Pruning Hardy Fuschia

[JennieAtkinson]

Realised I was just hacking away at the fuschia like I do every year, mainly taking it down to a group of small shoots about a foot off the ground. Wondered whether I am actually doing this correctly ?

[nick the grief]

Good a way as any Jennie. I usually do mine around this time of year as you can see where is sprouting & cut the dead bit out.

[Shortie]

Me too.. usually kill my own over wonter but pruned my mum's last year (first time I'd pruned a fushia) and it grew back lovely.

I cut out any dead wood and then cut back to about a third of it's height, and/or checking the buds as I cut to check it was looking like it would grow into a good shape. It was this time of year too

[SueA]

I had to stop my mum-in-law from pulling up & throwing away 2 hardy fuchsias last year as she thought they were dead. I cut off all the dead top growth down to some promising looking buds & they grew back fine.

[Alice]

You're doing fine Jen, I just cut out the dead stuff and cut the rest back to where I want it and it does fine. Thats the magellanica. It breaks off the old wood. I have other fuchsias, not sure of the varieties, which never break of the old wood which I just remove, but they come back from under the ground every year. It helps to give them a good mulch before the start of winter. Also easy to take cuttings. Just cut a few new growths about 4" long, remove the lowest leaves and plant them in a pot. Some of them will take.

[JennieAtkinson]

I am on the right track then - good. Alice what do you mulch the fuschia with?

[fruit&vegvirgin]

must admit, I just hack mine back to about 12" below where I want it, and it does the stuff again... although those are all magellanica like Alice. never bother to mulch mine, they seem fine - but you are much further north!

[poultrychat]

I inherited some of these, I cut them back the first year and they were fine but I haven't got around to it for the last 2 years and they still seem to be fine - do they just keep on getting taller or will they eventually stop flowering so well if I don't cut them back?

[pigletwillie]

We have two of them. One is cut down every winter to about 6" above ground level and fed with blood, fish and boneand it comes up rampaging away every year flowering until the frosts knock it back.

The othe one we only took it back by half for the last two years and whilst it is a little taller its undercarriage is all visible old stems and is quite ugly so had annuals planted in front of it to save its embarrasment. This one was also pruned back hard during the winter as we found it make for much bushier softer looking plants with more flowers on.

[Alice]

Jen, I mulch the fuchsia with whatever I have. Compost, spent compost , anything. The object is to keep the roots well covered in winter. They like to be planted deep.

[blackkitty]

I leave them alone until I see new growth starting at the base and then cut them right back to just above ground level. It seems to work as they grow bigger each year and have absolutely masses of flowers. I have noticed that different varieties start shooting at different times.

[susie]

Good a way as any Jennie. I usually do mine around this time of year as you can see where is sprouting & cut the dead bit out.

I do mine at this time of year too so that all the new shoots can be seen and the dead wood can easily be cut out.