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A big thank you to David Edmond (potting & training), Colin Bramley (pests & diseases), Peter Long (gadgets & tools), Peter Staveley (standards) and Claudy Dixon (spring cuttings) for their willingness to share their expertise.
At the end of the evening the mystery fuchsia cuttings were also distributed. This is a unknown to us cultivar to be grown on for the Mystery Plant Mini Show (to be judged by Mr Charles Jenkinson) which this year will take place a week earlier than usual on July 25th. So watch your stopping times!! The only information we were given was that it was a single cultivar.
For the Fuchsia Workshop I produced a hand-out information sheet covering the key points regarding taking spring cuttings. If you did not get a copy and would like one, they are available at the book stall at our monthly meetings.
My usual way of taking cuttings is in a covered tray (or pot) with just a little ventilation in a 50% potting compost - 50% vermiculite mix on gentle bottom heat in the greenhouse. As an experiment I also took some cuttings of the same variety (Lena) at the same time (Feb 22nd), in moist vermiculite, in water and in oasis. Some in the greenhouse, some on my north facing kitchen window sill.
The preferred method triumphed without a doubt, the cuttings had a superior, very strong rootsystem and were just about ready for their first stop.
Of the 4 cuttings in the 50-50 potting compost/vermiculite on the window sill 3 had also rooted quite well. The vermiculite method got the thumbs down, very little roots showing and loses. The water method was 100% successful, a good insurance method perhaps for 'valuable, not be lost cuttings'. Just keep a careful eye on them and pot as soon as good strong roots have formed.
The oasis cuttings looked good, still lush green, but they had only the slightest beginnings of roots in sight and after 7 weeks show barely any progress. Others say the oasis method works for them. Please let us know how you achieved that! CD
Food For Thought
SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR CONSIDERATIONS
"…..Can we consider a move towards the volume of a pot. Most agree that it makes far more sense to distinguish in such a way, and would automatically do away with the silly 'no half pot rule'.
Also, we should end the terracotta only rule for colour of pot. Black pots are far more eco-friendly as they can be, and are, made from recycled materials and this point alone should encourage the change. Most nurseries also supply their plants in black pots, so they could effectively be re-used. Anything which can be done to help the environment - no matter how small must be embraced. Terracotta pots are more costly than black ones because they contain an expensive colour pigment, so black pots would prove cheaper for the grower.
Personally, I feel that it would not spoil the presentation of plants at shows. We should be spending more attention to the plant in the container rather than the container itself. And we already accept different colours in the hanging pot classes!
None of these changes would in any way change the cultural proficiency requirements or detract from the plant itself. So let's update our thinking, and end this unique British habit of imposing apparently meaningless restrictions on ourselves." (John McDonald, Merseyside , a letter to the editor published in the BFS Spring Bulletin 2001 )
THE LONG ARM OF THE B.F.S.?
Whilst on holiday in Madeira, my wife and I went on an escorted tour of part of the island. During the trip, comments were made about the number of new buildings that were built and how similar the roofs were. "Ah" said the guide, "In Madeira it is the law that all new buildings must have terracotta tiles for the roof or the builders will be in trouble." We were left to wonder whether or not Ken Pilkington and the B.F.S. Show Committee had ever been to Madeira. (From 'someone from near Barnsley' courtesy of the BFS Spring Bulletin 2001)
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