Bought myself a Fuchsia last week ( German Pearl Single ) and never asked at
the garden centre whether it was a hardy variety or not - does anyone know?

On Mon, 26 Apr 2004 02:42:45 GMT, lid
(Rodger Whitlock) wrote:

There are very, very few hardy fuchsias...

Actually there are a surprising number that *are* hardy to a
greater or lesser extent. Many, for example, will be killed back
to the ground in a normal winter but will then re-shoot from the
roots. I've kept a plant of 'Hidcote Beauty' on the go for years
in spite of its touchiness vis a vis winter cold.

Sorry, but I can't resist (wicked twinge coming on) - here, Fuchsia
boliviensis, fulgens and arborescens are tough enough to self-set and
establish themselves from seed. I spent Sunday afternoon yanking out
2 - 3ft high 1st year seedlings of all three that had found themselves
in inappropriate places. Their tuberous roots are remarkably
resilient. I have a 10 year old plant of 'Eva Boerg' that has spread
to 3 feet high and 4 feet across in a raised border where it gets the
worst that our winters can throw at it. It arrived in a hanging
basket and was unceremoniously shoved into the ground the following
spring. I don't normally 'do' hybrid Fuchsias, but I wouldn't be
without this one.

Dave Poole
Torquay, Coastal South Devon UK
Winter min -2°C. Summer max 34°C.
Drop 'h' when mailing
Growing season: March - November

On Mon, 26 Apr 2004 05:45:37 +0100, Dave Poole wrote:

On Mon, 26 Apr 2004 02:42:45 GMT, lid
(Rodger Whitlock) wrote:

There are very, very few hardy fuchsias...

Actually there are a surprising number that *are* hardy to a
greater or lesser extent. Many, for example, will be killed back
to the ground in a normal winter but will then re-shoot from the
roots. I've kept a plant of 'Hidcote Beauty' on the go for years
in spite of its touchiness vis a vis winter cold.

Sorry, but I can't resist (wicked twinge coming on) - here, Fuchsia
boliviensis, fulgens and arborescens are tough enough to self-set and
establish themselves from seed. I spent Sunday afternoon yanking out
2 - 3ft high 1st year seedlings of all three that had found themselves
in inappropriate places. Their tuberous roots are remarkably
resilient. I have a 10 year old plant of 'Eva Boerg' that has spread
to 3 feet high and 4 feet across in a raised border where it gets the
worst that our winters can throw at it. It arrived in a hanging
basket and was unceremoniously shoved into the ground the following
spring. I don't normally 'do' hybrid Fuchsias, but I wouldn't be
without this one.

Dave Poole
Torquay, Coastal South Devon UK
Winter min -2°C. Summer max 34°C.
Drop 'h' when mailing
Growing season: March - November

While googling a while ago I came across a site on hardy fucshias by a
person who lives in Sweden. If they're hardy there they should be hardy in
most UK climates.

Mind you, if it is a German variety it is unlikely to have been selected
for its hardiness. The Germans tend to consider all fuchsias as tender and
only put them in pots and bring them in in winter, or get young plants for
the window boxes in spring. I've never seen a German plant catalogue that
even mention that hardy or half-hardy fuchsias even exist.

Take a few softwood cuttings as insurance for next year and then leave it
out for the winter to see.

--
Tim C.

On Sun, 25 Apr 2004 20:17:22 +0000 (UTC), Franz Heymann wrote:

There are very, very few hardy fuchsias, so it would be safe to assume
that it is *not* hardy.

Actually there are a surprising number that *are* hardy to a
greater or lesser extent. Many, for example, will be killed back
to the ground in a normal winter but will then re-shoot from the
roots. I've kept a plant of 'Hidcote Beauty' on the go for years
in spite of its touchiness vis a vis winter cold.

If you have a fuchsia you'd like to grow outside, my advice is to
plant the thing out, and protect it with a thick mulch of dry
leaves or compost for the first two winters or so, then let it
take its chances. You may be pleasantly surprised.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
[change "atlantic" to "pacific" and
"invalid" to "net" to reply by email]

Indoors, locate the fuchsia near an east, west or south window in bright, indirect sunlight. Outdoors, locate the plant on a shaded porch or other site receiving partial shade or protection from the hot afternoon sun as hybrid fuchsias dislike heat and humidity.

In general, fuchsias prefer cool daytime temperatures (60 to 70 °F) and a nighttime temperature of 10 degrees lower. The cool night temperatures are especially important during early spring growth when new growth is pinched and flower buds are developing. Flowering ceases when the average daily temperature rises above 76 °F.

