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Potentially poorly Fuchsia plug plants?

cbridges010cbridges010 Posts: 6
edited April 2021 in Problem solving
Hey there,

As part of another order I was sent 10 trailing fuchsia plug plants (5 varieties). I potted 6 into 2 hanging baskets (3 in each), 2 into a trough and 2 into pots - all with the same compost.

All have been in my south-facing garden for nearly 2 weeks (brought indoors for pictures) - the weathers been quite varied, so for a couple of those days they needed watering daily (temp around 15-18 degrees), but this last week has been a bit colder and damper (5-10 degrees) so I’ve barely watered.

The two in the pots seem to be doing well, showing signs of new growth:

However, the ones in the hanging baskets seem like they are having issues: 


I have tried to research into common problems/pests, but I’m just not confident I can identify the issue - maybe overwatering, though the soil has always felt dry when I checked if they needed it......

Any tips, advice and encouragement will be gratefully received as I’m pretty new to gardening! Thank you! 

Posts

  • pitter-patterpitter-patter Posts: 2,429
    edited April 2021
    It’s a bit too cold for having fuchsias outside, so probably that’s why they stopped growing. If you’re in the UK, the temperatures you mentioned are probably daytime ones. We’ve been having quite a few frosty mornings over the past week. Ideally they should be kept indoors/ greenhouse until the temperatures rise and the risk of frost is gone.
  • cbridges010cbridges010 Posts: 6
    edited April 2021
    The instructions said to bring them in if there is a risk of frost overnight, so I did that when the night time whether was predicted to drop below about 2? I’m confused as to why the pots are fine but the baskets not :( 

    So to rectify the problem, keep them in warmer conditions for a while longer?

    Thank you so much! 
  • pitter-patterpitter-patter Posts: 2,429
    The ones in the basket might have been more exposed to the arctic winds we’ve been having. They are also very small plants surrounded by damp cold compost, which is not ideal. Fuchsias grow best when minimum night temperatures are at least 10 degrees C. The weather is due to warm up a bit, but still not enough for them to grow healthily.

    I have bought similar plugs and potted them on in small pots (7 cm) and placed them on my bedroom windowsill. Once they fill those pots with roots I will repot them in slightly larger pots. I aim to start hardening them off about the middle of May. Even then we might have frost some mornings. 
  • cbridges010cbridges010 Posts: 6
    Ahhhhh okay, I’ll follow your example and transfer them to smaller pots for now! 

    Thanks again :) 
  • pitter-patterpitter-patter Posts: 2,429
    You’re welcome.
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    My plugs grown on, are still in the conservatory, the ones that were potted on a couple of weeks ago, are now in a green house, with heater and bubble wrap, they won't be going outside in the day till next month and I am in the SE uk
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