May 2019

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTS

FUCHSIA SOCIETY

MAY 2019 NEWSLETTER

Thanks Derek for putting together last month’s newsletter at such short notice. However, I’ve now got lots to update you on!

MY MONTHLY GARDEN DIARY – APRIL & MAY

FUCHSIAS

W/c 30 March

Continued to tidy up my fuchsias – cutting back; shaping; pinching out & top dressing (this seems to be an ongoing task!)
Scraping back at the bark on fuchsias to check whether they are still alive
Bonsai fuchsias – checked these, quite surprisingly they are doing well, so concentrated on pruning them into shape and clearing away surface debris
Long Eaton & District Horticultural Spring Show - I bought 2 x New fuchsias named LE & DHS100 (name yet to be confirmed by the BFS) to celebrate the society’s Centenary Year. Already taken a few cuttings.

W/c 6 April

Visited John Smith & Sons (Thornton Nurseries) off Junction 22 of the M1 and purchased 12 varieties of fuchsias. I find they have a good range of fuchsias – some I hadn’t heard of and some old favourites: -

President Leo Bouilleimer – bought as I have a Great Nephew called Leo

Lauren – Bought previously but lost it and I also have a Great Niece called Lauren

Cloverdale Pearl/Jewel – Cliff Gadsby cultivars, bought with the intention of exhibiting at Derby Fuchsia Annual Show

Mary – lovely Triphylla, I struggle to overwinter, so having one last try

Tom West – Despite it being a hardy, I struggle to overwinter this in the greenhouse. I am contemplating planting it in the ground this year.

Autumnale – can’t resist this cultivar, I try to train it and show in the Ornamental class, but it is a challenge as it grows horizontally – good in a planter.

Dark & Delicious/Northway/Soul – 3 cultivars I had not heard of before, so intrigued.

Ice cool – from reading the label it could just be another name for Delta Sarah. I quote ‘ AKA Dalta Sarah.

Dorothy Hanley – a very old favourite.

Experiencing some really hot weather, rushed home to open the greenhouses and needed to water badly in the evening.

W/c 13 April

Potted on the fuchsias I had bought from Jacksons in February – ‘Just Pat’ and ‘Tia Clements’, in particularly, are shaping up nicely without much intervention from myself. I continued to take even more cuttings. (I know, too many cuttings!)
Pricked out 4 x F. Magellanica ‘Whiteknight’s Pearl’ which have rooted.

W/c 11 May

I have finally finished checking on my fuchsias, I can’t believe it has taken me so long!
A few years ago, after seeing a hanging basket with (I think) 3 different cultivars grown together at one of the RHS shows, I tried an experiment. I grew 3 different Magellanica types together in a 12” pot. (I chose the more robust cultivars to avoid the frustration should one fail!) I have 2 x pots on the go at the moment, and I am yet to get the most out of them from a flower perspective. I want to try some other combinations, so hence, more cuttings have been taken.
On holiday this week, so I have taken full advantage and spent most of the time either in my garden or at my mum’s. Monday was definitely spent at my mum’s. Mum sorted out her bulbs, while I took all her fuchsias out of the greenhouse, tidied them up and displayed on the circular stand located in the centre of her lawn.

W/c 18 May

A trip to Floralands resulted in yet another purchase of fuchsias! In addition to the normal cultivars you can find at Garden Centres, I was attracted to a few unusual ones: -

Nelli; Euro Princess; Cecilia. I also bought Wassennimpfe, thinking it was a new one, then later, as I translated the German into English – ‘Water Nymph’, I realized it wasn’t a new one after all! I also noticed a couple of mis-spellings – Benisser Hardy (I’m sure this should be BeRnisser Hardy) and Tinny (I’m sure this should be TWinny).

I have planted up 5 wall baskets putting 3 same cultivar fuchsias in each basket: Beckie-Lou; Barbara Windsor; Reflexa; Lady in Red; Rosalien.
Trying hard to keep on top of my watering regime especially during this hot spell. However, I could kick myself, I put my hanging pots out and some of my bigger pots and the sun has scorched them, so I have quickly put them back in the shade. How silly!

