My hardy fuchsias will probably be in leaf in a couple of weeks. Should I still wait until spring to prune them? I'm wondering about the penstemons too.
Do you know the varieties? Some are far hardier than others so it doesn't make as much difference but those borderline hardy would be best to wait until the frosts have gone. If you promote new growth to early it has more chance of getting frost damage, which is why most wait longer, it does mean they flower slightly later but can go on until frost kills them back.
Penstemons aren't always hardy either so they are best trimmed a bit later as well.
My hardy fuchsias haven't lost their leaves yet either. If we don't get some cold frosty weather and I don't prune them, they'll keep growing from where they left off last year and get far too big, so I will be pruning them as usual around the end of March whether or not they've lost their leaves by then.
Penstemons (and salvias) are similar, still got green growth on them, but as others have said, they'll be pruned a bit later than the fuchsias.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
I was wondering what was wrong with my Fuchsias the other day as some of the leaves had started to look poorly. Then I realised that they hadn't lost ANY of their leaves yet from last season! They'll be producing new growth before the old leaves have fallen off at this rate!
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If you promote new growth to early it has more chance of getting frost damage, which is why most wait longer, it does mean they flower slightly later but can go on until frost kills them back.
Penstemons aren't always hardy either so they are best trimmed a bit later as well.