Here's Larry! It could also be that since I had already uploaded the other photo to another forum, the database wouldn't allow the same photo twice.....
Let's get a Fuchsia forum going!
I can see why you like Larry. He's a really handsome fellow! ^_^
WIB!
SW
Hi SW,
I am waiting to hear from DavesGarden.
Glad you like Larry, I am still amazed at how big he got in just one year! AND, I have cut him twice for propigation!! That is one thing that makes it hard to get photos of all the varieties in bush form, I have to wait for them to grow out of being "harvested."
By the way, I ate a handful of Lycioide berries yesterday and they were the best yet. Yes, the berries are edible and thus one of the reasons for my desire to have so many varieties. I am searching for the best tasting berry.............................
CatSmiling :-)
Too Cool. You'll have to let us know how it goes. For those who haven't seen it yet, do check out Larry. He is gorgeous! Very interested so keep us posted, CatSmiling!
WIB,
SW
Hi SW, just taking a moment to check on the forums. Still hoping we can get a few other Californians interested in sharing their fuchsias. I know they are out there and that there are allot of them, because the hanging basket types are big business in this state!
My list of uprights has gotten to 617 now! Ha, ha, and I am not finished because I needed to stop and get that other project done.......
CatSmiling :-)
California used to be one of the major sources of fuchsias. Probably still is outside of Europe, where fuchsias are a really big deal.
I KNOW there are more fuchsia people out there! Where are you!? I have a list of over 700 varieties of upright fuchsia's, let's post photos of our fuchsia's here and exchange info on how they grow for us.
A good example of why, is Lycioides. The Northwest Fuchsia Society lists it as only growing up to 2 feet high. But that is in zones where it freezes! Down here, mine would be over 6 feet high by now if I wasn't always cutting it! It is a blaze of red right now. The hummingbirds and bees are busy at it all day long.
Show us your fuchsias!
Okay, I'll jump in. I've been so busy gardening that I haven't looked at DavesGarden for months. Maybe that's where all the other fuchsia lovers are, out in their gardens (just a thought). I love fuchsias and don't know the names of most of them. I just plunk them in my garden and they grow like weeds. I'll start paying more attention now. I live in Livermore and they have survived the heat wave we had a few weeks ago in pots & in full sun, but I had to keep them watered.
Having read this thread I'm thinking of planting my back fence with fuchsias. They'll have to fight the redwoods for ground space. Perhaps I'll put them in 15 gal pots. They'll get a few hours of sunlight - I think they'll look beautiful. Thank so much for all the great info, PedricsCorner. You have inspired me to gather more fuchsias :) I sure hope you are able to get a forum started. You can count me in! I'll try to get some pics and post them.
sunnyCA
Cool, I can't wait to see them! And I am thrilled to hear someone echo what I have been trying to tell people, fuchsias CAN survive in the heat and the sun if taken care of!!! They in fact, get more flowers on them if they are out in the sun :-) I wish I had a better camera, because my front and back yards are a total blaze of colors from all of the varieties of fuchsias out there. The hummingbirds come right up to my face while I am out there. Especially while I am watering.
Yeah, maybe now people will have done all the big work in the garden and have a moment to sit back, enjoy, and drop us all a line or two ;-)
I have been buying more fuchsias this year than I usually do. So many pretty ones. And I see there are 4 inch ones in lots of nurseries.
Sadly, in the back yard I have fuchsia mite on a few. I have been using Neem but still have them. Anyone know what kills them dead forever gone?
I know in the distant past there was an insecticide just for fuchsia mites but it was taken off the market.
Hi Kell, Malathion still works the best for me. I try to spray on a regular basis during the spring and summer. And I try to only spray in the evening while it is still light enough to see, but the hummingbirds have settled down. I mix it with Ortho Disease Control so I can hit all of my roses at the same time, or they will get covered with a white fungus and rust. The rust will get onto the fuchsias if I don't keep it off of the roses. I hate having to use sprays. But it seems to be necessary for many of the ornamentals we like in our gardens. Bayer makes a systemic, but the only one that kills the mites, is also a time released fertilizer. I don't trust time released fertilizers because you have no way of know when the plant has run out. Some plants, even some fuchsias, grow faster than others. Plus the weather has such a huge impact on how often we water, so how can one know when the fertilizer has been used up?