GENERAL GARDENING

W/c 30 March

It was Long Eaton & District Horticultural Spring Show today, which meant an early start. However, I had a good idea what I was taking:

2 x pots of dwarf Narcissus – ‘W P Milner’
2 x vases of spring flowers
2 x 3 stems Flowering shrubs – Forsythia & Ribes

At the last minute I decided to include an indoor succulent – ‘Money Plant’ and 1 pot of Hyacinths which I spotted at the last minute. My Hyacinth pot earned 1^st prize (not bad for a last minute entry!) and I came 1^st & 2^nd with my dwarf Narcissus – I’m happy with that.

I potted up the few Aster & sweet pea seedlings that had germinated
Sown Garden Pea ‘Ambassador’ & Runner Bean ‘Margoles’. I have put in the cold frame to germinate.
I noticed the potatoes were coming through in the potato barrels.
Continued working on my vegetable patch, digging up more rogue plants (mainly hardy Geraniums & Ajuga). Positioned rubber mats each side to act as borders and for easier access to the plot.
Sowed more seeds; tomato; sweet pea; calendula ‘Lemon Cream’ and checked on my other seeds, (I’m a devil for letting them dry out).

W/c 6 April

I helped mum plant up her Vegetable trug with young plug plants purchased from Derby Garden Centre – Lettuce ‘Little gem’; Spring Onions and Beetroot. I also had time to mow her lawn and watered her fuchsias in the greenhouse.
Most Sundays my mum & I go to Garden Centres or visit NGS gardens, and during our travels we have been privileged to see many colourful front gardens, whilst there is a general concern that front gardens, in particularly are becoming ‘concrete jungles’, I’m pleased this hasn’t been our experience at all. There are still plenty of plants grown out there supporting our wildlife.
Potted up the mini plug basket plants for when I get round to planting up my hanging baskets. I’ve found room in one of my mini greenhouses, protecting from any frost.
Pond Maintenance – cleaned the pump and got rid of all the silt and grime which had accumulated on the waterfall.

W/c 13 April

Earthed up potatoes in the barrel and planted my 1^st row of main crop potatoes ‘Desiree’ in my vegetable patch. I will be staggering the planting of my potatoes throughout the next month or two.
Potted up some more of my perennial plants which I have set aside to sell in May at the Derby Fuchsia Society’s Plant sale. – Mahonia & Forsythia.
Calendula & Pea seed have germinated.
Sowed some Red Clover seed in 12” diameter pots close to the vegetable patch. Hopefully they will attract the bees and then I’ll be able to dig it into the vegetable patch to help condition the soil (use as a green manure).

W/c 20 April – w/c 4 May

Gardening came to a halt over Easter due to a Cat crisis and myself suffering from a Migraine for days on end!, however, when I ventured back out I was relieved that the plants hadn’t suffered too much from my neglect. More seeds were coming through: - Tomatoes; Hesperis (Sweet Rocket) & Nasturtiums. Unfortunately something has attacked my young pea seedlings – these have been snapped in half, so I will have to sow some more. Red clover has germinated.
It was great actually to see the clematis flowering prolifically, and blossom on my lilac and Laburnum in flower – this has definitely cheered me up!

W/c 11 May

Took cuttings of indoor succulents (took tops off master plants and also tried taking leaf cuttings) and I also took some cuttings from my tradescantia, putting them in a glass of water so that they would take root.
Divided my lobelia (herbaceous)
I had left some of my annuals in pots last year and am pleased that they have come back, especially the Nemesia, which has a wonderful scent.
Some specie narcissus which I had planted back in September has finally flowered (too late to exhibit at the Spring Show) but a bonus now.
I concentrated on growing more seeds this week: -

Borage ‘Officinalis’
Cucumber ‘Crystal Lemon’
Sunflower ‘Chocolat’
Winter Radish ‘Muncher Bier’

In addition, I have sown some Night scented stock; Wild Flower mix, Lavender ‘Munstead’, Sweet Pea ‘Geoff Amos’ – I have sown the Sweet Peas in empty plastic 2 pint milk bottles, cut 1/3 way down as Sweet peas like to have a lot of room for their roots to grow. This was an idea I got from visiting one of the NGS gardens- and a good way of recycling!

I noticed my pump wasn’t working, so decided to do a full clean. Unfortunately it still doesn’t work, so I may have a problem with the pump!

W/c 18 May

I am quite excited as some more seeds have started to germinate already – wild flower mix & winter Radish.

