General Chat

But if the fuchsias are dead in March Elaine it will be too late to take cuttings Lol!!!!

Julia, If you take cuttings now they may not take root as plants are ruled by the legnth of daylight. It is their rest time now as the daylight shortens, that is why the best time is as it starts to legnthen about March. Elaine.

Thanks you all for your replies and suggestions.

Ann - I think, as regards the fuchsias, when it eventually warms up here a tad, I am going to go out and take cuttings from them. I have loads of those little plastic pots that they give you your medication in in hospital. Just big enough to put about four cuttings in.
Unfortunately, I do not have a south facing window, but if I put them in my kitchen window, at least I will be able to keep an eye on them, with tender loving care. The jury is still out as regards the geraniums, but I am going to have a look at the mother plants whenst down the greenhouse, later.
Good Luck with yours
Julia in Derbyshire

Remember that you need an open sandy soil and they do not like to have their feet wet. have kept ours at school for over ten years . South facing window they flower all winter and I take cuttings in March just in silver sand but still have all the stock plants. Let them thoroughly dry out before giving a little water once a week. Fuschias like water but not drowning, take cuttings by sticking the shoots in a glass of water. Elaine.

JUlia glad we are not alone then. We too decided that it was just as easy to buy new each year. But it does go against the grain when I feel we should be able to overwinter them. Like you our greenhouse is at the end of the garden and not visited a lot in winter.

I did suggest we put bubble wrap around the greenhouse to help frost proof it.

Tried that Merlin Babes, and have not had much success.
Ann, I too have tried it with Fuchsias, and have had very little success. When I think that I can buy fuchsias for around a pound, I balance that against having to go up and down the garden in the winter to the greenhouse, and wonder if it is worth the struggle. I grow loads and loads of fuchsias every year, and really do hate having to consign them to the compost. I havn't enough room indoors to keep either going, and am at present sorting out somethings that I MUST bringing indoors. I don't like putting plants in bedroom window sills, but nearly every other surface seems to have a plant on it. LOLOL
Julia in Derbyshire

I had a few Pelargoniums for years . In the late spring I would plant them outside then dig them up at about this time and have them in pots on a south facing windowsill indoors . They would flower all winter .. It is easy to take cuttings from them , just stick some bits in a pot and bung them on a sunny windowsill , they will soon root .

I,ve got Polystyrene boxes which I use for cuttings,Just take more than you need dip in Rooting gel fill box with compost,place in a sheltered spot or Greenhouse obviously water them an let them go. I do this and it works OK.for me. **M**.PS. I always line the greenhouse with bubblewrap,acts like double glazing and keeps the warmth in.

I shall be watching this as we have trouble too. We also have a problem with fuchsias, OH has tried all ways to keep them and we always lose nearly all of them.

As ardent a gardener that I am, I have always had trouble over -wintering geraniums/pelargoniums, or indeed, taking cuttings. Just outside today as it is so nice, but cool, tidying things away, and noticed two particular baskets that I would really like to save.
Is anyone really successful at this, is it worth it, and how do you manage it.
Many Thanks
Julia in Derbyshire