Fuchsias Caught by Frost?

Sunday night's frost was hard for October - looks as if I might have been caught out with the outdoor fuchsias.

I had been awaiting a slight frost to kill the foliage, along with any insect pests living on them, before storing. Too much frost can kill the stems, as well. Still, 'no use crying . . .', so to speak. 'What's done is done', and all that. I put them into the garage before it started raining.

Once the dead leaves have decided to drop, I will completely remove them all, spray the plants with a pesticide, then the plants and compost surface with a fungicide, and await the worst. It should be obvious by mid February whether they have survived or not.

At least the compost is not too wet. Even so, I shall have to watch out for signs of botrytis appearing on any dead material lying on the compost.

NO LIGHT NEEDED IN STORAGE
Fuchsias can be stored in any frost-free place such as a garage or attic. They can even be buried in the ground. Light is not necessary until new growth commences.