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Fushia seed pods

Ellen PorterEllen Porter Posts: 9
in Wildlife gardening
Do birds eat the red half inch long seed pods on fushia bushes during the winter, or is it o.k. to prune them now losing all the pods?

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    The birds will eat them (also edible to us, but generally pretty bland tasting.)  I always leave the old growth on fuchsias over the winter and then trim it back once new buds appear in spring, cutting just above a strong looking one.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I always take pods off to encourage more flowers.  Like any plant, once it sets seeds it gives up, jobs done. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Ellen PorterEllen Porter Posts: 9
    Thanks for the advice.  As they are completely covered in seed pods I will leave them for the birds and cut back in the spring.  Ellen.
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