June 2019

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTS

FUCHSIA SOCIETY

JUNE 2019 NEWSLETTER

MY MONTHLY GARDEN DIARY – JUNE

FUCHSIAS

W/c 25 May

I gave my fuchsias a good check as some were suffering and in great need of water (but not too much!)

W/c 1 June

Following Geoff’s talk on standards last week (see article below), I did a customary check and noticed that some roots were showing, so plan to repot and pinch out to ensure I get a decent shape.
Final pinching of singles is starting in earnest. I am guessing that if I start now, it will probably take me a good 2 weeks. This will hopefully give me plenty of scope when considering which plants will be ready for the various forthcoming shows. I know the experts continue to say it is better to concentrate on a few, and get these to a really good standard. However, as I can’t seem to stop buying fuchsias, I have convinced myself that ‘Practice makes Perfect’ and hope that I can get some half-decent plants on all show benches.
It is a good time for me to re-acquaint myself with the different cultivars that I grow. I know, however, some just won’t make it on to the show bench: -

Frankfurt 2006: a lovely flower, but shape-wise, it is such a challenge, so it will be potted up in a planter and proudly displayed in the back garden.
Autumnale: lovely foliage, but difficult to achieve a decent shape.
Chang: unusual small flower, but after June, it just has a mind of its own and ends up a misshapen mess!

I have my favourites, so I can’t resist taking more cuttings: Our Nan; Remembrance; Constance.

I sprayed my fuchsias with Rose Clear – there were several whitefly flying around.
Show Plant 2019 – looking good shape-wise. I need to remember to keep turning the plant regularly.

W/c 8 June

Rain stopped gardening this week, couldn’t continue pinching out, as it was a real wash-out!

W/c 15 June

W/c 22 June

Finally finished my pinching out and was able to give them all a good decent feed.
I pricked out numerous fuchsia cuttings which had rooted. I really have had a successful year with my cuttings – I am well pleased! Running out of space, however!

GENERAL GARDENING

W/c 25 May

Visited a beautiful Garden in Chapel-en-le Frith which was open under the NGS scheme. Views across Derbyshire were spectacular. Also there were some lovely colourful Rhododendrons & Azaleas – well worth the long journey.

W/c 1 June
I have been busy planting up troughs, planters and hanging pots for my niece. Purple was the colour theme, so I used a mix of verbena, callibrachoa, geraniums and of course fuchsias.
I have sown some comfrey seeds – some in a trough and some in cell trays. Comfrey is good to enrich the soil as a green fertilizer but also very colourful in its own right.
I potted up my very small tomato seedlings – I am worried about these, maybe I didn’t start them off early enough!
Now then on the other hand, I have potted up my Sunflower ‘Chocolat’ seedlings – All 47 of them!
This week was definitely a general maintenance week – I deadheaded roses; watered potatoes.
I decided to sow some more Nasturtium seeds, ‘Moon Gleam’, I’m hoping I haven’t left it too late.

W/c 8 June

Planted up 3 x hanging baskets and 2 x planters for my mum. Used a mix of geraniums; callibrachoa; verbena; lobelia and 1 or 2 fuchsias.
I helped to man the stall at Autokarna. Weather remained fine, (as it usually rains when I go!) hardy fuchsias sold well as did some ready-made hanging pots, from Shirleys nurseries. So, all in all, a very successful day!

W/c 15 June

After a week of rain, I was finally able to get out and plant up some self-seeded saplings (around a dozen) which I had

rescued from my niece. Hoping that one day I may be able to turn them into bonsai trees.
I potted up borage; tomatoes; spring onions
Deadhead roses – these had taken a real battering thanks to the rain.
Went to Gardeners World Live at Birmingham NEC on the Sunday. Saw some really inspirational Show gardens and the displays in the Floral Marquee were stunning. We had to judge our favourite wheelbarrow and there were approx 50 to choose from! These were wheelbarrows planted up, all created by schoolchildren from local schools. In the afternoon, we sat and listened to the experts giving advice on Patio gardening; Container Growing; and planting wildflowers.
I eventually was able to mow the lawn.

I cut back the forsythia and Fuchsia ‘Whiteknight’s Pearl’ at the front and weeded the drive.
I sowed my 5^th and final row of seed potatoes. I still have a few seed potatoes left – I might have to grow them in a used compost bag; pierce some holes in the bottom; add some compost and plant.

Last month Geoff delivered a very interesting talk on Standards & Hanging Pots. Here’s a few notes that I made: -

STANDARDS

Choose plants that have a long main stem.
Start them off in 2”/3” Pots.
Keep potting them on – NEVER let the roots touch the sides of the pot as the plant will think it is time to flower and we don’t want them to use up their energy producing blooms just yet! Also, if they flower they will lose their growing tips.
Aim to plant up into 5” pot.
TIP – use a pea stick and hang a 2 litre pop bottle, painted black, over the plant to draw the plant up. You may want to sharpen the end of your pea stick before sticking it into the compost.
Cut off side branches but leave the leaves on. Don’t cut flush to main stem, nib will fall naturally, not leaving a scar.
Using a soft tie, tie fuchsia to cane loosely, allowing for growth.
Feed with a high Nitrogen feed (Miraclegro)
Feed when cutting flowers off and when repotting into a bigger size pot.
If growing standards to show standard, need to remember that pot and head must be in proportion. (Pot shouldn’t be bigger in diameter than the head of the Fuchsia).

