By Debra Smith
Herald Writer
Fuchsias in boxes and baskets require different care than hardy fuchsias planted in the yard, said Madeleine “Frankie” Dennison of Kenmore.
She is a master fuchsia grower who tends 140 varieties of the plant at her home.
Basket fuchsias must be deadheaded and pinched back regularly. They prefer morning sun, lots of water and plenty of fertilizer.
Hardy fuchsias in the landscape do best in full sun, at least four hours a day. Unlike fuchsias in baskets, hardy fuchsias are usually self-branching and cleaning and don’t require regular fertilization, she said.
Hardy fuchsias need moist well-drained soil. Add mulch in the spring to keep the ground moist and a layer of leaf mulch in the fall to keep the ground warm.
Slugs and snails don’t like fuchsias, but white flies, rust and spider mites do. Water in the morning to avoid rust. The bugs can be controlled with insecticides and pesticides.
White flies will adapt to controls so Dennison recommends varying the method every three applications.
She gets her hardy fuchsias ready for the winter by slowing watering and leaving the seed pods in place.
After the first frost, she tidies up her hardy fuchsias, cutting back about a third of the foliage. Don’t prune too vigorously since the stems help protect the plant against the coming cold. Prune the plant down to the ground in the spring, she said.
Reporter Debra Smith: 425-339-3197 or dsmith@ heraldnet.com.
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