Fuchsia: Propagation, Care, and Growing at Home in Winter

Fuchsia

The plant, sometimes referred to as the "elf flower," is the well-known fuchsia. It comes in a huge variety of shades, is unfussy, and can be easily grown and propagated by even a novice gardener at home. So, how do you grow it yourself? grow fuchsia and care for it properly How to care for this plant at home in winter?

Tips for growing and care

A fuchsia will be a true delight if you provide it with comfortable conditions throughout the entire growth process—from planting to resting between seasons. It's important to know the proper care for fuchsias, especially during wintering indoors, which depends on their growing location (outdoors or in a pot).

Watering

Fuchsias are considered moisture-loving plants. The shrub tolerates both misting and watering directly at the roots. Water sparingly every day. A lack of moisture will become noticeable when the soil dries out to a depth of 1 centimeter. However, don't overdo it, as overwatering will inevitably lead to mold and root rot. This can be prevented by creating a drainage layer using expanded clay or thoroughly cleaned pebbles.

Light

Fuchsias are heat-loving flowers, but they shouldn't be placed in direct sunlight. Reflected light and partial shade are sufficient. When choosing a location, consider contrast. Dark-colored flowers require more light, while lighter shades will thrive in a dark corner.

Soil mixture

The best soil mix for fuchsias is considered to be black soil with leaf mold. Fertilize regularly. During flowering, apply a natural fertilizer with a low nitrogen content. Fertilizers are used in combination with watering solution, but can also be added directly to the soil.

Important!

With the onset of cold weather, there is no longer any need to fertilize fuchsia, due to the fact that the flower’s biological cycle begins a dormant stage and it does not need nutrition.

Room temperature

Fuchsias originated in warm climates, but high temperatures are not ideal for their growth. At temperatures above 25 degrees Celsius, the plant wilts. In summer, fuchsias should be protected from the sun by placing the pot in a cooler location, and the flowerbed should be shaded.

Preparing fuchsia for winter

In winter, the fuchsia begins a dormant period, which is explained by the fuchsia's adaptation to climate conditions when temperatures drop and sunlight is too insufficient for normal life. Fuchsias need to rest, replenish their energy reserves, and prepare for future blooms. Preparation tips:

Reduce watering.
Reduce watering gradually. Stop watering completely after a month. It's important to begin reducing watering in the first month of autumn, as the fuchsia will be completely dehydrated before the first frost.
Stopping plant nutrition.
Stopping feeding your fuchsia is necessary to stimulate leaf and flower shedding. This is a "sign" to the fuchsia that it needs to reduce its activity.
Reducing the amount of incident light.
The plant should be placed at a sufficient distance from the window. The plant should receive only light reflected from the ceiling and walls. If this isn't possible, a lamp turned on for a couple of hours once a day will do.
Temperature decrease.
The pot should be placed on a glazed balcony, left in a basement or other place where the temperature is no more than +15^oWITH.

Storing plants in a basement or cellar

To preserve your fuchsia during the cold season, it's best to place it in a basement. However, remember to trim the plant's leaves before moving it.
In the absence of light, the plant respires just as it would outdoors, meaning it loses nutrients. The room should be well ventilated, otherwise humidity will rise, leading to mold growth.

Important!

The best temperature for fuchsia in a basement is at least +10 degrees.

How fuchsia survives winter in an apartment

Not everyone has the opportunity to keep fuchsias in a basement for the winter. It's believed that it's quite possible to create comfortable conditions for overwintering fuchsias indoors, but it's important to keep in mind that this requires regular ventilation. With the arrival of autumn, the plant's cuttings are transplanted into soil with a low humus content, which slows the growth of young shrubs.

If a gardener observes fuchsia sprouting during the winter, they should immediately trim off any excess shoots and reduce the air temperature by opening windows as wide as possible. There's no need to dispose of the shoots. They should be rooted by placing them in water. Place the fuchsia on a well-lit windowsill. While fuchsias overwintered in the basement should be watered once or twice every 30 days, those overwintered indoors should be watered more frequently.

Central heating systems promote rapid soil drying, and low humidity can kill fuchsias. Therefore, on the first day of planting, open the windows using micro-ventilation. Windows should be kept open at all times, except during periods of severe cold weather. Fuchsias are more sensitive to moisture than when growing, as they don't respond well to excess or insufficient humidity. Without the right conditions, high humidity and temperatures will cause insects to appear. Treatments such as fungicides may not be effective in eliminating the problem.

Fuchsias are typically left to overwinter after the second month of autumn. The plant overwinters until spring.

How to care for fuchsia placed on a windowsill

The fuchsia should be constantly ventilated, meaning it should be placed as close to the window as possible. Insulate the bottom of the pot with foam plastic to prevent root rot from cold air. Protect the plant from dry air by covering it with plastic film if the room is quite hot. Water the fuchsia sparingly and sparingly, and don't forget to treat it with specialized pesticides. During the first two months of winter, the plant should be illuminated with lamps due to insufficient daylight.

Should I trim and how should I do it?

Fuchsias must be pruned before winter. This is done twice a year:

In the autumn, when transferring the flower to the basement or home.
In the spring, in order to create an attractive shape.

