Fuchsia Cutting
Firstly, I am a not very experienced gardener & have never took cuttings before.
I understand that fuchsias are one of the easiest plants to take cuttings from so I thought I would give it a go.
Following advice on this website I took 20 cuttings of my well established, hardy fuchsias earlier in the summer. I carefully trimmed the cuttings as advised & planted them in compost in 8cm pots. I watered them regularly (not overly) & generally looked after them. None survived.
I posted my results here on Gardeners World. Some gardeners advised that what I should have done is to put cuttings in water to establish root growth before planting in pots
A month ago I took a further 20 cuttings, put in water & left on a semi shaded windowsill indoors. Only one of the cuttings formed any roots (about 1'' long) the rest had simply rotted away.
Could any fuchsia expert please explain exactly what I am doing wrong. Or am I just unlucky??
Thanks.
Posts
To be honest billyc I'm not sure what your'e doing wrong. They are usually the easiest cuttings to take. When taking the cuttings are you cutting just below a leaf node? How many are you putting in a pot? 4 is usually the right number at each corner, they can be left outside to root at this time of year and only water when the compost is dry and then from underneath by placing in a tray of water. As for water cuttings just 4 or five to a small glass too many and there is no air movement, again the roots form from the leaf nodes. Take the cuttings in the morning, from a non flowering shoot and pinch the top off the cutting.
You may be being a bit over ambitious cramming too much in and over watering the cuttings. Try and be a bit more relaxed about it
The other possibility is that the knife you're using to trim the cuttings is crushing them rather than cutting cleanly - you need a knife that slices through without the slightest pressure.
Also, it needs to be clean, or you can transfer disease.
Try again in water, using less per glass as already said, and keep a sharp eye on the base of the cuttings. The minute you see it going brown and starting to rot, whip it out and either discard it or cut well above the rotted section if it's long enough to use again. Clean the glass, change the water and carry on.
Good luck!
To - Dave Morgan & Alina W
I'm cutting at leaf node. I'm putting one plant in each 8cm pot. Left potted plants to root outside. Did not over water. (watered from top not bottom) Put about 10 cuttings in glass of water. Took cuttings (by luck) in morning. Pinched out top. Result - Failure.
Used (presumably) clean, sharp scissors for cuttings. I did not change water. Result - Failure
Not much enthusiasm but will try again.
Thanks for advice.
Don't use scissors - they crush the stems - use a new blade in a Stanley knife or a craft scalpel.
Keep trying - good luck
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Think I will have a go and see how they go on, got a lovely shrub just appeared from under big rosebush, flowering beautifully. Would be nice to spread it around a bit. Fingers crossed.
That has inspired me - I really should take some cuttings of a hardy(ish) trailing fuchsia that I've somehow acquired and grown fond of (deep violet indigo bell, cerise skirt) and my newly acquired Hawkshead.
DD and I will join your Fuchsia Cutting club BillyC
First one to get a flower gets a virtual doughnut
You'll have to remind me tho ...............
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Planted my cuttings then, fingers crossed.
Hope it's going to be one of them fancy doughnuts!