During the growing season, water when the soil surface feels dry. In the fall, gradually reduce watering and extend the periods between watering to prepare the fuchsia for a winter rest.

Fuchsias are heavy-feeders, benefiting from feeding with a soluble, complete fertilizer every two to four weeks during the growing season. Cease fertilizer applications in the fall at least two weeks before you anticipate bringing the plant indoors.

Plants grown outside during the summer must be brought inside before the first fall frost. Very large plants may be cut back to the rim of the pot, or you can leave 6-inch stubs. Fuchsias can be successfully overwintered in a cool (45 to 50 °F) location. During the rest period, water sparingly, just enough to prevent the potting mixture from becoming completely dry.

Hot and dry conditions cause flower buds to fail to develop properly; flowers, if any, will quickly fade and drop. Whiteflies are the most common insect pest on fuchsia. Other insect pests include aphids, which cause curling of the leaves. Thrips, mealybugs, spider mites and scales can also attack fuchsia.

On Mon, 26 Apr 2004 02:42:45 GMT, lid (Rodger Whitlock)
wrote:

On Sun, 25 Apr 2004 20:17:22 +0000 (UTC), Franz Heymann wrote:

There are very, very few hardy fuchsias, so it would be safe to assume
that it is *not* hardy.

Actually there are a surprising number that *are* hardy to a
greater or lesser extent. Many, for example, will be killed back
to the ground in a normal winter but will then re-shoot from the
roots. I've kept a plant of 'Hidcote Beauty' on the go for years
in spite of its touchiness vis a vis winter cold.

If you have a fuchsia you'd like to grow outside, my advice is to
plant the thing out, and protect it with a thick mulch of dry
leaves or compost for the first two winters or so, then let it
take its chances. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Being a new-ish gardener and a bit of a fool I bought 8 hardy fuchsias for a tenner
last August. Planted them out (far too late) and sat back & waited. That late snow we
had had me cussing good and proper. Well, the headcount is better than I expected.
Four have definitely survived, two are maybes (or wishful thinking) and the two
Thalias were probably doomed from the start.
A good result all in all.

Liz

FF29/4/04 7:30
snip
Being a new-ish gardener and a bit of a fool I bought 8 hardy fuchsias for a
tenner
last August. Planted them out (far too late) and sat back & waited. That late
snow we
had had me cussing good and proper. Well, the headcount is better than I
expected.
Four have definitely survived, two are maybes (or wishful thinking) and the
two
Thalias were probably doomed from the start.
A good result all in all.

Liz

Are you *quite* sure that you were sold F. 'Thalia' as hardy?
--

Sacha
(remove the weeds to email me)

On Thu, 29 Apr 2004 21:11:32 +0100, Sacha wrote:

FF29/4/04 7:30

snip
Being a new-ish gardener and a bit of a fool I bought 8 hardy fuchsias for a
tenner
last August. Planted them out (far too late) and sat back & waited. That late
snow we
had had me cussing good and proper. Well, the headcount is better than I
expected.
Four have definitely survived, two are maybes (or wishful thinking) and the
two
Thalias were probably doomed from the start.
A good result all in all.

Liz

Are you *quite* sure that you were sold F. 'Thalia' as hardy?

Absolutely. And I found a website that said they might be. As we're pretty far south
and south-facing I thought I'd risk it. They were all an impulse buy anyway.

Liz

For a Fuchsia to be classified as hardy it has to be able to over winter
anywhere in the British Isles including the very North of Scotland.
There are very many more classified as Half hardy, but F.Thalia doesn't
even come in this classification.
The Fuchsia "Bible" by Leo B.. Boullemier Thalia requires a minimum of 40f
to over winter.

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

FF29/4/04 10:21

On Thu, 29 Apr 2004 21:11:32 +0100, Sacha
wrote:

FF29/4/04 7:30
snip
Being a new-ish gardener and a bit of a fool I bought 8 hardy fuchsias for a
tenner
last August. Planted them out (far too late) and sat back & waited. That
late
snow we
had had me cussing good and proper. Well, the headcount is better than I
expected.
Four have definitely survived, two are maybes (or wishful thinking) and the
two
Thalias were probably doomed from the start.
A good result all in all.

Liz

Are you *quite* sure that you were sold F. 'Thalia' as hardy?

Absolutely. And I found a website that said they might be. As we're pretty far
south
and south-facing I thought I'd risk it. They were all an impulse buy anyway.

