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bullet Tools for successful fuchsia growing                                        Jan Wiggelinkhuizen

 Although it is great to be organized and have all the equipment listed below to make life easier everything listed is not essential to the successful growing of beautiful plants. Like any hobby we acquire all the different aids gradually - now is the time to start that birthday list that your family is always asking for.

bulletA well-lit but shady working surface, sheltered from the wind, and ideally also from the rain for all-weather work, a tap nearby and a shelf above the work area to store utensils, labels, some pots, small watering can etc
bulletThe work area should be at waist height if standing or better sitting on a bar stool, or at table height if most of your work is done sitting. The inverted lid on top of the large rubbish bin is an alternative – if necessary raise the plant on an upside –down large pot. Get comfortable plastic gardening  shoes for what may be a bit of a messy/wet job at times.
bullet Mixing and potting tray - a 600*600*80mm plastic/metal sump tray with side drainage similar to that used  underneath  hot water geysers or a large cat tray are ideal.
bullet Gardening apron - green, with 2 large bottom pockets for twine or wool, a hand cloth etc and several top pockets for scissors, pen, forceps etc
bullet Trowels - one large builders' trowel (or your hands) for mixing compost and a smaller trowel for transferring compost mixtures to pots and baskets. A dessert or table spoon preferably fairly narrow at the tip for trickling compost in restricted areas underneath  plants.
bulletA dibber or cane/pencil/kebab stick) to make holes in the rooting compost for cuttings and push out rooted cuttings from underneath through the drainage hole.
bulletA dinner fork to lift out rooted cuttings  for potting-up. Kebab sticks are useful to position wayward branches.
bullet Scissors - a sturdy pair to cut bigger branches, roots and labels, and a fine sharp-pointed pair for "pinching" (much easier than using your nails) and for taking cuttings and later deadheading. An old-fashioned razor blade or sharp knife are more dangerous alternatives.
bullet Forceps - a 25cm stainless steel blunt-nosed non-toothed surgical forceps (R75!) is a very useful instrument (2 are even better) - it allows you to pick out dead leaves and flowers from inside the plant, tie supports around inner stakes and so on without damaging the plants. They are also preferable to bare fingers for dislodging caterpillars though you may squash the beast if it clings!
bullet Ties - I use darkish green "chunky" wool within the foliage to close gaps in the foliage and speckled brown wool to tie standards to stakes. Ties should be unobtrusive and you may select other shades depending on the colour of the leaves. Green garden twine or plastic twist ties, pantyhose strips are alternatives. You can do a lot of easy tying with one ball of wool, it does not slip and has some stretch in it.
bullet Labels - strips cut from white plastic yoghurt cups/ice cream containers or more expensive bought labels kept in a lidded container to keep them dry. You and your plants/cuttings will be confused unless they are labeled/dated immediately. You think you will remember the name - you will not!
bullet Pen - an Artline 700 is most useful but anything which will write on plastic AND is indelible will do.
bullet  Stock of ingredients for your rooting and growing compost mixtures eg Palm peat (for rooting), plant compost, river sand, mature no smell!) kraal manure, potting soil, vermiculite, hoof and horn, bone meal, seaweed and fishmeal preparations, slow-release fertilizer or whatever works for you. Mine are stored in the garage and the roughly measured components are chucked into a large bucket to be mixed in the potting tray.

Ready-to-use Palm peat/vermiculite rooting mixture (4:1) is kept in a lidded nappy bucket - it lasts for months. Growing compost with manure should be kept dry and has a limited shelf life.

Fertilizers NPK 3:2:1 and 3:1:6 with trace elements.

bulletA 5 liter can for general watering/fertilizing and  1-11/2 liter indoors watering can with spout and douche head for small watering jobs. I use a 60cm rigid extension with a showerhead attached to the garden hose for quick drenching of pots and baskets. With this you can spray underneath leaves (and chase the bugs) and some nozzles can be adjusted for misting plants.
bulletA 5-10 ml plastic syringe and 1 liter measuring jug for mixing insecticides, fungicides, liquid fertilizers accurately.
bullet Sprayer for foliar feeding and insecticides. Size will vary according to needs. For large number of plants the high pressure continuous sprayer with a long angled nozzle to spray underneath leaves is best. Remember to use protective gear - long sleeves/trousers, mask, cap, goggles and gloves. Insecticides must be kept in a separate safe place.
bulletA stock of various sizes pots, some saucers, stakes, baskets and propagators. Propagators include coffee jars, cut-off plastic cold drink  bottles, or the multiplug rooting trays obtained from nurseries. A small hacksaw to cut bamboo stakes to size is useful.
bulletA large tray for carrying small plants/rooted cuttings from the working area to the shelves.
bulletA good size garden rubbish bin near the working area is essential.
bullet Diary to record growth and culture details and dates, in order not to repeat past mistakes!
bulletFor the fanatic: a maximum-minimum thermometer, humidity measurer, and even moisture, pH and light measurers are available. Moisture retaining gels, capillary matting when wetted provides humidity around plant) are luxuries for your plants.

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BASKETS      WCFS Workshop 5 August 2006            Jan Wiggelinkhuizen

 Most fuchsia blooms hang down - the bell flower! - hanging baskets at eyelevel make a striking display. Fuchsias are long-flowering and are ideal for patios, balconies and under trees. Baskets are mobile - put your best basket forward!

