Fuchsia Compendium

Fuchsia Compendium - S

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

SCIARID FLY - mushroom flies, fungus gnats - small flies always seen flying close to the compost. Mostly invade peat based composts where they lay their eggs. The larvae can damage the roots sufficiently to be the primary cause for invasion of Root Rots. Remedy by drenching the soil with suitable chemicals to kill the larvae.

SCISSORS - useful accessory when dressing your plant.

SCALE INSECT - Small green or brown pest the shape of a Woodlouse no bigger than 3mm. Rare on fuchsias but can be found flattened along stem or veins of leaves.

SCLEROTIA - the resting spores of fungi like Botrytis.

SCREENING VENTS - if you are serious about showing and want unblemished blooms it is wise to use some sort of mesh to prevent bees and wasps entering .

SECATEURS - sharp, buy the best and they will last a lifetime.

SEDGE PEAT - consists of partly decomposed sedges and is generally acidic but some are alkaline depending on where they have been extracted from. This is more use as a mulch than for pot work, but some growers use it as part of a soilless compost mix.

SEED - you can collect your own seed from berries. Remove the seed when the berry’s skin starts to shrivel by cutting the berry into segments and teasing the seeds out with a needle. Sow immediately or store in a small air tight container. If you do not want to collect your own several of the Seed Houses now sell them. see Germination of seed and Propagation

SEED GATHERERS - We all I would imagine have done this. Sown the seed watched over it, tended it and when it comes into flower, disappointment. The chances of striking lucky at random is remote, but it is still good fun. This habit leads on to thinking about hybridising, and I would suggest to any one, to start by being a seed gatherer, and learn how to grow and tend them before spending a lot of time and effort on crossing, re-crossing, back crossing and reciprocal crossing then finding seed to only loose the end product because you haven’t got the germinating/growing part right. See also Germination of Seed and Propagation

SEED SOWING- see Propagation

SEMI-DOUBLE - a flower that has between five, six or seven petals.

SEPALS - are part of the calyx, fuchsias should only have four. They form the outer decorative parts of a fuchsia flower.

SHADE - a requirement if you want your blooms to be as white as possible.

SHADE HOUSE - their are several types of net available for this purpose. A temporary house is quite easy to make using six poles and stout string to make a basic greenhouse shape and throw the net over. Hold the edges down with bricks or soil.

SHADING must be given in hot and sunny weather.

SHIELD BUGS - viewed from above their backs look like shields, in the south red and green coloured shield bugs are common on rhododendrons. Same group of bugs as Capsids and Shield Bugs both damage plants by sucking sap. If the need arises spray using a systemic or translaminar insecticide.

SHINGLE - found at second rate seaside resorts but not at Bournemouth or Poole. A good medium to stand your pots on, clean, easy to handle and allows free drainage. Do not use shingle or sand taken from the sea shore.

SHOW RULES - these vary from show to show so it is always wise to check for differences.

SHRUB - a recognised term for fuchsia grown for show where more than one stem arises from the compost as opposed to a Bush.

SIBLING - a sister seedling.

SIG - Special Interest Group - There are now several different specialist groups affiliated to or under the umbrella of the B.F.S. The original SIG specific interest were with the Species and pre 1914 introductions. Now under that title are the Show Peoples Group, Photographic Group, the Scottish Group and hopefully soon a Memorabilia/Lore Group.

SINGLE - a flower that has four petals only.

SLUG WORMS - the larvae of saw flies but see Climbing Slug Worms

SMALL POT CULTURE - this is not growing fuchsias as a Bonsai, but a way of training fans, espaliers , baskets and others within in the smallest limits. Bush, shrub and standards are all excluded. Maximum size pot allowed is 5.25".

SMOKES - looks like a firework, light blue touch paper and whoosh! It is all over. Only for greenhouse use and there are both insecticide and fungicide types.

SOIL WARMING CABLE - a valuable piece of equipment for the serious fuchsia grower. It can be used for providing bottom heat or to raise the air temperature within a propagator. Seven and a half watts per square foot is required for a propagator and if used in conjunction with a misting unit increased to fifteen watts per square foot. Can be an economical way of over wintering in a small area by creating a micro climate with bottom heat which will rise up through the foliage or branches of your plants. You must realise that on a cold night there might not be enough heat (degrees lift) to overcome the drop in temperature. For example in my cold greenhouse the under soil heating cable has maintained a constant temperature of 22 C through the night but now the night temperature (October) has dropped to 1 C and the highest temperature now is 16 C . If the temperature was to fall below freezing the cable would not be producing enough heat for the purpose it was intended.

