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Fuchsia Standard Training Training Standard Fuchsias (continued) The problem with standard plants is how to support them and stop them being blown over. Because of their height the support method and weight of the pot needs special attention. There is nothing more annoying than training your fuchsia standard for five months only for a strong gust of wind to pull the support stake out of the compost, breaking the delicate stem. Certainly the plant on the left needs special support, but so do smaller plants. Follow the steps below for a secure standard! The transfer to the final planting tub shown below should occur when the stem of the standard has reached approximately 45cm (18in) height. If left much later, the plant becomes difficult to move safely and the stem is easily broken. STEP 1 - MIX THE MORTAR AND FILL POT Buy a small bag of ready mixed mortar, add sufficient water to make a firm mix. Fill a 8cm (3in) pot with the mortar, firming it down into the pot as much as possible. STEP 2 - SECURE THE STAKE, ADD WEIGHT Place the mortar filled pot upside down in the planting tub. Take a bamboo cane support stake of the correct length and pierce it through the pot bottom through the mortar to the planting tub. To provide more weight at the bottom of the planting tub, and drainage, fill it with 8cm (3in) or so of stones, broken bricks or similar material. It's best, though not necessary to leave the mortar to set for a day. STEP 3 - PLANTING THE STANDARD FUCHSIA   Very carefully, remove the standard fuchsia from its pot, pierce the root ball (just off centre) through the top of the bamboo cane.  Pass the root ball and plant down the bamboo cane to compost in the planting tub.  Water the compost. Add more compost around the plant gently firming it down. The compost should be just below the top of the planting tub.  Water again. Loosely tie (to allow for further growth) the fuchsia to the bamboo cane at roughly 8cm (3in) intervals. CLICK HERE FOR NEXT FUCHSIA PAGE CLICK HERE FOR PREVIOUS FUCHSIA PAGE

Name: ellen brigg
E-mail: nellbrigg@yahoo.co.uk
Date posted: September 14, 2011 - 01:42 pm
Message: I had a beautiful palm tree in my garden for over 6 yrs then all of a sudden bark began to fall off it in clumps and the leaves at the top turned brown, my husband was told to lop the top off and it would re grow however he went to do this only for the tree to snap at the bottom and fall over dead. Hundreds of wood lice came crawling out and when the stump was lifted the main root was sodden with water. Our garden has rich soil and another palm tree exactly the same some ten feet away is growing great, anyone tell me what happened as I am totally bemused ??

Name: Peter Lovegrove
E-mail: Private
Date posted: November 23, 2010 - 06:05 am
Message: I had a new Fuchsia Standard Tree for Fathers Day and would like to know how best to look after it during the winter months as I would hate the frost to get to it an kill it off - can you help please.