Last year I bought the Thompson & Morgan Fuchsia ‘Giant Collection’. It included some of the biggest fuchsia flowers I had ever seen, Bella Rosella, Bicentennial, Quasar, Seventh Heaven and voodoo. It amazed me how quickly they grew and how well they flowered.

Why I love fuchsias

I like how fuchsias look very exotic especially the ones with variegated blooms. The standard fuchsias look great and give added height to flower beds. I like fuchsias because they are not too difficult to take cuttings from, but they need good attention daily. I would recommend you buy the garden ready plants.

Top tips on growing your fuchsias

You will need to use good compost like the standard multipurpose compost, with plenty of grit to improve drainage, or John Innes No.1.

When you come to potting your fuchsias up, I recommend that you add some of Thompson & Morgan’s Incredibloom®. I had great success with this product when I was preparing petunias for my show garden last year – masses of blooms!

To encourage the development of bushy side shoots and to be covered in summer flowers, it is essential to pinch out the soft growing tips of the fuchsia plant. I had read somewhere if you pinch out the tips a couple of times, it will stop the plants becoming too leggy and continue an abundance of flowers through into autumn. This really needs to be done April-June. It just takes a few minutes per plant.

If you want to grow in a greenhouse or a conservatory, make sure you don’t crowd them to allow ventilation. Make sure your greenhouse or conservatory is well ventilated in warm weather, and make sure you don’t over-water them. If they are grown in a greenhouse or conservatory, check regularly for fungal and insect attack and treat as appropriately. Remember always to dead head your fuchsias to prolong the flowering period.

In the future I am keen to try some other varieties. I will let you know how I get on.

Lucas Hatch

Lucas started gardening when he was 6 years old and after becoming the RHS Young Gardener of the Year 2012, his interest in gardening continues to grow. He is the youngest member of Thompson & Morgan’s customer trial panel. His latest accolade is to have taken part in the Suffolk Show’s Model Garden Competition where he won Best in Show receiving the Otley College Perpetual Challenge Trophy.