Fuchsia Compendium

Fuchsia Compendium - P

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

PEAT - is a naturally occurring non- sustainable semi-decomposed plant material. Acidic in nature but the basis of many soilless composts much favoured by gardeners. Peat has some disadvantages; attracts certain pests; i.e. sciarid flies, springtails and symphilids. Easy to over water and very difficult to moisten if allowed to become too dry and in this state is too light and unstable as the plant becomes top heavy. See moss peat and sedge peat. If you have a peat based compost that is very dry, before you use it must be made thoroughly wet.. Sometimes this is nearly impossible with cold water. Boil two or three pints of water tipping this into the top of the bag of peat, followed by sufficient cold water to complete the task.

PERIANTH - the outer part of the flower encompassing; calyx and corolla.

PERLITE - a volcanic rock expanded by heat and added to compost in granular form, to assist both aeration and water retention. It can absorb up to four times it’s weight of water. Inert, free from weed seeds, pests and diseases. Can be used as a medium in which to root cuttings and is used as an aggregate in some soilless compost mixes.

PESTICTICIDES - this is used as the generic name for algaecides, fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, molluscicides, nematicides, plant growth regulators and rodenticides.

PESTS - What is a pest? Some insects are both friend and foe and I suppose that this could be said about any member of your family. Cats and dogs are pets but can be a pest when they dig up your garden, or like my neighbour’s Dachshund which pinches my plant labels. Most people think of wasps as being a pest but they are both friend and foe. In the spring wasps feed their larvae on numerous insect pests so are a good ally, it is only at the end of the season they   become dopey and look for a fight that they really become a problem.. Make sure that you identify the insect, ascertain whether it is friend or foe and then take the correct remedial steps. When you go to use any chemicals read the label, labelling. OK so you read it last year, but how good is your memory and perhaps the formulation or dosage has changed. Question. Are snails friends or foes when related to fuchsia growing? Answer. Friend, they eat all the lettuces etc., and that gives us more room for our fuchsias. It always depends on your viewpoint of whether thing are friends or foe. Three cheers for the Woodlouse.

PETALOIDS - are stamens that have converted into immature petals.

PETALS - are often brightly coloured and a number of them circle the reproductive organs of the flower. They attract an act as landing platforms for insects and in the case of fuchsias humming birds.

pH LEVELS - potential Hydrogen. Complicated ? No not really. The need to know something about pH levels is due to the fact that it governs the uptake of nutrients by the plant. Fuchsias grow best at a pH level between 6.5 - 7. Seven is where the compost is neutral, neither acidic or alkaline. At this point all the nutrients including the trace elements are available to the plant. If the pH level is altered to a more alkaline level it reduces the availability of phosphates, potassium, manganese, iron and several trace elements. That is why it is best to err on the acidic side of seven. All proprietary brands of compost are fine, but if you mix your own be careful. You can increase the acidity by using flowers of sulphur or conversely increase the alkalinity by adding ground chalk.

PHOSPHORUS - an element of fertilisers that is necessary for the development of roots. A deficiency shows by the leaves becoming dark green/blue green and in some cases a red pigment appears. Soils with high rainfall areas where phosphates become unavailable. Add sulphate of potash.

PHOTOSYNTHESIS - The process within the leaves that converts sunlight into carbohydrates.

PHOTOTROPISM - this is the effect of light on a plant, and one of the reasons why pot plants should be turned regularly to prevent uneven growth and that whips are tied into canes to prevent stem curvature. It can be used to advantage when growing fuchsias as Bonsai. Plants can be laid on their sides to encourage growth in a certain direction.

PILLAR - this is a recognised way of training a fuchsia. The resulting plant should be of an even width from top to bottom when viewed from any angle. The width of the pillar should be four times the diameter of the pot. Aim at a minimum of 6ft high.

PINCHING OUT - this is the practice of removing the tips on a regular bases to make a bushy plant. You must stop at some point so as to allow sufficient time for the plant to flower. The rule of thumb is that singles need 60 days, semi-doubles 70 days and doubles 80 days from the last pinch to being in full flower. The species, triphyllas and some other cultivars take even longer. The weather, and the way you grow influences these times so take notes.