Another thing I do, is look for any suspicious foliage every week and remove it. Just part of the stroll throught the garden!
Hi! I'm right down the road from you, PedricksCorner, and have at least 15 fuchsias in my garden, including 6 uprights, 6 miniatures, two hanging fuchsias, and a Fuchsia thymifolia. I won't clutter up the page with pictures; they're on my website at http://jimmundy.name/garden_album.
I fought off an attack of mites on three of my uprights a couple of years ago by spraying with Sevin (I think you spray 3 times at 4-day intervals to catch the little buggers at all stages of their life cycle). I don't much like spraying either, particularly as I worry about the hummingbirds that enjoy my Fuchsias, but it's the only method I've found that works on Fuchsia mites. I'm going to have to spray two of mine in the front yard now, as they've developed clear signs of mites (they were planted after the infestation of the others was fixed).
I think Fuchsias are among the most beautiful of flowers, and they're certainly easy to grow -- mine just like lots of water and some fertilizer every now and again. They're a little twitchy when it freezes -- I nearly lost most of mine three winters ago when we had 4 nights in a row of temperatures in the 20's; it took them the better part of a year to recover. They seem to be okay with light frosts, though, and haven't had much trouble since then.
Anyway, I think a Fuchsia forum is a great idea -- I'll be among the first to sign up.
Jim
HI weatherguesser, I will have to check out your link! I also post allot more photos on my blog. Just google Pedricks Corner, it has a space in the name.
I am currently trying to see if the systemic Bayer might be worth trying on a few of my favorite fuchsias. As the ants have covered my French Prune tree with ahids and ahid "dew" is raining down on everything and making an ugle sticky mess of all my beautiful fuchsias!! So I used it on the tree. It will be gone long before the fruit ripens. And hopefully, so will the aphids. Then I will try it on a few larger fuchsias that wouldn't mind getting more fertilizer than usual.
Yes, that winter, I too lost a couple of fuchsias, lantanas, hybiscus, and hydrangeas. Ever since then, I move all of the fuchsias close together and pack the spaces between them with hay and/or any light compostable material like grass clippings, pulled weeds, dead leaves from all of my fruit trees, etc. The decomposing matter gives off warmth even in the winter. It has not only protected them, it has kept allot of them blooming all winter long! And of course, they start growing again much faster and sooner in the spring.
I am currently enjoying the anticipation of watching the thirty new varieties I added to my collection this year develope flower buds. Every day I hope to see a new flower I've never seen before. Ain't She Sweet was the most recent one. A beautiful simple little flower with long, long white sepals and little redish purple corolla.
Only I just realized it may have been mislabeled by the grower, as the label was hand-written and according to the Northwest Fuchsia Society, Ain't She Sweet has red sepals.....hmmmm. I'd better go take another look.
The identification of fuchsia varieties and what to expect of them as full sized bushes is my main inspiration for a fuchsia forum. So I hope we can get more people interested!
Nope, Ain't She Sweet wasn't mislabeled. The Northwest Fuchsia Societies photo of her is correct, it is just the typed descprition on the list they have that is wrong.
The next two fuchsias that look like they are about to pop open are Brookwood Joy and Voltaire. Brookwood is a double and the corolla will be a marbled blue and pink! Probably stunning, but my heart will always favor the simple ones.
I love Larry.
WIB,
SW
Hi SW! I am so glad to hear that! Larry must be doing well!
My Voltaire just opened up this week and at first I thought I was going to have to rename Larry. But Voltaire's leaves are much smaller and although the flowers are very close, they are not as big as Larry's!
I tried to take more photos today. One of my little sisters gave me one of her old digital camera's and it takes much better photos. Larry is just stunning right now. He is covered with those huger red and purple flowers! A friend came by and would not believe me that he was just a cutting a bit over a year ago.
I hope all of the others are doing well also.
My collection went and added to itself..........
