HelpfulGardener.com

Here's my fuchsia. Enjoy!

Been nursing my fuchsia back from the dead. I got 10 plants for a very very low price They are all in the biggest pots I have atm and are recovering nicely.




From iVillage

Wait until the berries (fruits) on your fuchsia plant are well ripened. Remove from plant. Lay on a piece of kitchen towel and cut open (lengthwise). Scrape off as much as you can of the jelly-like substance. Fill small pots with soil less compost (peat based), Stand the pots in water until you can see that the top of the soil is wet. I personally do not water anymore until the seeds have germinated, only a light misting of water with a hand spray if the soil looks really dry. Place seeds on top of soil, cover with a minute amount of same soil less compost or wet vermiculite. Place in a well lit postion, away from direct sunlight, if you have a propagator at 60f.

And now for some pictures!
[img]https://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa267/adaba/ab1007.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa267/adaba/ab1006.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa267/adaba/ab1010.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa267/adaba/ab1014.jpg[/img]
Tiny!!
[img]https://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa267/adaba/ab1015.jpg[/img]
A bit smaller than a basil seed. They are coated in sticky fruit as well.




Now I just need MacGuyver to rig me up a propagator.

[img]https://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa267/adaba/aba014.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa267/adaba/aba015.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa267/adaba/aba017.jpg[/img]
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[img]https://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa267/adaba/aba016.jpg[/img]
This last photo really shows the explosive new growth I was worried that they would not survive or fair well indoors but they appear to be very healthy now. All the fruit is gone just new leaves and stems. The seeds that I sprouted never made it so I am hoping for more fruit.

I broke off a stem on accident and so I put it in the soil to try and form some roots.

Beautiful! Amazing recovery!

Thanks for posting the follow up; always nice to see!

Looking great!

Don't worry, fuchsia roots very easily from stem cuttings. I'm never buying new plants again! I have 1/2 doz pots lining the NW windowsill. They seem to like it there. Now that the days are starting to get longer, new shoots are growing wild. You're supposed to give them a severe pruning about now (1/3 to 1/2 length) then again just before setting them outside when it's around 45ºF (harden off first). I root those cuttings as well. (I could root the first prunings, but I've no room since veg seed production is starting ) They do well for me during the summer in the dappled shade of a pair of plum trees.

p.s. Thanks for the notes on how to grow the seeds. I'm going to try that next time I get fruits.

[img]https://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa267/adaba/Ninjas001-3.jpg[/img]
Fuchsia
[img]https://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa267/adaba/Ninjas002-5.jpg[/img]
Catnip and pineapple sage plus a little surprise.

[img]https://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa267/adaba/Ninjas003-3.jpg[/img]
charlotte
[img]https://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa267/adaba/Ninjas004-2.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa267/adaba/Ninjas005-3.jpg[/img]

And if you have extra Fuchsia fruits, they're edible.... Quite tasty, too.

WIN!

Gosh, I tried my first Fuchsia fruit and the berries are so yummy. So yummy that I insisted everyone eat some. :I

Q: what plant food should I be feeding them to promote the flowers and fruits? They are about 3 years old I suppose and I use kitchen scraps and castings for food but is that going to be enough at this point in time?

Thanks

Sage Hermit