NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTS

FUCHSIA SOCIETY 

What is happening in the Garden: 

• Perennials/Garden Shrubs etc

Blooms have finished on my yucca, so all it needs now is time and a little effort to cut these down and start digging up the roots. I hope to prune my Acers at the weekend as I believe this needs to be done at the end of the season when the trees are dormant. 

• Vegetable/Fruit Growing

Bob bought me some very unusual vegetable seeds for my birthday so I am looking forward to sowing these and then planting them in my new vegetable bed 

• Fuchsia Growing

All my fuchsias are finally tucked away in my mini greenhouses.  I now just have to remember to open them up to aerate them so as to avoid botrytis.  I also have a cunning plan this year and have split my greenhouses into 4 areas.  As they do not need too much watering, I have diarised when to check on each area – very scientific! 

• Wildlife/Pondlife

Birdfeeders are kept topped up and there are still plenty of berries on the pyracantha to attract the birds.  Birdbaths are also cleaned and kept topped up.Last month John Nicklass spoke to us about Overwintering Fuchsias: - 

John has been growing fuchsias for around 35 years and has therefore a wealth of knowledge on how to grow and maintain our beloved fuchsia.  Hardy fuchsias are best grown in the garden.  You could chance leaving them out over winter if they are in a pot, but best try and house them in a sheltered spot in the garden. 

Fuchsias can be overwintered in many ways: - 

Bury fuchsias in the garden - John suggested if you haven’t got the luxury of a greenhouse, they can be buried in the garden, also in a sheltered spot, with well drained soil.  Firstly, you dig a hole, line with straw or bracken; cut back the fuchsia by half; remove leaves and then cover with damp peat. 

Store fuchsias in a frost free place – spare room, garage or even the loft. 

Protect fuchsias from the frost – use polystyrene as insulation (also a good way of recycling!) 

Unheated Greenhouse – can insulate by lining with bubble wrap. Tidy fuchsias by defoliating to discourage pests and diseases. 

Protect pots – wrap pots with bubble wrap but wrap the fuchsia itself in fleece. 

Heated Greenhouse – can also insulate sides with bubble wrap, but not the roof - to allow as much light in as possible. 

To prepare fuchsias:  –  

• Chop fuchsias back (half the size) and reshape. Let them dry out a little, but if they bleed, lay them on their sides. 
• Pot back – take away old compost and replace with new. 
• Triphyllas – pot down from 5” pots into a 4” pot for example. 

If anyone wants any item included in the Newsletter, please let me know, either at a meeting, or phone me on Tel: 0115 8758928, or email: jayne.daykin@ntlworld.com  I will gladly include any article or event in the Newsletter.   

Also, if anyone would rather I send them an electronic copy, please let me know. 

Remember: It is YOUR newsletter. 

During our last Committee meeting, we asked ourselves: - 

• what can we do to encourage more members?

• what do our members actually want from their society? 

  We then realised that we needed your help and your input so would really like you to think hard about the following questions and come up with some really great ideas. 

You have time to ponder over these questions as we plan to discuss further at our February social meeting