Growing Fuchsias in Big Tubs
This year I have moved many of my Fuchsias into large tubs on the driveway because of changing shade conditions with so many large trees. The tubs are 38cm wide by 23cmdeep (19” x12”) hexagonal in shape.
The tubs take about 25 litres of potting mix with additional blood and bone and slow release fertilizer in the mix
I placed some polystyrene (from broken boxes)in the base of each tub, stood the tubs against a low wall on gravel then planted an upright Fuchsia towards the back with two trailing Fuchsias towards the front. I give the tubs a half turn whenever I water, or if they are growing unevenly, to make a bushier plant.
I made good use of the Annabelle Stubbs trailing Fuchsias and the ‘dainty’ Fuchsias mentioned in the last newsletter as well as some tried and true uprights such as Harbour Bridge, Nancy Lou, Joy Patmore, Southgate, Hanging Bubbles, Deep Purple, Kiwi, Marinka, Beacon Rosa, Beacon Glow, Carmen Maria, Display, John Grooms & Canary Bird. Some of the trailers I used were Auntie Jinks, Bella Rosa, La Campanella, Beauty of Hidcote, South Seas, Postiljon,Crystal Blue, Beauty of Swanley, Bubble Hanger, Misty Pink Tasman Sea ,Quasi & Gay Fandango
I have underplanted with Johnny jump ups, freesias, and herbs as companion plants under the fuchsias. I also tried to colour co-ordinate the Fuchsias in the tubs to give them a matching or contrasting look.
The tubs were planted up in March and went through the whole of a very cold winter very well. The gravel radiated heat and the sun coming into the driveway meant good growth.Most tubs began to bud in late September and we had a wonderful display right through October to January..I gave the plants a top up of slow release fertilizer and Blood and Bone in September. The tubs are easy to maintain and the plants make stronger growth. Even in the unusual hot weather here recently I have only had to water once a week and in the cold weather about every ten days.
The plants had foliar fertilizer of Nitrosol over the cold months and made good leaf growth. I began to pinch prune in June and stopped pinching in early September to allow buds to form.
I was so pleased with the results that I purchased some smaller, same shaped tubs 27cm wide and 20cm deep and planted up some other fuchsias in them such as Alaska, Debutante, Kay Riley, Water Nymph, Steeley. I placed these on the low wall above the large tubs and they look great and grew very well.
I can recommend growing Fuchsias in large tubs as they have all the advantages of being able to be moved around but grow as easily as those planted in garden beds. They are wonderful on patios and entrance porches as well as along driveways and paths.
A small selection follows of some of the plants I
used:
Archie Owens : Double Trailer S: soft pink C: soft pink
Alaska: Double Upright Bush S: pure white C: pure white
Auntie Jinks Single Trailer/ Tube: pinkish red S: white C:purple
Beauty of Hidcote Single Trailer: S; creamy white C: pale salmon
Blush of Dawn: Double Trailer: S: waxy white C: silver grey
Carmen Maria: Single Upright S: real pink darker under C: baby pink
Gay Fandango: Double Trailer S: carmine pink C: deep carmine
Ice Maiden: Double Upright S: white C: white
John Grooms: Double Upright S: pink C: violet blue
Kay Riley: Double Trailer S:pinkish white C: deep pink streaked white
Kiwi: Double Trailer: S: clear white C: china rose touch of purple
La Campanella: Single Trailer S: white C: imperial purple
Pink Marshmallow: Double Trailer S: pale pink C: white pink veins
Postiljon: Single Trailer S: creamy white C: rosy purple white at base
Quasi: Double Trailer: S: white C: silver blue
Southgate: Double Upright S: pink deeper under C: soft pink veined deeper
Steeley: Double lax Upright or Trailer S: white/ light purple under C: Deep violet/ rose at base
Tasman Sea: Double lax Upright S:cream C: light violet to pink
(Janice Devine)