As you have probably realised, I have many projects on the go and I am really pleased that Christine & Lawrence want to share their ‘Project’ with us. In 2014, after I employed a tree surgeon to come and cut down a huge holly tree and other tall, overhanging trees at the bottom of the garden, I decided that a stumpery next to my pond seemed a very good idea. I love ferns as well, so this is what I did. It is now a little overgrown, so needs some TLC. So their project is very close to my heart. Here is Christine and Lawrence’s story so far...

The Stumpery (Part 1)

On a sunny afternoon in August last year, an outing to John’s Garden at Ashwood Nurseries proved to be a real treat. Wonderful landscaping combined with expert planting and imaginative features made stunning displays – not least “The Stumpery”. Mature upturned oak stumps ran riot with Alpine and rock plants, succulents, ferns and summer flowering bulbs – I had to have one in my own garden at home.

The plan part 1 – Cut down a tree. An old laburnum riddled with rot was chosen and felled.

The plan part 2 – Dig out the stump keeping some of the root system intact. Seven weeks later and a hole 3 feet deep and 4 feet wide, the roots kept going on and on. Finally the last root was chopped and the stump was free

The plan part 3 – Hoist the stump out of the hole, easier said than done, but managed with manpower, crowbars and dogged determination!

Finally the Stump is ready to make a start on a stunning display..........tbc

Christine & Lawrence Cole

Derek has provided a summary following the Fuchsia Species, Hybridisation & Heritage Group meeting held on 12 May: -

Fuchsia Species, Hybridisation and Heritage Group Meeting

May 12^th meeting

The meeting started with the AGM which was over quickly.

The morning session is normally taken up with topics raised by members, today was no exception.

The first topic was ‘keeping plants cool’. It was agreed by most contributors Species grow and perform better in clay pots. Double potting with an insulating material, gravel, moss, fleece and other materials that can be dampened is a good way of keeping roots cool and the air around the plants humid.

Next was species duplication and the fuchsia mania from the 1800s when new species were being hybridised to produce a lot of the hybrid varieties we now know. As colour fashions changed any disreputable nursery having a plant of the same colour as the latest fashion just changed the labels, Fuchsia Arborescens is a good example, and D.N.A. testing is picking up plants that aren’t all they seem to be. Pollen inspection with modern microscopes can also separate Species from hybrids.

A lot of new varieties being introduced are so interbred they display little resistance to pests and diseases and fall out of circulation quickly. The main topics also had many tangents and provided lively discussions.

After lunch plants many species and other unusual plants donated by members were available to buy. We should have had a speaker on Tryphilla but the speaker failed to show.

The afternoon was spent going around the room with everyone saying what their special interest is and how they got into fuchsias and what facilities they have. This produced the strange idea that everyone has far more plants than they can sensibly manage, does this sound familiar?

Members from the south coast areas explained what methods they have tried to enable them to live with Fuchsia Gall Mite. The methods with best results seem to be cutting the garden plants down to ground level, Species tolerate the pest far better than cultivars. If found on small pots and cuttings burn straight away or send to landfill, don’t put them in the garden waste bin. Use disposable gloves when handling diseased plants. Don’t use secateurs to cut them back unless they can be fully sterilised as the nymph of the Gall Mite burrow into the plant on hatching and will contaminate everything the secateurs come into contact with.

If spraying for pest control Ecover liquid soap, a couple of drops per litre with any strong smelling potions. Neem oil banned for plant use but still available for human use via the internet and Olbas oil are also able to keep pest numbers down. Listerene mouthwash (5ml per litre) is also good as aphids don’t like the smell and it also affects their breathing parts.

Overall the meeting provided much food for thought. (Fuchsias are edible).

Derek Shaw

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

28 May	Monthly Meeting: Geoff Smith talking on ‘Fuchsia Standards’
8 & 9 June	Beeston And Chilwell Garden Trail – 1.00p.m – 5.00p.m – for more information visit www.beestonandchilwellgardentrail.org.uk Interested in Recycling visit the ‘Greening Beeston’ stall at the Middle Street Resource Centre, 74 Middle Street, Beeston, NG9 2AR.
9 June	Autokarna: - Plant sale – opportunity to talk to the public and promote our society and show - 9.00a.m start, to help set up gazebo.
25 June	Monthly Meeting: Dave Staines talking on ‘Begonias for Showing’
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

Remember our next meeting

Will be

Tuesday 25^th JUNE 2019

DAVE STAINES

BEGONIAS FOR SHOWING

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.