"Phil L" wrote in message
...
Matthew Durkin wrote:
:: Can I collect the pods from my Fuschias and grow them from seed
:: next spring? They laster outside last winter but I think I was
:: lucky!
:: If not, can I take cuttings, and what is the best way to do
this?
:: I'd like more than last year as I'm going to put some in my
:: hanging baskets... Thanks,
:: Matthew

My fuscias have been outside for over ten years! - seriously.
Each November we just cut back the stalks and leave them..every
spring they
bounce up...I took 12 smallish twigs round about July and put them
into
compost with no rooting powder or anything else and ten of them
have took,
two have even flowered..you may have left them a bit late now as
it's
getting colder every week...if you've got a heated greenhouse you
could try
it...don't know about seeds though.

The ten cuttings I have are for next years baskets, but while we
are on the
subject of fuschias, those that are in the beds are getting a bit
'iffy' -
lots of foilage and not many flowers, plus they all seem to be
exactly the
same colours(purple/white) when I'm sure they were mixed when
new....what I
would like to do is take them all up, renovate the beds and add a
few CWT of
free manure, then replant with different coloured ones
interspersed..any
clues?

So many fuchsias, so little time! Until you try, you never really
know which ones will survive outdoors in your particular conditions.
And since British conditions are so variable, you may have success
for several years in some particular place, and then one year lose
the lot. Meanwhile, your sister in the east may have lost hers two
years running, and have given up trying. It helps if you cover the
stools with a good layer of peat or bracken or something to protect
them from the frosts. Personally I wouldn't use strong manure, as
that might promote disease: manure round the plants later, when the
new shoots are going for it.

I've successfully taken cuttings at every time of year except dead of
winter; but until I moved, I had spare rooms in the house in which to
over-winter my plants. I have little experience with the trailing
types.

Seeds will grow: no problem at all. But, as everybody always says,
seeds from these complicated hybrids will probably be completely
unlike their parents. Good fun, but if all you want is half a dozen
plants to look good in your garden, it's safer just to propagate from
what you've got, or buy in new every year or two. And if you let the
seed-pods mature you'll get fewer flowers.

There's a British Fuchsia Society for detailed information (they must
have a website). I believe the real enthusiasts make jam or jelly
from the pods. I'd love to try, but I'm too lazy.

Mike.