It's at 92 now, ha, ha!
WIB,
CatSmiling
I'm never going to be able to keep up with your collection. LOL! Will be able to post some photos, hopefully tomorrow. Got really hot here, and some leaves got scorched but everyone is hanging in there growing, and some are blooming, while others are putting on new leaves, but Larry is growing like a weed. LOL! He really can take the heat! He's getting fat too (bushy)! : )
Glad your sis found your place. Really nice of her to gift you the digital camera too!
More tomorrow!
WIB,
SW
I will post some photos of the new guys soon! The new camera is SO much better!
I expect your photos to be some of the first to be posted on my website as examples of success from my little guys ;-D
CatSmiling
Okay, I want to show off a few blossoms here. This is Will Rogers. A fellow Oklahoman. LOL!
The Gypsy Prince has doubled in height, but did get a little scorched. Notice the new growth at the top? As long as the base is shaded and they are kept moist and not wet, they thrive. They were at can height, so I moved them down since I'm not bottom watering seeds to get them started anymore there. Now their base is in the shade. They go into 1 gallon pots this weekend. : )
Temptation is about ready to go in the ground. At least 3 x original height.
This blossom was so heavy I had to pick it up, but boy look at that beauty. This is Quasar.
Side view of Quasar with tag visible and fingers not in photo. : )
Gosh, what a beauty!
Quasar w/o my fingers.
I love this fuchsia but hate it's name. What arrogant man named this flower after his wife? He couldn't call it by her name? He had to use his? Never-the-less, She, is a sweetie.
Do you recognize Larry?
Better photo of Larry. He is by far the hardiest of them all.
Lycoides is extremely happy too! I just can't believe that it continues to bloom! What a lovely treat. Glad you got the photo set up working on the web site. I'll be sure to post some of the pics there.
Got to run for now!
WIB!
SW
Wow! I am so thrilled to see how they are all doing!! I haven't added the page yet that will show off peoples success with their fuchsias from me, ha, ha! I will do that ASAP. As you are doing great!
Here are two new ones I am thrilled about. I thought I had lost my Mood Indigo. But she came back and I was just able to make about 50 cuttings from her, so she'll be available soon. The second one is a new one to me, Brookwood Joy. I think I will throw in a 3, whom I call Marion, after the lady who let me take a cutting. If anyone can tell me the real name, please do!!
Here is Brookwood Joy, she is small, but mighty!
And here is my argument for a fuchsia forum. How many of us have fuchsias in our yards and have no idea which variety they are? We can help each other identify them!
Until someone sets me straight, this one will be Marion ;-)
I like Marion a lot. Still can't get over Quasar! Larry Jr. says Hi! I really liked the Brookwood Joy, small but mighty! Also glad that you didn't loose Mood Indigo, as it has some neat coloring.
I think we need a forum that will help us with identifications too.
WIB,
SW
Wait until Sundial and Royal Velvet start to bloom! They are gonna knock your socks off! Trisha is another one that is stunning, but I am having some trouble with her, she doesn't not grow very fast at all. She is like Quasar, but with a marbled deep purple skirt. I have been busy taking new photos for the website and will be posting them as soon as I can get them edited.
WIB,
Cat
Catherine,
Well, the deer got my seedlings yesterday. The ate the tops & flowers off all the little seedlings, I bought from you. Please tell me they'll come back ... just bushier!
Liz
Hi Liz,
Ouch!!! If they didn't get everything, then yes, they can come back up. They can even put new growth out of the same node used for rooting beneath the surface.
I am stunned and surprised, but maybe I shouldn't be. The bulk of the nursery is on a hill in deer and coyote country with no fences. I have often heard about the damage that deer can do. And I have seen how they can strip rose bushes. But they have never damaged anything at the nursery except for the Jerusalem Artichokes and my personal asparagus patch.
And I am not even sure it was the deer that did the damage to my plants, because there is also a huge rabbit population and when I spread the plastic from the steer manure bags around the pots, the nibbling stopped.
