Kate Morgan wrote:
I have an uncommon fuchsia called Sheila Mary (obtained in memory of my dear
mother-in-law who passed away 2 years ago). My father propagates many types
of fuchsia for his hanging baskets but had no luck taking cuttings from this
variety.

I found Sheila Mary in a nursery in Leeds but cannot remember where exactly.
So I cannot ask them for advice. Can anyone suggest a way that I may be
able to take successful cuttings? I would like to put one over my dad ;-)

I am sure that there are proper ways to take cutting but I have almost
always succeded this way, take a piece of preferbably none flowering
fuchsia, about 5/6" long, cut across the bottom just under a leaf joint
and put it into water, roots will soon apear, when there is a good root
system plant it up and bobs your uncle. All I know is that it works for
me.

I'm puzzled about one particular variety being much harder to propagate
than the others, but that's gardening for you. Not everybody has the
same success with cuttings in water: with water roots there can be a
problem in weaning onto solids. Being klutzy, I'm happier with the
conventional 50-50ish mix of peat-like stuff and grit: cover with a
poly bag, warm place out of direct sun, and Bob's my uncle too. It's a
bit late now, as the shoots will all have the beginnings of flower
buds; but you _can_ get away with pinching out the tip of a four-inch
cutting, and nipping out any little flower buds which appear at the
sides as soon as feasible.

--
Mike.