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Overgrown Fuchsia pruning:

OwlbearOwlbear Posts: 49
edited March 2022 in Plants
We have a rather overgrown Fuchsia (we think it's "Genii") that we want to cut back this year. It has lots of healthy shoots coming from the base in addition to all over it's existing branches.

We were thinking of chopping it right back to the fresh shoots at the base (essentially removing all the pre-existing growth).

Now I know the advice is to wait until after the last-frost date, but I'm wondering if it is worth the risk to just getting on with it now? A few more weeks like this and it will probably be in flower until Jan/Feb next year at which point it would seem a shame to chop it right back.

Alternatively would a half and half approach be better, cut out some but not all of the old stuff now, and then cut back the rest in another month or two?

This is in London so fairly mild.

Posts

  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    No need to wait for the last frosts,  we always have frost, frozen ponds in March and into April, sometimes May,  the fuchsias get cut down mid February,  so yes,  take it right down to the low buds, it will reward you for that. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • borgadrborgadr Posts: 718
    Same here, I hacked back my fuchsias in March last year then we had frosts all through April. It was fine.
  • BiljeBilje Posts: 811
    I’ve several F. Genii shrubs, it’s the light green leaved one. Mine get hacked back to amount 3 inches 10 cm or so at the end of February, I’m in NE England. They’ve always regrown. 
  • OwlbearOwlbear Posts: 49
    Thanks for the answers, I guess I know what I'm doing this morning then  :).
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