Hi, I'm new here, but have to tell you that I have grown 2 twisted stem fuchsias that are now 3 yrs old. Have had some accidents along the way with wind and nearly lost them this yr due to a late frost and just getting used to new greenhouse. They were both 3 stems, but have lost bits along the way. They were my 1st attempt, and am training in new stems to replace the damage. May work, may not, but they both look ok at the mo. They are Standard height, and still supported. Am still removing flowers to try to save them, and will post pics tomorrow.
This year have started new ones, all 3 stems, with the benefit of hindsight, and a greenhouse to overwinter, although we will still be sharing the house with fuchsias this winter! Have 2 or 3 really promising ones at the mo, quite different, including a bi-colour, and will be starting a Tri as soon as my newer cuttings are large enough.
As promised, a pic of my best 3yo twisted standard.
You can just see on the right, this yrs 3 stem twisted, and a baby 4 stem crossed in the background. Have high hopes for these and others, barring accidents. Has anyone overwintered fuchsias as a houseplant? If so, how did they perform outside the next year?
I start in small pots with equally sized well rooted cuttings, which I place around the sides of the pot. I then position small canes where I will tie the cuttings, depending on what I am attempting, then just keep tying in and removing side shoots and any flowers that form until I get the height that I want. I started like you, but with bay trees, but found that the stems just grow into each other. The one above is my first attempt at twisting it around something (in this case, an old broom handle!), but this yr I decided to use more canes, held together with a cane topper, and so far this seems to work.
Here are some pics as I was potting up the new ones. Unfortunately, I cannot now see each pic to describe until I post this! The last pic is the twisted stem I started form cuttings taken in March this yr, the rest were potted on from later cuttings in july. The tall one is only in flower 'cos I was away. I removed all the flowers after this pic was taken..
Hopefully you can see the placement of the cuttings and canes and how I have tied them in. I have just tied them all in again, so will show more pics in the next day or so. They need to be tied in quite often while the new growth is still soft as it is easy to break once it starts to harden, and you may need to bend it quite far to acheive the look you want.
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That is looking good Pam. So are you going to let the head develop now? I'm just pinching the buds off mine if they develop- is it ok to do that?
Really pleased to find a fuchsia called Billy P, just perfect for my son
Hi, I'm new here, but have to tell you that I have grown 2 twisted stem fuchsias that are now 3 yrs old. Have had some accidents along the way with wind and nearly lost them this yr due to a late frost and just getting used to new greenhouse. They were both 3 stems, but have lost bits along the way. They were my 1st attempt, and am training in new stems to replace the damage. May work, may not, but they both look ok at the mo. They are Standard height, and still supported. Am still removing flowers to try to save them, and will post pics tomorrow.
This year have started new ones, all 3 stems, with the benefit of hindsight, and a greenhouse to overwinter, although we will still be sharing the house with fuchsias this winter! Have 2 or 3 really promising ones at the mo, quite different, including a bi-colour, and will be starting a Tri as soon as my newer cuttings are large enough.
Gardenjeannie it will be great to see some pics
Will take and send pics of the older ones under repair tomorrow. Been too busy with picking, pickling, preserving etc over last few days!
As promised, a pic of my best 3yo twisted standard.
You can just see on the right, this yrs 3 stem twisted, and a baby 4 stem crossed in the background. Have high hopes for these and others, barring accidents. Has anyone overwintered fuchsias as a houseplant? If so, how did they perform outside the next year?
Wow- they are great Jeannie. I am just trying to twist two stems round each other.
I will have a go twisting them round something next year- if I can get any cuttings to take that is. Do you start them in a large pot?
What do you do for the four stems crossed?
I start in small pots with equally sized well rooted cuttings, which I place around the sides of the pot. I then position small canes where I will tie the cuttings, depending on what I am attempting, then just keep tying in and removing side shoots and any flowers that form until I get the height that I want. I started like you, but with bay trees, but found that the stems just grow into each other. The one above is my first attempt at twisting it around something (in this case, an old broom handle!), but this yr I decided to use more canes, held together with a cane topper, and so far this seems to work.
Will try to send the pics of my newest ones.
Here are some pics as I was potting up the new ones. Unfortunately, I cannot now see each pic to describe until I post this! The last pic is the twisted stem I started form cuttings taken in March this yr, the rest were potted on from later cuttings in july. The tall one is only in flower 'cos I was away. I removed all the flowers after this pic was taken..
Hopefully you can see the placement of the cuttings and canes and how I have tied them in. I have just tied them all in again, so will show more pics in the next day or so. They need to be tied in quite often while the new growth is still soft as it is easy to break once it starts to harden, and you may need to bend it quite far to acheive the look you want.
Thank you Jeannie, that gives me some new things to try