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Fuchsia Pruning

chris.weekschris.weeks Posts: 27
in Problem solving
Hi All,

second bit of advice needed please :-)

i have 2 Fuchsia’s in the garden from the last owner. They are just bark at the minute (pic attached) but last year i pruned all the branches back to the main stem as i say growth coming from there, not thr branches (all i was left with was a single branch.

the growth did come back but not aggressively - this year i wanted to check that this is the right way to prune them. Can you please advise? Thanks in advance!

chris 

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I think I'd leave those alone ... fuchsias don't always need pruning. Others may think differently.  :) 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I don’t think there’s any point in trying to grow it as a standard as the growing shoot has already been cut at some time.
    They need pruning to kick start them into growing I’ve already cut mine down to about 3” from the ground. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • chris.weekschris.weeks Posts: 27
    Hi Lyn, thanks for your help. Shpuld i not have cut the main stem then last year? And you would cut the whole plant including stem, down to 3 inches from ground? Thanks
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    I have inherited a hardy fuchsia magellanica which I haven't pruned at all yet in the last 4 springs but this year I shall thin it out by cutting about a third of the stems back to the base and take some of the remaining stems back about half as it's getting rather large.

    I have other, tender varieties in pots in the polytunnel for winter and they have been re-potted and pruned back to improve their shape but also to take cuttings.

    I would be inclined to leave yours alone until you see where new buds are breaking as the weather warms up and then just cut out any dead or damaged stems going back to just above a healthy bud.   Keep an eye on the general shape when you do this so it stays balanced.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
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