Fushia

[paddles]

having just read the post about keeping azealias alive, i have to ask about fushia, I water, generally tend to (I never even get so far as to repot) and still manage to kill them (sorry bodi, I don't know why my tom thumb died today) my attempts at fushias, and yet they die. I don't overwater, I don't let them dry out?

Has anybody got advice for keeping a fushia alive?

[aaron_tas]

keep em in the colder shadier spot, they don't like strong sun...

[Greth]

I think it would be hard to overwater, almost impossible in a free draining mix. I have quite a few living happily in pots, strictly in the shadehouse, did manage to kill the only one in a bonsai pot.
Another attempt coming up, I have a nice big one growing in a planter. As soon as it finishes flowering it is going to face a major chop. I have loads of cuttings from it already, will make sure there are plenty more.

[bodhidharma]

Ahhh Paddles, we must keep trying. Fucshias must have dappled shade all day and lots of water. they also like a little bit of Azalea food mixed into your normal organic fertilizer. Having said that, next time your out this way pick up another one.

[paddles]

Ahhh Paddles, we must keep trying. Fucshias must have dappled shade all day and lots of water. they also like a little bit of Azalea food mixed into your normal organic fertilizer. Having said that, next time your out this way pick up another one.

are we really game bodhidharma? this was the shortest lived tree i've ever managed!!! I watered it, I had it in shade...... it was ok one day, dead the next!

[Chris]

this one i dug up 5 months ago it was under a rubber tree out the back of our last house it has gone nuts and will give me plenty of joy.

[Petra]

they do seem to like the cooler weather and shade. Paddles You and i both,i never had luck with them either,i have them for 1 day the next dead. its best left to someone else to do. By the way Chris is that your Emu, thats no way to handle them.

[Chris]

lol about 10 years ago i was chatting to some Americans and told them i had a emu in the back yard. I rushed down to a place where you could feed emu it was a joke and he was very happy with the food he was getting i know it might not look right but no harm was done and i got a great pic.

[MelaQuin]

I agree with much of what you say about fuschia but many fuschias, including Tom Thumbs grow HUGE and rampant in Sydney in full sun. Mind you, NOT in my yard where they die. Maybe it is a thing that while some fuschia's can cope with full sun they like cool roots. How about trying again but putting a layer of mulch over the top of the pot to keep the roots insulated?

[Dumper]

my fuschia was doing very very bad and was seriously dying.
but now there's new growth on it. all i did was to leave it at a shady area that receive morning sun and i water it a lot. might look like i am over watering it but like what Greth said. it's almost impossible to over water with free draining mix. but then some mix might not be as free draining as others. if so. just go to bunnings and buy any type of pebbles such as decorative, lava rock or river pebbles and add it in to the mix..... that is what i will do. dont get sizes that are smaller than 1mm cause that blocks up all the tiny holes in the mix.

[Greth]

I have a large one in the shadehouse growing in a wooden planter, where I keep my more damp loving ornamental plants. It has just about taken over, shot up to a metre high, but a nice chunky base. It is destined for bonsai as soon as it stops flowering. If that ever happens, showing no signs of slowing down yet..
Have already taken loads of cuttings from it, will take a pile more when I lift it, and my other special plants can have some light again.
My daughter has a small flowered type in a pot as well, which she wants to use as bonsai. It was only a tiny seedling when we found it, getting up to a nice size now. Might try to wire it early, they are very brittle once the branches get woody.

[Petra]

Come on Greth, dont keep us in suspence. Photos, we want photos.
Id love to see this fuschia.

[Greth]

Will try later today, Petra, our solar power had an 'exciting moment' yesterday and husband will have to disconnect the house for an undisclosed length of time until he can fix it. (And if you think its scary having hubby play with the plumbing, try him on your total electricity supply..)

[Greth]

Here it is Petra, we seem to be sorted for power now.
Obviously this guy is going to come down to 6 inches or so, but it looks interesting, and as I have quite a few cuttings already, I don't mind fiddling with the parent plant now.

fuchsiatrunkJan10.jpg

I am happy to hear any styling ideas, Im sure there is something there, just not too sure what. All the long branches will be sectioned up for cuttings, so will have heaps of plants out of it too.
Here are the flowers, no idea of the variety

fuchsiaflowersJan10.jpg

This is my planter in the shadehouse, only 6 inches deep or so, makes quite a good growbox, but I mostly use it to keep delicate plants well watered and protected over summer. The box came from husbands work, used to transport large gearbox shafts, little bit oily but sooo useful

planterJan10.jpg

I have another one of these I use as a mini herb garden for things which have struggled in the open garden. Sorry guys, before you ask, these are rare and hard to come by, and I don't have a supply to share at the moment, hope the appropriate gearbox work gets busy in the future.

[Petra]

Thanks for sharing that with us Greth, still for the life of me i have tried every thing to no avail. im sure climate has some part in keeping them alive. I wish i could keep one, as they are sooooo beautiful. I dont know any one localy who has a fushia plant. I guess thats my answer there then.
I so look forwards to more of your fushias in progress in the future. Keep us posted. cheers!