"Derek" wrote in message ...
To guarantee a hardie surving in the UK, through a harsh winter, ie
2010, the root ball must be well insulated, four inches minimum of
earth around it. So that one planted outside in the ground, should
survive, one in a pot may not.
Of course you can be lucky, but the poster wanted to know the 'best
way'

Although we're in SE Cornwall, we're 5 miles inland and 500' amsl and east
facing. The 2010 winter killed our 5 year old wisteria, 4 consecutive nights
below minus 5C. 4 outdoor hardy fuchsias survive to this day.

The pot fuchsias in question are in an east facing porch which only gets
down to 10C / 50F in Winter. So I'll move them to a bedroom window, keep
them slightly moist and also take Derek's advice and plant cuttings around
the edge of some spare pots.

Thanks for all your tips. Hopefully Auntie Jinks and Swingtime will live to
a ripe old age.