Keep turning, once every 3 to 4 days
When fuchsia starts to bud – feed with high potash feed
You can grow standards from scratch and get onto show bench in one year.
TIP – Put brown terracotta pots into bigger clay or black pots to keep cool and hence, to keep roots from burning.

HANGING POTS

When roots touch side, they will start budding, pinch out tips and feed with high Nitrogen feed.
5 or 6 cuttings can be grown together in a 4”/5” pot.
Put broken crocks in bottom of pot to help drainage.
Put empty pot (same size) in hanging pot and fill around edge with compost. Take pot out and replace with cuttings, reduces root disturbance.
You can even use a sieve as a hanging pot, line with black liner, drop in the plant and attach clip-on chain.
If you want to use the multi-cutting method (Ken Pilkington’s way), try growing cuttings into a round drip tray, keep moist and feed. In a month’s time, when rooted, this can be lifted and dropped into the relevant sized hanging pot.

WANTED

If anyone has been searching for a long lost fuchsia, then why not ask your friends at the society! The Noticeboard will now be on show at our monthly meetings. Complete form and attach to the noticeboard. Simple!

Please use forms already provided in previous newsletters or there will be some near the noticeboard.

WANTED – TOMBOLA PRIZES

Again, we ask for any donations which will be suitable for our tombola which we hold at the Annual Show. Prizes to Christine Cole.

WANTED - PLANTS

Not only do we welcome any plant donations to sell at our plant sales, but also would like donations to sell on our Plant stall at our Annual show in August.

WANTED – CAKES AND PASTRIES

Also, to all those cooks amongst us – please bring any homemade goodies with you on the day.

PROMOTE! PROMOTE! PROMOTE!

Let’s make sure we reach every corner of the county this year! Word of mouth goes a long way, so tell all your friends and family about our show. If you know of an ideal spot for a poster, go to Derek – make sure there’s one there! Flyers, if you belong to another club, is it possible you can advertise our show at one of their meetings, by putting flyers on the seats or by posting one up on a notice board? At a local Post Office? Or Newsagent or Supermarket? Posters should also be available at this month’s meeting – see Derek.

HELPERS

If I haven’t managed to speak to you about support over the Show weekend, please, please, come to me at the meeting. The show can’t function without your help.

DERBY & DISTRICT FUCHSIA & GARDENING CLUB – 50^th ANNUAL SHOW

Derby will be holding their Annual show on Saturday 24^th August 2019 (2 weeks after ours) at The Grange Hall, Park Lane, Littleover, Derby, DE23 6FX –

The show is open from 12.30p.m – 5.00p.m and it also includes an exhibition by the Derby & District Bonsai Association.

ANYONE INTERESTED IN SHOWING - PLEASE CONTACT JAYNE.

Staging is between 3.30p.m and 5.30p.m on Friday 23^rd August and on Saturday from 8.30a.m to 9.45a.m.

NEWSLETTER

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.

FUNDRAISING

The easiest way for all internet users to help raise funds for our Society is simply by every time you search the Web you use easysearch.

Easysearch combines results from Yahoo!, Windows MSN Live Search and Ask.com in one simple search, the address is http://nottsfuchsia.easysearch.org.uk Please try it and encourage others too. Don’t forget if you make any purchases on the internet, to go through our webshop to make sure we receive commission from the retailers (currently over 2000 well known retailers), the address is http://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/nottsfuchsia .

Derek purchased a new freezer through easyfundraising and earned the society £5.00

30 June

Open Garden at Hebbs Farmhouse, Stoke Bardolph – some of you will already have visited Stuart’s garden, but if you haven’t he is opening his garden again this year from 2.00p.m to 6.00pm.

13 July

Long Eaton & District Horticultural Society SUMMER Show - held at the United Reformed Church, Midland Street, Long Eaton. 10.00a.m to 4.00p.m. ADMISSION FREE

13 July

Long Eaton & District Horticultural Society SUMMER Show - held at the United Reformed Church, Midland Street, Long Eaton. 10.00a.m to 4.00p.m. ADMISSION FREE

13 July

Long Eaton & District Horticultural Society SUMMER Show - held at the United Reformed Church, Midland Street, Long Eaton. 10.00a.m to 4.00p.m. ADMISSION FREE

10^th & 11^th Aug

Nottingham & Notts 47th Annual Show – at Attenborough Village Hall, Attenborough Lane, Attenborough, Nottingham (sat nav NG9 6AB). Open to the Public: Saturday: 1.30p.m – 5.00p.m. Sunday: 10.00a.m – 4.00p.m. ADMISSION £1.00

27 Aug

Monthly Meeting: Gardening for Small Spaces

24 Sep

Monthly Meeting: Ian Strawson talking on ‘Fuchsias’

22 Oct

Monthly Meeting: Jeff Bates talking on ‘Colour in the Garden’

Remember our next meeting

Will be

Tuesday 23^rd JULY 2019

DEREK LUTHER

FUCHSIA SHOW TALK