Liz

I'm surprised you received any assurance of that sort. While we have
over-wintered Fuchsia boliviana here as an experiment, it took a long time
to grow back from the base and didn't flower.
Fuchsia Thalia I have lost in my garden in Jersey, so it would be quite
incorrect to sell it as hardy in UK, IMO. The point here is that *some*
people might be lucky but most wouldn't. If people ask us about the
hardiness of a plant that we think a bit suspect we ask them where they
live. If it's e.g. Salcombe there's a fair chance of some
not-entirely-hardy plants being happy but it's a risk they have to decide
upon. With other plants we will simply advise them to not even think about
it! The other day I stopped two young people starting a new first garden
from buying a Hardenbergia and a Thunbergia because they love the colours.
But what a disaster *that* would have been. And yes, the labels do say
'tender'!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

FF30/4/04 9:08
snip
Fuchsia Thalia I have lost in my garden in Jersey, so it would be quite
incorrect to sell it as hardy in UK, IMO. snip

Oh well, maybe I made a mistake somewhere along the way. That's nothing new
rueful grin.

Thanks for the advice.


Doesn't sounds like *your* mistake at all, Liz. I think you were given some
misinformation.

--

Sacha
(remove the weeds to email me)

On Fri, 30 Apr 2004 09:26:39 +0100, Sacha wrote:

FF29/4/04 10:21


On Thu, 29 Apr 2004 21:11:32 +0100, Sacha
wrote:

FF29/4/04 7:30
snip
Being a new-ish gardener and a bit of a fool I bought 8 hardy fuchsias for a
tenner
last August. Planted them out (far too late) and sat back & waited. That
late
snow we
had had me cussing good and proper. Well, the headcount is better than I
expected.
Four have definitely survived, two are maybes (or wishful thinking) and the
two
Thalias were probably doomed from the start.
A good result all in all.

Liz

Are you *quite* sure that you were sold F. 'Thalia' as hardy?

Absolutely. And I found a website that said they might be. As we're pretty far
south
and south-facing I thought I'd risk it. They were all an impulse buy anyway.

Liz

I'm surprised you received any assurance of that sort. While we have
over-wintered Fuchsia boliviana here as an experiment, it took a long time
to grow back from the base and didn't flower.
Fuchsia Thalia I have lost in my garden in Jersey, so it would be quite
incorrect to sell it as hardy in UK, IMO. The point here is that *some*
people might be lucky but most wouldn't. If people ask us about the
hardiness of a plant that we think a bit suspect we ask them where they
live. If it's e.g. Salcombe there's a fair chance of some
not-entirely-hardy plants being happy but it's a risk they have to decide
upon. With other plants we will simply advise them to not even think about
it! The other day I stopped two young people starting a new first garden
from buying a Hardenbergia and a Thunbergia because they love the colours.
But what a disaster *that* would have been. And yes, the labels do say
'tender'!

Oh well, maybe I made a mistake somewhere along the way. That's nothing new
rueful grin.

Thanks for the advice.

Liz

On Fri, 30 Apr 2004 00:32:50 +0100, "David Hill"
wrote:

For a Fuchsia to be classified as hardy it has to be able to over winter
anywhere in the British Isles including the very North of Scotland.
There are very many more classified as Half hardy, but F.Thalia doesn't
even come in this classification.
The Fuchsia "Bible" by Leo B.. Boullemier Thalia requires a minimum of 40f
to over winter.

Thanks for the advice. I must have made a mistake, or picked up some of a different
lot of plants. This garden is being built on a very steep learning curve!

Thanks

Liz

On Fri, 30 Apr 2004 23:41:28 +0100, Sacha wrote:

FF30/4/04 9:08

snip
Fuchsia Thalia I have lost in my garden in Jersey, so it would be quite
incorrect to sell it as hardy in UK, IMO. snip

Oh well, maybe I made a mistake somewhere along the way. That's nothing new
rueful grin.

Thanks for the advice.


Doesn't sounds like *your* mistake at all, Liz. I think you were given some
misinformation.

Could be. Still, they were 8 for a tenner, I got them at the end of August and at
least 5 have survived, so it's not a huge disaster.

The whole place was a bit of a disappointment really. We go past it on the way to
Granny's and I've always meant to stop and have a look. Also, we're always on the
lookout for good places to stop & have a wee as it's a long journey. So we stopped,
there was no caff, no loos and I got marginally ripped off. Never mind, we won't be
going back.
Oh, and the kid had a wee in their car park vbeg

Liz