Pruning Fuchsias
Lisa A
Posted: Mar-13-2004 at 11:43pm
I know I asked this last year and you all were so nice and told me what to do but I didn't save the info, I can't recall the answer and I can't access the old RS forum so . . .
I see green sprouts at the base of my fuschia but so far no green buds along the very dead looking stems. Do I prune the old stems out? Cut them back? Leave them alone completely (step away from the pruners?)? If I cut them back, do I do it now? If not now, when? TIA!
I promise to remember what to do next year and not bother you all again, really I do!
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Gardening in Sunset Zone 6, USDA Zone 8.
Bread feeds the body, indeed, but flowers feed also the soul. - The Koran
DebbieTT
Posted: Mar-14-2004 at 12:53am
You can do a scrape test to see if branches are still green, but it is still a little early yet. I would wait another 3-4 weeks before pruning of any dead branches, when you see the leaf buds just beginning to break open. I haven't actually gone looking at the fuchsias yet. I will look tomorrow to be positive, it just feels early yet.
Probably going to see more dead branches this year because it was a colder year.
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Lisa A
Posted: Mar-15-2004 at 4:24pm
Thanks, Debbie, for the info. I'll wait.
__________________
Gardening in Sunset Zone 6, USDA Zone 8.
Bread feeds the body, indeed, but flowers feed also the soul. - The Koran
sunrose
Posted: Mar-27-2004 at 11:10pm
Lisa, I don't know the kind of Fuschia you have, but I pruned a Cape Fuschia (Phygelius x rectus 'Pink Elf') to the ground last fall, because it had gotten so huge over the summer. It's under the house eaves on the east side, protected, and now it's on its way back. I think I pruned it twice over the summer so it continued to get massive blooms for the hummingbirds right into the last wink of fall. Hardy, that one.
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