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Fuchsias will benefit from a spell outdoors now (if not already there anyway) as it will assist to ripen the wood to improve their chances of a successful overwintering. There is a lot is to be said for the traditional method of letting the plants go right through their full growth cycle and then have a complete rest period, nature's intended way.
Plants grown on the biennial system, kept in green leaf during winter, slowly growing on or just ticking over, won't mind a period outside either. It will result in firmer, short-jointed growth and development of a sturdier framework, beneficial later on to support the masses of blooms!
With the greenhouse completely empty embark on a thorough cleaning spree. Remember, adult red spider mite e.g. over-winter in crevices in your greenhouse structure and vine weevils hide amongst the debris under the benches etc.
Wash down the glass thoroughly, but also the glazing bars including all the awkward channels and all the staging and benching, with a good sterilant such as Jeyes Fluid, though some people now prefer Armillatox.
Fumigation can also be carried out now, using sulphur candles. This permeates into the various cracks & crevices killing over-wintering pests there and the spores of mildew as well.
Remember to clean the outside of the glass too, to allow as much light as possible to reach your over-wintering plants, which helps to avoid weak and leggy growth which would be more prone to fall victim of pests or diseases.
Before returning your plants to your spic and span greenhouse, make sure your fuchsias are clean too, and pest-free!! The key to having your plants pest free next year lies with having them clean to start with in spring, coming out of the winter in a pest-free, healthy condition.
Remove all foliage from your mature plants, or let nature take it course and do this for you with a mild frost, and spray or dip the remaining framework into a combined fungicide/pesticide solution.
The younger plants and those grown on the biennial system, which retain their green foliage, must particularly be thoroughly inspected and again sprayed or completely dunked into the fungicide/pesticide solution.
If you suspect vine weevil grub damage (plants hardly anchored in their pots) repot them now, removing and disposing of all old compost and grubs. (full repotting procedure on page 4). Remember it is imperative to come out of the winter with healthy plants, so do not fill your greenhouse now with suspect plants! IF IN DOUBT, CHUCK IT OUT!
Time to take stock. Finding sufficient space to overwinter all our plants is usually the biggest problem, or perhaps, lacking the ruthlessness of throwing some out!! Bear in mind that to have sufficient space in mid spring, when plants will have doubled in size and frost can still be the order of the day, the greenhouse should be only less than half full now. As we all have far too many plants (don't we just!!) it takes quite some time to deal with all of them, just when time is at a premium with only week-ends to see to it all. Ideally the task should be finished by mid November to ensure that your plants are not damaged by a serious frost. The British Weather is however quite capable of catching us out. So be sensible, start with the really important plants and gradually work through them, leaving the ones you are least concerned about until last. You might even by then become fed up with the chore and discard some!!
Throughout autumn and winter remain vigilant and continue to inspect plants regularly for any early signs of aphid attack - they tend to hide on the underside of the foliage, so do check your plants over thoroughly and regularly. It is relatively easy to get rid of a few intruders by simply squashing them between finger and thumb. Or fumigate and spray if necessary. Far better and so much easier to deal with a small outbreak now than having a damaging invasion on your hands in spring. Remember also to remove all diseased foliage at once to avoid botrytis developing.
Remain on your guard for rust which seems to have been a problem this year in many areas. If spotted, isolate infected plants to avoid spreading it. Remove and bin infected leaves, or even the whole plant if badly infected. It is not really worth hanging on to such plants and risk an infestation when you can replace them easily by purchasing new cuttings relative cheap from specialist fuchsia nurseries.
The two main criteria for successfully getting your fuchsias through the winter is keeping them frost free and note letting them dry out completely. Embark on a regular routine to check protection is till in place, heaters are indeed working and that plants are not drying out. More plants are lost through dehydration than killed by frost. A sensible balance must be attained though, don't go the other way and leave plants soggy for long periods for that can be just as disastrous. Treat all fuchsias as individuals and water only those that need it - sparingly.
Make sure you ventilate freely. Aim for a buoyant atmosphere, so whenever weather permits, dry and not too breezy, open the vents as much as possible and even the door to assist with airflow and clear condensation. Stagnant air breeds disease and must be avoided to alleviate the serious dangers of botrytis and other fungal conditions developing.
H Û Ý Ü
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