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Also the plants grown on the biennial system, (kept in green leaf during winter, slowly growing on or just ticking over). It will result in firmer, short-jointed growth and development of a sturdier framework so beneficial later on to support the masses of blooms! Thoroughly clean the now empty greenhouse. Wash down the glass, but also the glazing bars including all the awkward channels and all the staging and benching, with a good sterilant such as Jeyes Fluid, though some people now prefer Armillatox. Remember that adult red spider mite e.g. over-winter in crevices in your greenhouse structure and vine weeevils hide amongst the debris under the benches etc. Fumigation can also be done now, using sulphur candles. This permeates into the various cracks & crevices killing over-wintering pests there and the spores of mildew too. Clean the outside of the glass as well, to allow as much light as possible to reach over-wintering plants, helping to avoid weak and leggy growth which would be more prone to fall victim of pests or diseases. Before returning your plants to your spic and span greenhouse, make sure they are clean, and pest-free too!! The key to having your plants pest free during the summer really lies with having them coming out of the winter in a pest-free, healthy condition. Remove all foliage from your mature plants, or let nature take it course and do this for you with a mild frost, and spray or dip the remaining framework into a combined fungicide/pesticide solution. The younger plants and those grown on the biennial system, which retain their green foliage, must particularly be thoroughly inspected and again sprayed or completely dunked into the fungicide/pesticide solution. If you suspect vine weevil grub damage (plants hardly anchored in their pots) repot now, removing and disposing of all old compost and grubs. Remember it is imperative to come out of the winter with healthy plants, so do not return suspect plants to the greenhouseIf in doubt, chuck it out! Time to take stock. Finding sufficient space to overwinter all our plants is usually the biggest problem, or perhaps, lacking the ruthlessness of throwing some out!! Bear in mind that to have sufficient space in mid spring, when plants will have doubled in size and frost can still be the order of the day, the greenhouse should be only less than half full now. Throughout autum and winter remain vigilant and continue to inspect plants regularly for any early signs of aphid attack - they tend to hide on the underside of the foliage, so do check your plants over thoroughly. It is relatively easy to get rid of a few intruders by simply squashing them between finger and thumb. Or fumigate and spray if necessary. Far better and so much easier to deal with a small outbreak now than having a damaging invasion on your hands in spring. Remember also to remove all diseased foliage to avoid botrytis developing. Remain on your guard for rust. If spotted, isolate infected plants to avoid spreading it. Remove and bin infected leaves, or even the whole plant if badly infected. It is not really worth hanging on to such plants and risk an infestation when you can replace them easily by purchasing new cuttings relatively cheaply from specialist fuchsia nurseries. Embark on a regular routine to check that protection is still in place, heaters are indeed working and especially that plants are not drying out. More plants are lost through dehydration than killed by frost. A sensible balance must be attained though, don't go the other way and leave plants soggy for long periods for that can be just as disastrous. Treat all fuchsias as individuals, water only those that need it - sparingly, early in the day and with tepid water. Water from below or trickle it onto the compost carefully, making sure to avoid splashing or wetting the leaves or stems to avoid botrytis. Make sure you ventilate freely. Aim for a buoyant atmosphere, so whenever weather permits, dry and not too breezy, open the vents as much as possible and even the door to assist airflow and clear condensation. Stagnant air breeds disease and must be avoided to alleviate the serious danger of botrytis and other fungal conditions developing. Outdoors protect crowns of hardy fuchsias by mulching with old compost, straw, leaf mould, bark, etc. or draw up garden soil. Delay pruning till some new growth has developed in late spring. Dig up 'summer bedders'. Dry out a little under cover, trim roots and top growth by about a third, defoliate, and store in a frost free place with your other mature plants. Continued on next page |
