Fushia cells

[nick the grief]

Sorry SBP, just realised what you wrote (allways think better with a full cup )

Did you want some cuttings or were you asking how to take them?

[smallblueplanet]

Thanks, I heard the first time!!! :-) Hey you've changed 'history'!

No, just wondered why the geraniums went mouldy (they were left in their original pots and just pruned) and how to get more from the next lot we get - which as they're still seedlings will be a while.....

[andrewo]

Are we talking real geraniums here or pelagoniums?

[nick the grief]

I can only assume its all the moisture from the dryer SBP or they pots were water logged. If you want to do this again this year, I'd knock them out of the pots, take of as much of the old compost as you can & then pot them into seed trays on fresh compost & they should be OK then.

If they are from seed the chances are they are F1 or F2 hybrids and they my not be as good from cuttings but you've got nothing to loose & everything to gain.

[nick the grief]

My sitster has over wintered plants in her shed before now stored in paper bags ! It's frost pree & there's just enough moisture to keep the plant ticking over. You loose a few this way mind.

[smallblueplanet]

I think you're right about the dryer moisture - by the time we realised it was too late, we were careless - shame cos there was some great bright red ones, very mediterranean stylee.

[nick the grief]

You live & learn SBP

there is always next year, thats the good thing about this game.

[Lesley Jay]

Nick we have just thrown away all last years geraniums. They were dead as door posts. Just how do you over winter them?

[nick the grief]

I put mine into big pots, but you could use Seed trays & fill around them with fresh compost. Cut the tops back as well. Bear in mind though LJ, my green house is kept frost free (well a bit warmer than that really) so you could use a cold bedroom, but you have to make sure they don't dry out too much. I only do this with my Named varieties, I don't think it would be worth the expense with F1 or F2 plants, they are fairly cheap from place like Grardening Direct etc. Unless you have a particularly good one of course, then it might be worth it.

[smallblueplanet]

When do they start coming 'back to life' then nick, so LJ knows they've not thrown them away too soon?

[Lesley Jay]

Nick when do you bring the plants in? When do you cut the tops off? If the tops have been cut off then how do I get cuttings (as per your previous reply) in December?

[Lesley Jay]

Smallblueplanet they are in the bin now but the stems were completely dried out.

[nick the grief]

you'll see shoots appearing in the leaf axils and then you can put them somewhere warmer & water them, if you want to take cuttings wait a week or so till the roots have got the hang of working agoin & give them a shot of half strength hi Nitrogen liquid feed (something like Chempak No2 costs about £4 from all good garden centres as they say) and that should do the trick. then take your cuttings.

When you cut the tops of in the autumn, you can put these to root as well, they won't hurt if they are kept on the dry side and if they are kept cool they will be nice bushy plants. then when you pot them up, treat them to a bit of 1/2 strength No2 & this will get them moving & you can root the tops & the remining plant should bush out nicely.

[Lesley Jay]

So would it be too warm to keep them over winter in the wash house with the boiler in it?

[nick the grief]

Sorry LJ I think our mails crossed.

I think I covered the second part of your question. As to when to bring them in. befoer the first frost, as if they get frosted this can set rot in and they'll go mushy & 'orrid.

They'll pprobably be straggly when they come in, so if you take them out of the pots they've been growing in & remove any dead or dying leaves, and tke off any flowers as well - they'll take energy from the mother plant.

Then treat them the same as the fuchsia's cut the tops of just above a leaf, then trim the cutting just below. If you leave a stub on the mother plant it will only die back & may cause rotting.

Think thats covered everything, time for tea!