March - Fuchsia Year

Tasks for March

Fuchsia cuttings that are required for standards should be staked at an early stage and the stems tied in. All side shoots can be removed as they appear. Flowering is to be discouraged during the first season, so it is important that the root is not allowed to get pot-bound as this encourages flowering. As the days lengthen and the temperatures begin to rise, if possible stand your plants outside for an hour or two. You can also start to feed your plants, using a balanced feed such as Miracle-Gro at quarter strength once a week. Try not to let the temperature inside the greenhouse get too high on sunny days. It can still get cold at night and nothing is worse than your plants being in a greenhouse where the temperature during the day can reach 90F and drop to 40F at night. You should continue to open vents and doors and turn the plants every couple of days to ensure even growth. If plants are on a windowsill use a reflector box lined with silver foil, or painted white, to reflect all available light. More cutting material will also be available. Keep checking for pests and diseases.