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When can pelargonium, fuchsia, impatiens go outside?

msqingxiaomsqingxiao Posts: 482
in Problem solving
Hi all, I've overwintered some geraniums (pelargonium), fuchsia and impatiens, and now wonder when I can put them outside please? Night time temperature seems to be hovering around 6-8C for the next two weeks in London. Thanks!

I probably got too keen and failed with a bizzie lizzie which has lived happily indoors all winter. I put it out the night before, and today I found its leaves covered in powdery mildew... well I don't know if it's that or it just got too cold, but I dare not move it back indoors for fear of infecting other plants.

Then one of the bigger geraniums I put outside also appears to have powdery mildew. I have cut off the infected leaves and moved it back indoors.

The fuchsia is getting a bit leggy indoors so I want to move it outside as soon as feasible.

Posts

  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    Here in south Notts it can be as late as end of May. Pelargoniums are tougher but will still show yellow leaves if cold. You will need to harden off all these plants. Impatiens will not cope with low temperatures at all.  Where you live in the country makes alot of difference.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Do you know what variety the fuchsia is? Some of them are hardy so it's worth checking.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    After danger of frost has passed
  • msqingxiaomsqingxiao Posts: 482
    JennyJ said:
    Do you know what variety the fuchsia is? Some of them are hardy so it's worth checking.
    The big one I got from Sainsbury's last year and it didn't say the variety.

    I've also just bought two 9cm ones: Fuchsia Semi-trailing Blue Sarah, and Fuchsia Wendys Beauty
  • msqingxiaomsqingxiao Posts: 482
    Nanny Beach said:
    After danger of frost has passed
    Thanks. That's what I thought too, but bizzie lizzie certainly didn't like it  :(

    And no idea why the big strong geranium got powdery mildew the second day I put it out, except that maybe it doesn't like the cold either...
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Blue Sarah is supposed to be hardy https://fuchsiafinder.com/fuchsia/deltas-sara/, but a small plant at this time of year will have been grown undercover so can't go straight out without being hardened off. For this spring I would treat it the same as the others but it shouldn't need as much protection next winter.

    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • WAMSWAMS Posts: 1,960
    I get impatient too... but I remember one May coming here from Siberia (where it was shorts and t shirt weather) and we had to scrabble around for winter gear to wear as it was so chilly!

    Try to hold out another month I reckon
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