On Fri, 26 Oct 2018 15:28:48 +0100, Jeff Layman wrote:

On 26/10/18 14:14, Jim S wrote:
On Fri, 26 Oct 2018 12:14:46 +0100, Muddymike wrote:

Having had a busy couple of years I've not looked in here much lately
but have now moved house to one with an even bigger garden which seem to
contain every variety of shrub that will grow! I thought I'd pop in to
see what's happening.

Three days now and nothing?

What's gone wrong it used to be so busy?

Mike

OK here's a couple for you
1. I have grown hardy fuchsias for 40 years. This year, some in hanging
baskets refused to flower and some in the garden are only flowering now and
then on the sides and not high-up. I have done nothing different fron usual
and some varieties are fine.

It's the weird weather. Some things you might have expected to do well
haven't, whilst others have romped away. Although I had a Hibiscus
moscheutos "Galaxy" with a couple of smallish flowers last year, this
year I had over 50 flowers on it - mostly around 16 - 18 cm in diameter.
Last year was the first time it had flowered, even though it is at least
a dozen years old. And I've had Decaisnea fargesii and Aesculus pavia
"atrosanguinea" set seed for the first time ever (the latter plant is
well over 20 years old). I reckon it was the hot weather.

2. I need to put some dwarf narcissi bulbs in existing tubs, but they've
not stopped their summer bedding yet. Do I wait or cut-back?

Why not just move the soil aside and drop the bulbs in, then put the
soil back?

North East coast of England. Never have frosts hard enough to kill the
fuchsias even in baskets.

But I bet they don't like the January nor'easters...

Not lost one yet. They'll take the cold, but not dry roots.
--
Jim S