Bonsai Garden Forums / BONSAI / Fuchsia Bonsai / New enthusiast, established Fuchsia! / Latest Posts

RE: New enthusiast, established Fuchsia!

Andy01 — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 18:08:31 GMT

OK I'm all done!

In case anyone is interested here is my little Fuchsia now out of the ground and into a pot with plenty of room to grow on.

She's got a long way to go to thicken up and find some form but I'm looking forward to the journey!

RE: New enthusiast, established Fuchsia!

Andy01 — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 18:41:08 GMT

Good point Kath,

I'll grab some fresh compost tomorrow and get started.

Thanks,

Andy

RE: New enthusiast, established Fuchsia!

Kath — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:31:46 GMT

Carefully tease the old soil out of the root ball.

Cut off any thick tap roots Andy, as these are only there as an 'anchorage' for the plant, leaving as many of the finer roots as these are the "feeder roots".

I would prefer to use a good potting compost Andy as you never know what might be 'lurking' in the garden soil eg vine weevil etc :w00t:

RE: New enthusiast, established Fuchsia!

Andy01 — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 18:12:12 GMT

OK, last question.. :D

I've located a good sized pot (almost knee hight)and so I'm ready to dig her up in the next day or so.

Should I cut down the root ball at all at this stage before putting in the new pot or might this effect the thickening of the main stem?

Last last question, I intend to fill the pot with soil from the bed she came from along with some vermiculite and maybe some grit sand. is this OK or should I be using potting compost instead of the soil?

I've taken some pics of before and after the hair cut and I'll take one more in the pot just in case anyones interested. I know I like looking at pictures!

RE: New enthusiast, established Fuchsia!

Kath — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 19:11:49 GMT

You assumed right Andy.

The bigger the container the more 'free' root run it will have and this will help the existing stem to 'thicken' quicker compared to putting the plant into a small pot :)

RE: New enthusiast, established Fuchsia!

Andy01 — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 18:38:02 GMT

Thanks Kath,

Some really useful info. Can I assume that once it's out of the ground and into a pot the main stem will not get much bigger?

I've cut it back this weekend and found that the thickest stems had died back in the previous winter so the best main stem is not as thick as I would have liked. But if I leave it in the ground I know that this will die back too. So maybe the answer is to put it into as big a pot as I have available in order to give the main stem a chance to get bigger?

Andy

RE: New enthusiast, established Fuchsia!

Kath — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 10:07:10 GMT

To give you a better idea in respect of 'pruning back' to the basic shape at this time of year in preparation for next year, this may help.

This one, Mrs.W.P Wood, a Magellanica type and early flowering has already been 'pruned back' 3 weeks ago, see how quick they come back :) If left like this within 2 months lateral braches would grow to between 12/18 inches, that's why we carry on pruning during the winter months, of course rate of growth varies with different varieities.

If you go here

http://forums.bonsaigarden.net/Topic3171-6-1.aspx

you can see it just beginning to flower in the first week in June

RE: New enthusiast, established Fuchsia!

Kath — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 08:29:01 GMT

Hi Andy,

Try to picture in your mind what kind of basic shape you want for the future, then cut back accordingly, removing all this year's foliage, I would only leave one large stem (future trunk) and side braches (if it has any), if not it will soon shoot new ones in the future.

The whole idea of cutting back now and keeping inside through the winter months is to keep them 'in-the-green' as we say in the fuchsia world :), ie to encourage new foliage and growth now, then through the winter months you can start 'shaping' for the following year.

It mustn't be left to go semidormant/dormant Andy, could you not stand the pot on the floor in your porch, I'm thinking that the temperature might be cooler than 15c on the floor.

RE: New enthusiast, established Fuchsia!

Andy01 — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 12:10:16 GMT

Many Thanks for such a detailed reply Kath,

When transferring to the pot and cutting back some of the roots would I leave all the current stems and foliage in place until the spring or cut back to one or two potential trunks now?

I don't have a greenhouse unfortunately, however I do have quite a beefy shed with a tiled roof and marine ply floor with double windows on two side sides, I would guess it stays quite light there most of the year although I have no idea if it stays above 5 degrees, I would guess not. I'm sure it would be protected it from the frost but I assume if it drops below a certain temperature I would die back and go dormant?

The other location is my rear porch but I can't say that it would stay below 10 degrees, probably nearer 15 most of the time, would you say the warmer temp be better than the colder?

Andy

RE: New enthusiast, established Fuchsia!

Kath — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 08:07:41 GMT

Hi Andy and welcome to Bonsai Garden.

If you go here

http://www.bonsaigarden.net/growing_fuchsia_bonsai.html

you can follow instructions for 'Method B', plant into an ordinary flower pot so that after the excess roots have been pruned away the remaining roots fit comfortably into the flower pot.

This is the ideal time of year as the oncoming September morning dews will also help the plant to produce new growth before the winter. When completed DO place in a shady/well ventilated place outside and keep soil moist but not soaking wet, water in the mornings and never let the soil dry out completely.

Do you have a green house where you can place the plant during the winter months?, or cool conservatory, or cool light room? Even though it sounds as if it is a hardy variety in the garden, it must have protection against frost once planted into a flowerpot/container.

If you have more questions please come back.

New enthusiast, established Fuchsia!

Andy01 — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 00:27:48 GMT

Hi everyone,

Very happy to have found this forum and a great deal of useful Bonsai info to read through.

My Mother gave me a well established Fuchsia a few years ago which I planted in the garden and has done well and grown quite a thick stem with some nice looking roots already starting to grow out of the ground so I think it would be a great example to start to train.

My question is one of timing, I understand that spring is the best time to pot the plant but I don't want to leave it in the ground for another winter, although it survived the last harsh winter under a foot of snow!

As the weather is still producing warm sunny days with rain too is there enough growing time left to dig up and pot the plant and allow it sufficient time for it to recover and bush out before the winter?

If yes is the idea to go into a relatively small pot straight away or go for a good size pot until next Spring?

Thanks,

Andy