Fuchsia branches should be trimmed back to approximately 0.5 of their length. This is because the immature part is removed, along with the foliage. The root ball should also be trimmed back to a size that fits in two hands. After this preparation, the bush is placed in a box. You can add damp moss to the box to insulate the plant and retain moisture.

Important!

You can avoid the growth of elongated trunk by pruning it in the fall immediately after flowering.

Flower propagation

You can also propagate the bush yourself at home.
Reproduction methods:

seeds;
by cuttings.

In the first case, the "new" fuchsia may be very different from the parent plant, as it is self-pollinating or pollinated by bees. When propagating from cuttings, the shoot should be cut to a length no longer than twenty centimeters. After removing the leaves from the bottom of the plant, the root should be placed in purified water. When new roots appear, the cutting should be transplanted into the ground.

Once the fuchsia has grown sufficiently, it should be repotted into a larger pot. Repotting should be done annually in the fall or spring, ensuring adequate space for the growing roots.

Propagation by cuttings

Select a green apical shoot with two or three leaf axils. Use a sharp knife to cut the shoot at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. Then, let the cutting sit for about ten minutes. Large leaves (if there are many) should also be trimmed to facilitate rooting.
Next, you need to “dust” the cut with a rooting stimulator (for example, “Kornevin” works great).
The cutting should be rooted in a light potting mix. Then, prepare a container and add the moistened potting mix to a depth of three centimeters. Insert the cutting into the container and moisten it using a spray bottle.
To increase humidity, use a transparent bag. Place the container inside, inflate the bag, tie it shut, and then place the entire setup on a well-lit windowsill. Avoid direct sunlight on the cutting (the optimal temperature is 20-25°C).
Once a day (or even every other day), untie the bag to allow air to circulate. If necessary, mist the cutting and soil to prevent drying out.
In about two weeks, small roots will appear. Once the roots have grown, the cutting can be transplanted into a small container. It's important to use light soil.
The pot with the cutting inside must be wrapped again in a bag, which no longer needs to be tied, you can just lift the “walls”.
After a few days (up to seven), the bag can be removed, provided the plant isn't wilting. If this happens, you need to create conditions even closer to those of a greenhouse. Spray the fuchsia, inflate the bag, tie it, and wait for the plant to recover, remembering to provide proper care.

Propagation by seeds

Fuchsias should be grown from seeds in February, using light soil. You can purchase soil at a gardening store. However, it's also easy to make your own soil mixture of turf, peat, and sand (3:2:1). Before sowing, compact the soil, moisten it, and spray it with a pink solution of potassium permanganate.
The tray should be covered with plastic wrap and placed on a warm, well-lit windowsill. The temperature should be between 18°C and 22°C. It's important to avoid direct sunlight. If the soil is damp, lift the plastic wrap several times a day to remove condensation. If the soil is dry, gently mist the area around the seedling (the water should be at room temperature). In about a month, small seedlings will begin to emerge. At this point, begin removing the plastic wrap from the tray for extended periods of time to allow the seedlings to gradually acclimate to room conditions. Eventually, the cover can be removed completely.

Important!

The seeds should be spread in a tray and distributed over the substrate, not buried in the soil, but simply pressed lightly into it. Otherwise, the seeds will not germinate without light.

When the second pair of leaves appears, the seedlings should be transplanted into separate small containers. It's important to water the plant regularly to prevent the soil from drying out. Spray occasionally and fertilize the seedlings with mineral fertilizer twice a month.

Caring for fuchsia at home in winter

The plant doesn't require much fertilizing; the main thing is to water it regularly and maintain an optimal temperature (10 degrees above zero). Avoid placing the pot on a north-facing window, as this will deprive the plant of sufficient light, which can lead to stretching.
Early March is the ideal time for fuchsias to awaken. Winter-hardy fuchsias can be left in the garden, but covered with a layer of peat or dry leaves. Plastic film helps absorb excess moisture.

Possible diseases during wintering

During winter, the plant can be affected by rust, which occurs due to neglecting the recommended conditions. The indoor environment should be warm, humid, and dimly lit. To prevent rust, treat the plant with a 1% Bordeaux mixture solution, but this is often not done due to the appearance of dark spots on the leaves. In most cases, both the affected plant and its neighbors die. If rust appears, immediately treat the plant with a mixture of five liters of water, 15 grams of copper sulfate, and 200 grams of green soap.

Gray mold occurs when the air becomes too humid. When affected, parts of the plant become soft to the touch, and a white coating appears on the leaves. To eliminate the problem, trim off the affected leaves, treat them with specialized chemicals, and adjust the microclimate.

Fuchsia awakening in spring

When the flower awakens, the temperature shouldn't rise abruptly. Instead, gradually increase the flower's temperature by moving it to locations with different temperatures.
The room must be well lit, but the plant should not be directly exposed to sunlight.

The roots should be inspected immediately for damage. If damage is present, the roots should be trimmed, then soaked in water and stimulants, and the above-ground portions should be sprayed with water. By adding magnesium sulfate powder to the spray mixture (according to the instructions), the gardener will help the plant develop new buds. To speed up this process, the bush can be covered, ensuring high humidity and prolonging the action of the magnesium sulfate.

Conclusion

You can ensure a comfortable winter for your fuchsia without even moving it to the basement. It will survive the winter perfectly on a windowsill with occasional watering, misting, and the right temperature.