PLASTIC POTS - advantages: Easy to clean and store. No crocks required. Many different sizes, shapes and colours. Robust. Disadvantages: To light, especially when using peat based compost, they blow over easily. Walls can be too thin so that heat damages feeder roots.

PLOIDY - range of fuchsias is from diploid to octoploid in multiples of eleven chromosomes.

POLLEN - this is the male cells of a flower found on the anthers and in some fuchsias is quite decorative; i.e. F. Procumbens.

POLLINATION - is the transfer of pollen onto the stigma.

POT BACK - task of teasing out the old compost from an over wintered plant which is then put into a smaller pot.

POT BOUND - a condition where a potted plant has completely filled the pots with roots. If you are going to transfer this plant to a larger pot or to the garden carefully tease out the ends of the roots before planting out.

POT ON OR UP - the task of putting the plant into a larger container.

POT SIZE CONVERSION - this is not a direct conversion from metric to imperial. It is just the nearest metric size to our imperial pots.

POTASH - essential for the development of flowers and fruit. It is one of the three elements of a balanced fertiliser. Feed high potash fertiliser after the last pinch and do not exceed the ratio of NPK 1: 1: 2. Two sources of potash come in the form of potassium nitrate NPK 13: 0: 46 and potassium phosphate NPK 0: 34: 52.

POTASSIUM - see Potash.

POTTING ON - regular potting on helps prevent premature hardening of stem. This is essential when growing large structures.

PRICKING OUT - wait until your seedlings have a pair of true leaves before pricking out. Transfer them into small pots taking care not to damage any part, as this plant cannot be replaced and with a lot of luck could turn out to be a show stopper. Use good compost as you want to give these plants a flying start. Do not ignore the weaklings as they may become the best. Do not discard the tray of compost that was used to sow your seeds as some take a long time to germinate.

PREDATORS –. For Aphids introduce Aphidius or Aphidoletes or Lacewing larvae Chrysoperia. For Caterpillars introduce Bacillus thuringiensis. For Mealy Bug introduceCryptolaemus. or Leptomastic. For Red Spider Mite introduce Phytoseiulus. For Scale Insects introduce Metaphycus helvolus and Steinernema feltia under certain coditions. For Sciarid Fly introduce Steinernema feltiae parasitic nematodes. Thrips and Western Flower Thrips introduce Amblyseius. For Vine Weevil introduce Steiner carpocapsae parasitic nematodes. For Whitefly introduce Encarsia.

PROPAGATION - the increasing of stock from cuttings or seed. If you want to grow more of say ‘Swingtime’ you have to take cuttings. If you grew from seed taken from ‘Swingtime’ you would get many various examples of fuchsias. The simplest way is to take tip cuttings which consist of a pair of leaves and the growing tip. Insert these into a container of cutting compost; one part moss peat to one part perlite is ideal. Put out of direct sunlight and in a warm place. They do not need heat just warmth 65 F. After about three weeks they should be rooted. Put into the smallest pot that will contain their roots, water and place some where cool until they have settled down. Pinch out at the first opportunity to encourage bushy growth.

PROVADO VINE WEEVIL KILLER - can take up to 1 to 2 weeks to work it’s way through the plant system, but once it has taken effect it then goes on working to give long lasting protection from insect pests. For best results it should only be used on plants which are actively growing. The active ingredient is imidacloprid and protects the plant from Vine Weevils and Sciarid Fly for up to six months. But only one month for leaf pests. Take care when mixing and using this product. Must not be used for food crops.

PRUNING - hardies is done in the spring when new growth is evident. You can prune quite hard but if you want a large specimen and the new growth is there just cut back to the uppermost breaks keeping in mind that you will want a nice shaped plant. If in late autumn the plant is a bit wayward it can be trimmed back but remember that the branches help to protect the lower latent buds.

PYRAMID - ideally a single plant with growth trained to give a uniformly shaped plant tapering from base to apex.