SOOTY MOULD - a black fungi found on the upper surface of the leaf. It colonises areas of Honey Dew exuded by leaves from above. Remove plant from underneath infected are or if aphids are on the plant spray the plant. The mould will then disappear of it’s own accord.

SPECIE - often written as the singular of species but in fact is a coin.

SPECIES - a term used to group together plants that have the same general characteristics and are able to interbreed. In the "showing" of species refer to the B.F.S. species list. Like hardies just because the nurseryman sells it as a hardy or species does not mean that it can be put on the show bench as such.

SPECIES LIST - See the Fushsia Lists section.

SPHAGNUM MOSS - a type of moss found in boggy conditions which is capable of absorbing vast amounts of water. Useful for packing between two pots to aid watering and preventing the plant drying out if you are away fore a few days. Moss peat is the result of semi decayed sphagnum and used in many soilless composts.

SPORES - minute ‘seeds’ shed by fungi.

SPORTS, MUTATIONS - this is when there is a significant change in the growth or habit of a plant. The most desirable changes are different coloured flowers or a cultivar becoming variegated. An example is Abbe Farges red sepals, mauve corolla and its sport Cardinal Farges red sepals white corolla . "Annabelle" plain green leaves and it’s sport "Wessex Belle" variegated foliage. 

SPRAY - September through to March spray in the morning so that the plants have time to dry out before nightfall. With lower temperatures at this time of the year Botrytis can be a problem. Only spray if you have to. April through August spray in the evening. Spraying in hot sunshine can cause damage to the leaves. Minute particles in the water lodge in the pores of the leaves and as the temperature cools the pores cannot close, so the surrounding area dies and leaves brown spots. I wonder who thought it was water droplets acting as magnifying glasses? Mist spray your cuttings and plants that your are encouraging into growth daily, Maxicrop added to the water is very beneficial. When using insecticides or fungicides make sure that the temperature is above 60 F.

SPRAYERS - usually a hand pumped device for spreading fine droplets of chemicals onto our plants in the hope that it will cure the problem. What problem? Choose a sprayer that is large enough to do the job.

SPRAYS - see Chemicals.

SPRINGTAILS & SYMPHILIDS - both can be pests found in flower pots and cause damage to the roots, but some springtails feed on eelworms

STAGING - a many and varied shelf system designed to maximise space and light in a greenhouse. See Exhibiting.

STAGING - is a term used for when you put your plant on the show bench, paying attention to the presentation of the plant and attending to the final dressing.

STAKES may be used discreetly.

STAMENS - consist of the filament and anther which bears the pollen . Male part of the flower.

STANDARD - a way of growing and training a fuchsia. There are several different criteria depending on the Show Rules. Full Standard stem length 30" - 42". Half Standards stem length 18" - 30". Table or Quarter Standards stem length 12" - 18". Mini Standards maximum stem length 10" and maximum size pot 5". Another way of growing a Standard type fuchsia that seams to becoming popular is three or more of the same variety grown up as whips in one pot and the stems plaited. See Whips.

STIGMA - the tip of the pistil the female part of the flower which is often sticky so that the pollen adheres ready for pollination.

STOCK PLANTS - term used for the plants that you take your cuttings from.

STOCKINETTE - muslin tube generally purchased for cleaning cars. Cut into suitable lengths it is  pulled up over the pot and over the plant. protects the plant well when being transported.

STOMATA - fuchsias and some other plants have these pores , they are found on the leaves and are capable of getting rid of excess moisture which is often mistaken as condensation but is called guttation.

STOPPING - stopping, nipping out and pinching. All terms for the same thing, removing the tip and encouraging side growths. This also delays flowering depending on whether the plant is a single, semi-double or double flowered variety. See pinching out.

STRIKE A CUTTING - is to give a cutting the right conditions to root and thrive.

STYLE - the style is the piece of the pistil which joins the stigma to the ovary.

SULPHATE OF AMMONIA - or dried blood at the rate of half ounce to one gallon of water to promote rapid growth in standards.

SULPHATE OF POTASH - half ounce to one gallon of water helps the hardening of wood in preparation for over wintering.

SULPHUR - is a trace element essential for healthy plant growth. Can in powder form also be used as a fungicide, which is useful in the cooler periods as is does not increase the humidity level.

SYMPHILIDS & SPRINGTAILS - both can be pests found in flower pots and cause damage to the roots, but some springtails feed on eelworms

SYSTEMIC INSECTICIDE - see Insecticide