Clothes Peg Weights Work Wonders On Fuchsias

Clothes pegs hung on fuchsia leaves are wonderful for training them over the edge of baskets. Many fuchsia stems are either too lax - and consequently just droop over - or are too stiff to bend over naturally before they harden. Adding just small weights will gradually encourage them to conform. Use on the outer stems of a basket will thereby enhance appearance.

REMOVES DOMINANCE EFFECT
However, there's more to it than this. As a branch becomes more horizontal, the apical bud (at the end of the stem) loses its dominance over the lower axillary buds (red), thus allowing them to commence growth. Some fuchsias do this automatically, but most do not. Because the stem is horizontal, the new stems will grow vertically, thereby enhancing the bushiness of the plant and giving it some height - a necessary feature in attractive baskets. Meanwhile, because the plant has not been stopped (shoot tips not removed), the original branches will keep growing and producing even more axillary buds.

I will use this technique on the 'Multi-Plant' if all the buds do not start developing soon (some have, some haven't (although the variety used, 'Annabel', should be self-branching)). Growing fuchsias as multi-plants is supposed to remove the need for this practice. I want to see if this is the case. It probably is, because everything Ken Pilkington has described in his book on multi-plants seems to work 'as it says on the tin' - which is something of a revelation in this day and age.

Having been thoroughly frustrated with the multi-plant method, I am back to being an ardent fan. Funny how just a few days can make such a difference of opinion. We forget all the frustrations - just as we forget even the harshest winter after the first sunny day of spring.