Fuxia plant sickness and insects. Treatment?

[skybluem]

Hello everybody!

This is my first post in the forum although registered logged time ago.
I'm experiencing a problem with my balcony fuxia plant. It was so beautiful when I got it 3 months ago and keeps flowering. The last 2 weeks it seems there's a sickness going on. Some stems are left without leaves, some other are turning yellow, flowers are not so beautiful as before and looks overall very miserable. What made me curious is that when watering I notice tiny flying insects coming out of the soil surface of the plant. They are small and dark colour. I don't know if this is associated with the sickness or it is just because the soil I use for the pots is the packed soil is sold in the plant shops. In the past I noticed also small insects on other pots' surfaces and I concluded that maybe is tha brand of that specific soil I used... maybe not so good and gets 'rotten' in some way...

Now, the thing with fuxia is worrying me because I have other plants around on the balcony and I don't know whether is risky that the rest catch the same disease. Already I notice my gardenia getting yellow and also small insects around and my lavender although is big it is no more flowering but the flowers are turning dry.
Since I live in Cyprus, weather it's been hot lately and I was watering the pots every 3 days.

Any clue what the problem might be? Attached some photos of my fuxia plant. I would prefer a harmless (if possible) solution since we're moving into summer and veranda is a place to sit and relax and I wouldn't like to have sprayed plants around me.

Thanks in advance!

Adam

[imafan26]

Your fuchsia looks like it has been kept too wet. Fuchsias do like to be kept evenly moist but not soggy. The little bugs that are flying around may be fungus gnats, another symptom of a media that is not draining and drying. If this plant is kept on a saucer, ditch the saucer. Plant saucers keep the floor clean, but water that collects in the saucers breed mosquitoes and keep the plants feet wet.

You have either scale or mealy bugs on the leaf and stem.

You can let the pot dry out some, but I would replant the fuchsia and make sure the pot drains well. Fuschias should be kept evenly moist but not soggy or sitting in water. Dry out the soil you have in the pot well and that should take care of the fungus gnats.

In case it is scale on the fuchsia and since it is a small plant. I would use a cotton swab dipped in alcohol or horticultural oil solution and rub them off. Check under the leaves. If there are more pests, then you may have to spray. Fuchias are sensitive to chemicals so I would test spray a small area. I have used 70% alcohol on a lot of plants that are otherwise fussy. Just make sure not to spray alcohol on anything in the heat of the day.

The link below is to a culture sheet from a fuchsia grower. Orthene is no longer on the market and most fucshia pests can be taken care of with less toxic chemicals.

I love fuchsias they are my second most favorite plants. I grew them on my tree for years. I moved and lost most of them and over the years I lost more. One day I'd like to grow them again, but right now I have too many other plants to take care of. Fuchsias need good air circulation as they are prone to fungal problems and because they have soft growth, aphids and white flies can be problems. I have more or less taken care of the aphid problems with planting fennel, parsley, lavender, and marigolds as companion plants around my garden to attract beneficial insects and white flies are only problems every couple of years due to the predator/pest cycle.

https://www.fuchsias.net/culture.htm
https://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05584.html

[skybluem]

Hello there!

Thank you for the very helpful reply! I already replanted my fuschia in another pot. I haven't watered it at all when replanted it as I noticed while replanting that the soil around the roots was moist enough. It's been 5 days now since replanting and just gave only today a glass of water today. It seems that new leaves are coming up!! I see on the branches baby leaves. I wish this is the end of the problem. I want to spray it with alcohol although afraid of burning the leaves. I am not quite sure how severe the problem is on the leaves. I see some things I don't like but maybe is better to spray a bit on a late afternoon. I maybe try a bit on an area and see reaction in two days. Then, if all is alright I'll spray the entire plant. I would just like to ask, I have 90% alcohol at home. Can I mix half quantity of it with half water and spray? Or, water reduces a lot the strength of the alcohol so it's better use pure alcohol of 70%?

I read somewhere that you can mix dish washing liquid with water and spray the leaves. I don't remember though if this is for mealy bugs or other insects... I don't know if this is good.

Btw, the dish under the pot was not full of water and I never had my fuschia soaking in water but yes, I was watering regularly and maybe it was not good! Air circulation is perfect as it is on balcony. Now days will become hotter so maybe I have to keep it away from direct sunlight...

Thank you once more!

adam

[imafan26]

You can use either 70% or 90%. 70% is more readily available and there is no difference in how it works. I have had no issues spraying or rubbing alcohol on plants. The main thing is not to spray it in the middle of the day when the leaves might be warm. I usually spray in the early morning. If There is only a few bugs you can use a Q-tip dipped in alcohol and rub the bugs off instead. That way you won't get as much alcohol on all the plant.

Alcohol can be added to most basic homemade soap or oil sprays. Up to 1/2 cup can be added in place of some of the water.

Fuchsias are very prone to fungal disease so it is important to make sure the air circulation is good around the plant.