I have lived in fear of what the deer could do to my stock plants, but they have never touched them. Maybe there is enough of other deer fodder around for them. Or maybe the coyotes keep them away. I don't have any greenhouses, everything is grown out in the open so they won't be over sensitive to the sun, wind, etc. Hungry deer could ruin me!
Please keep me posted on whether or not your seedlings recover! Is there a more protected area they can be moved to?
lizzipa, sorry to hear about your fuchsia eating deer. Don't have that problem here, just the heat, but all of my babies are doing well. I hope they come back for you. I used to put old bird cages over the plants that the bunnies liked. Maybe that would help yours to come back?
CatSmiling, the babies survived the current heat wave, but haven't had a chance yet to repot. Got sidetracked, or kidnapped. All right! I was invited to ride on a float in our small town's Independence Day Parade. I had fun! So plants are waiting patiently for me to repot them. : )
Can't wait to see the new varieties. I'll be ordering some more when we get back from OK.
I'll keep you posted.
WIB,
SW
Your going to OK!? I wish I could! But I can't travel this time of year. Ha, ha, I am gardening sitting for three families on vacation right now. Everyone and anyone I'd trust to water mine, is on vacation!
Two little gopher hunting apprentices are sacked out beside me at the moment. I was hauling steer manure home yesterday and made the mistake of stopping in the feed store......
My gopher hunter is getting old, and you know it takes a pro to teach a pro. She is so pissed at me right now she can't see straight. These guys are still to young to even venture outside, so she has time to adjust. One of them looked at me and insisted I take her and her brother home.......
Honest, she has a very intense stare. Like she has something she is trying to tell me.
I know you know what I mean.
Well I think your rodent control specialist in training is beautiful!
Cats can be quite expressive. For instance, I don't think I've ever heard my Peek-a-boo meow. Right now my son's cat, Merry, has claimed the foot of the bed on DH's side. Boo is hissed off at me because she doesn't like Merry on her bed. She doesn't mind my old lady cat Griselda, but she sure doesn't like her niece.
I have seen Boo and Griseldabeast just intimidate the other 4 footeds with their basilisk stare. It's hilarious.
I practice staring at them to see who blinks first. It's good practice. Not to mention a great prank. Just stare at someone's hair or shoulder for a minute or three and they'll be asking if they have some dirt on their face or a spider in their hair. It was fun when I did it to my sister, although, I'm sure she wasn't too amused. My Dad thought it was funny, too. He just wished he'd thought of it first. LOL!
You are quite right to have the elder cat teach the youngsters. But you really should start letting them get to know each other. Mom usually teaches the kits starting as soon as they can follow her. Just remember to give your older cat as much or more attention than the kits (at least while she is around). They get jealous. Plus, you went and changed the family dynamics.
Yup, I'm going to OK. this July. We are going back to the old homestead to scatter Dad's ashes on the old farm. Be meeting up with my sibs and step mom, Barbara when we get out there. I'll be taking lots of photos, because I won't be going back.
I plan on having a house, pet, plant sitter stay here while we are gone. It is so hard to find anyone reliable, especially when you have a farm and so many plants. Am trying to group the potted plants by their watering needs. Most are on drip line, but there are some things that need to be hand watered.
Don't have a clue what this has to do with fuchsias, hope that they make it through my absence. I always seem to loose a plant or an animal I'm attached to when I go away for more than a few days. Oh well.
Just as long as I don't loose my pup Spirit or my Griselda or Boo. Unless they die in their sleep of course. Not much you can do when the Creator decides to take them.
Hope the felines in your family learn to like each other soon. : )
WIB,
SW
It is 97 degrees here today and all of my fuchsias are lapping it up!
The one gallon Jerusalem Artichokes are wilting, but not the fuchsias. Because they are all in large containers or in the ground.
Here is a recent photo of Larry, SW. He continues to astound me. He may be next to a fence, but he is on the sunny side of that fence!
Cat Smiling
Marion has been identified as Orange Crush! I sort of like that name!
Hi Everyone, in a rush here, just would like everyone who has been reading this thread to consider reading the new one started by hummer_girl and to vote on starting a new Fuchsia Forum!
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1027094/