 Baskets:       - 15, 20 and 25 cm plastic baskets. 15cm baskets are too small - dry out too fast – even miniature fuchsias soon grow too big. A 20 cm basket is OK (NB Class 12 for 20cm baskets) and may be transferred to a 25 cm as the plants grow bigger. NB The plastic hangers and baskets have a finite lifespan and may break with disastrous results. ?Remove drainage plug? – most people do

- Galvanized or plastic-covered wire baskets 25-35 cm - more expensive and require a lining of coconut fibre, felt, plastic(with holes), pantyhose or even green shade netting. The suspending chain is supported by a bamboo cane to prevent the chain falling on the plants when the basket is taken down.

- Half-baskets affixed to the wall and Hanging pots

 Cultivars:    Use trailing(lax) or semi-trailing cultivars - some popular cultivars are:

            Singles: Marinka , Sylvia Barker, Waveney Gem, Jack Shahan  

            Doubles: Harry Gray,  Swingtime, Lena, Sir Matt Busby

                         Different cultivars growth at different rates and flower at different times - use 3-5 young multi-plants of only one cultivar per basket. Fuchsias do combine well with blue lobelias, white alyssum, begonias, pelargoniums, impatiens and variegated foliage plants. 

Position: Early morning sun or dappled shade - patios, balconies, under trees or eaves, shade houses. Turn baskets towards the light at weekly intervals. Basket are suspended from 2 key rings joined by a fishing tackle swivel - to allow free movement in the wind, easy turning towards the sun and cleaning.

 Compost: Lightweight, well-aerated and well-draining – I use 2 parts compost (Masters Organics), 1 part kraal manure, 1 part potting soil and 1 part vermiculite(or perlite)to ensure good drainage and aeration as well improve water holding properties, to which are added one handful each of Hoof and Horn (slow release N) and Bone Meal per bucket (P and Ca source)

May add - Polyacrylamate crystals (Shockogo, Terrasorb) absorb water yet make it available when needed without drowning the roots.

May add - Slow-release high N fertilizer with trace elements – both aid long term provision of food and water for the several plants in a basket.

May add Saturaid a wetting agent (reduces surface tension) which facilitates even water distribution throughout basket.

Use small plants (not rooted cuttings):  Rooted cuttings must first be grown on to a 7-10cm pot for starting baskets. Start rooting early in the year (Feb-April) if you want a good-sized basket flowering by November – fist-size small plants must be ready for planting out into the basket by June-July – 6+ months are needed to make a good basket. Do not forget to label and date the basket.

Rooting several cuttings together will produce small plants quickly - a basket may thus contain 10 or more cuttings - but has the disadvantage of exhausting the compost sooner. A basket is at its best 1-2 years old and are usually discarded by 3 years.

 Planting:  Premake the hole in the compost in the part-filled basket to accommodate the plant, using a same size pot. Bounce the basket a few times to settle the compost. Place the largest plant in the center and  the other 4 slightly angled towards the edge - this is done to provide support for the bigger branches which otherwise may break with the weight of the flowers. Some place an empty pot in centre at first and grow the centre plant on separately, pinching at every leaf set to ensure compact "head".

The basket should not be completely filled to allow for watering; also the water gel will swell up as it is charged with water. Water in lightly. Ideally you should have a good cover in the center with blooms all over - pinch the central plant more often or support it upwards on a frame. Existing baskets with a lost plant "hole"- use empty pot to keep space for replacement plant later.

 Pinching: At every or every 2nd or 3rd set of leaves - the more you pinch the more flowers you will have. The date to stop pinching is dependent on the cultivar - singles 6-8 weeks, doubles 10(17-18 Sept) -12 weeks before the show date. It is sometimes necessary to half trim some of the larger inside leaves to allow more light into the center of the plant.

 SHOW rules: Any number of plants per basket or hanging pot. Plant growth must fill center and cascade over the edge to cover at least the upper 2/3 of the depth of the container.

Gently stroke branches down repeatedly from centre to edge, or weigh down branches by e.g. clothes pegs. Use kebab sticks/florist wire to position branches uniformly around edge.

 Feeding: Water in dissolved fertilizer 1–2 weekly (follow instructions on container) - a NPK 3:2:1 feed for green growth and a high K NPK 3:1:6 feed once buds are visible - the high K strengthens the branches to carry the weight and improves colour of flowers. It is better to use half-strength fertilizer more frequently. Never fertilize when dried out - this gives too high a concentration to the feeder hair roots and does harm. Frequent watering leaches out nutrients thus feed plenty. Some use a balanced 20:20:20 NPK feed throughout.

Watering: The several plants in a relatively small container require frequent watering - daily in summer; adding water-storing polyacrylamate to the compost helps. Lift the basket with your hand to assess the need for watering - watering is best done by a showerhead attachment to the hose. Do not over water. May also place basket in bucket with liquid feed for 10-15 minutes.

Flowering: Some cultivars flower in flushes, others continuously i.e. have buds in all stages and flowers all the time. Cultivars with more than one flower per axil and short internodes are the most floriferous. Remove old flowers and seedpods (deadheading) regularly to promote long flowering.

 Pruning: Done by cutting just distal to a node close the edge of the basket and removing any dead or weak branches. Root pruning may be done if the plants have become root bound – roots visible all around the root ball - tip the plants out and take off the bottom 1/3 and some of the sides of the compost and replace with fresh compost.

 Transport: Use bucket with wet sand/rocks in bottom to support basket.

 

 

 

One aphid and its offspring, if none die, can produce 1,560,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 individuals.

 

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