
the petals
are short.
fruits
appear ; they resemble berries.

Flower propagation by cuttings

Propagating flowers by cuttings is one of the simplest growing methods. To grow a healthy and beautiful fuchsia, you need to follow the step-by-step instructions:

Choose a strong flower and cut a stalk from it. Choose the stem that has a bud on it, as this indicates that the fuchsia is growing and developing. The stalk should be from 5 to 8 centimeters in length.
Remove the lower leaves with a sharp knife.
Sprinkle the cutting edge with powder to stimulate root growth. If possible, place the cuttings in a container with the same solution for a day.
For the cuttings you should choose a small container. You need to check if the pot has drainage holes. If they don’t exist, then you need to make them yourself. For fuchsia it is very important that moisture does not stagnate. Drainage should be placed at the bottom of the container for good air circulation and optimal moisture, and then soil should be poured.
Make a small depression (it’s convenient to do it with a regular pencil) and insert the cutting into it. Bury the stem and place it in a warm and bright place. Fuchsia should not be placed where there is direct sunlight. If the house is cool, then you need to make a greenhouse from a can or polyethylene. But we must not forget that the flower must be ventilated so that condensation does not accumulate.
In just two weeks, roots will appear. But do not rush to transplant the fuchsia into another pot. We need to give it time to strengthen the root system. You can transplant the flower into a larger container only when the fuchsia produces its first leaves. This will indicate that the flower has taken root, it is growing and its root system is strong.

Fuchsia should be watered only when the soil is dry. Watering should be careful; it is better to water the flower from a tray. The roots will take as much as required, and excess liquid can be drained.

Fuchsia that has grown from a cutting can be transplanted into the garden. Choose a place on the site where there will be shade for half the day and sun the rest of the time. Dig a hole that should be 15 centimeters deeper than the pot. Place compost or manure in the bottom. Remove the flower from the pot and place it together with the root soil in the prepared hole. Dig the flower and water it. For the first 6 weeks, fuchsia must be fertilized every time after watering. After planting the cuttings in a permanent pot, the fuchsia will bloom in 3-4 months.

As soon as a fuchsia flower begins to fade, it should be removed immediately so that the plant does not waste its resources in vain. Flowers that produce seeds should also be removed. When the flower feels that it has produced enough seeds, it stops growing and blooming.

Remember that fuchsia does not like severe frosts, so you should think in advance whether the flower will grow in a greenhouse or in an open area. If the second option, then you should dig up the flower before the cold weather begins, transplant it into a container and place it in a cool place (veranda, balcony). If fuchsia grows in a greenhouse, then it is enough to sprinkle the plant with mulch.

Mistakes when caring and propagating fuchsia

An unpretentious plant still requires careful care. Tips for beginning plant growers:

Insufficient and excessive watering is dangerous for the flower. During the transshipment process, the soil is watered abundantly, and the next moistening is carried out only after the top layer of soil has dried by 5 mm.
Fuchsia is left without light only for the winter. Provide sufficient diffused sunlight throughout the warm season.
Without pinching, the bush will grow. But if they miss the deadline (the first half of spring), the bush is left until next year.
Too much fertilizer and the bush will die; too little and it will not grow. Only balanced mixtures are selected, but nitrogen is added before the formation of buds.

There are no special difficulties in caring for the flower. A little patience and a gorgeous fuchsia will bloom on the windowsill.

Growing problems and pests

In the process of growing fuchsia, you may encounter plant pests, diseases and other problems.

The flower does not have many pests. The main dangerous insects for fuchsia are aphids, spider mites and whiteflies. But they can be easily dealt with with the help of insecticides (for example, “Bi-58”).

You should be wary of all diseases that can damage the fuchsia root system. Root rot affects the flower due to improper watering. If the roots become soft and brown, then you should immediately begin saving the flower:

The plant must be removed from the pot. The old soil must be removed, and the roots should be thoroughly washed under running warm water.
Affected roots should be cut off with a sharp knife.
Next, the flower is placed in a container with clean water.
When new white roots appear, the flower can be immediately transplanted into a new pot.

Description of fuchsia

What unusual and poetic names do people call fuchsia: ballerina, gypsy earrings, elf flower. The beauty of fuchsia fascinates and captivates forever.

I became acquainted with fuchsia a long time ago, when I lived in the Far North, in Yakutia. Friends, knowing my love for flowers, brought a rooted fuchsia cutting from vacation. It was love at first sight!

Fuchsia has many varieties. Probably, even avid collectors will not be able to say how many of them exist in nature.

Fuchsia can be grown both indoors and outdoors. It looks very beautiful in a flowerbed, not in the sun, but in the openwork shade of the foliage.