|
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 fungus conditions developing.
Outdoors protect crowns of hardy fuchsias by mulching with old compost, straw, leaf mould, bark, etc. or draw up soil. Delay pruning till 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 other mature plants.
DECEMBER is generally a quiet month. Probably the only one in the year, so enjoy yourself, make the most of it! A good time to reflect on your achievements of the past growing season. And the failures! Go over your notes again to refresh your memory and endeavour not to repeat your mistakes in the forthcoming year. Always aim to make improvements and set yourself some challenges to add spice to the new season.
The ideal time also to just relax perusing the various catalogues of the Specialist Fuchsia Nurseries. They do an excellent job keeping such a fast range of cultivars in existence and need our full support to stay in business. Be ruthless discard some of your old plants, the ones that never seem to do well for you. Replace them by trying your hand with some new cultivars. Most nurseries have some exciting new introductions. Or you could finally get around to acquiring those cultivars that attracted your attention at last years shows. Maybe get the few hardies to create that hardy bed that you always promised yourself. You could start a collection of a certain hybridiser or colour range. The possibilities are numerous and the new plants, plus the inspiring advice that goes with them on collection, really set the adrenaline going again. Pondering about what to go for can also fill in many otherwise dull winter hours. CD
KATHLEEN MUNCASTER FUCHSIAS 18 Field Lane, Morton, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire. DN21 3BY 01427 - 612329
OXTOBY'S NURSERY 74 Westgate, North Cave, Brough, East Yorkshire. HU15 2NJ 01430 - 423049
BELLCROSS NURSERIES Howden, Goole, East Yorkshire, DN14 7TQ 01430 - 430284 (Regret no mail order)
ARCADIA NURSERIES Brass Castle Lane, Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough, Cleveland. TS8 9EB 01642 - 310782
The Wonderful World of the World Wide Web
The basic information about our own Scarborough Fuchsia Society (as well as some photographs of the Lincoln Fuchsia Festival) can be found on www.fuchsiasforfun.totalserve.co.uk
A bit much to type in, so a more sensible route to it is to check out the newly launched official B.F.S. Web site www.thebfs.org.uk that is now up and running. It proves a good starting off point, giving useful information about the B.F.S. and their Regional Shows. It also provides links to affiliated societies such as ours by way of a simple click on our Scarborough & District Society logo! Well done, Webmaster!!
While browsing you might also like to check out the Web site of the Metropolitan Essex Fuchsia Society. Thanks to the newsletter exchange we are already familiar with some offerings of our Essex colleagues. The site offers many more interesting articles and information, check it out! CD
Supporting our Local Fuchsia Nurseries
Despite poor weather, one of Britains' largest and most popular annual events, the Great Yorkshire Sow, managed to pull in the crowds. The Flower Show proved as spectacular as ever and produced a great double for Bellcross Nurseries of Howden. They won the Doncaster Gold Cup and the Millennium Award for their impressive display of begonias. Margaret Watson, assisted by husband Malcolm and brother-in-law Eric Harley, staged more than 50 pots of named begonias in the top display. (And unlike the famous AT managed to get their timing just right!). Margaret, whose father Fred Swales began exhibiting at the Great Yorkshire Show 35 years ago, said: "This season's lack of sunshine has allowed the begonias to develop to their full potential. The blooms are the best we have had in years."
This is the third time the nursery has won the top awards, in recent years. If you get your magnifying glass out you can just see at the top of the photograph the standard fuchsias that are part of the display background, fuchsias being the Nursery's other main line. Our mystery plants this year were supplied by Bellcross. Cuttings are available from the nursery from March to May, mature plants from May onwards. For further info telephone 01670 - 515024
Continuing to support our local specialist fuchsia nurseries, next year our mystery plants will be supplied by Oxtoby's Nursery of North Cave. If you are thinking of getting some plants mail order, Oxtoby's 2001 catalogue is now available. If at all possible I recommend you visit though. Quite a number of varieties that don't appear in the catalogue are available to callers (in limited numbers) and you can be assured of Mike and Jackie's personal attention and good advice to get you off to a flying start. Mail order plants will be supplied between 1st January to end of April. The Nursery is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday to Sundays from November until the end of July.
For further info telephone 01430 - 423049 or visit the Oxtoby's Nursery web site CD
|
|
