Hi, Christine. Every fuchsia cutting I put in water seems to root without effort. Doesn't seem to matter if I pinch them off or cut them with pruners. How big are the cuttings? I root only young green growing tips, no woody stems, so about the first 2 to 3 inches of new growth. You have to be careful to always keep the stem end in water, never drying them out.

For rooting, I use glass bottles in my kitchen window sill, east-facing exposure, shaded behind bigger plants.

Don't know how much water quality bears in this, but my tap water is both fluoridated and chlorinated and still works ok for this. (I have carnivorous bog plants that hate it.)

It certainly is interesting. I take lots of fuchsia cuttings - I never use rooting hormone, just insert them into a container filled with gritty compost, put a clear plastic lid on them (old plastic trays from the supermarket are ideal) and leave in a shady part of the greenhouse. Success if almost guaranteed. I've never tried rooting them in water - I'm going to give it a go.

One caveat -- when you pot up cuttings rooted in water, keep them pretty moist for the first few weeks then slowly taper off the watering. The roots either adapt to its new conditions or the plant grows new ones. I keep them away from direct light during this acclimatization process.

Oh yay... just the forum I was hoping for!! My fuschia was just knocked over today and broke off half of its stems. So two questions I guess: (1) Is there anything special I need to put in the water?? and (2) Is my plant going to go into shock?? I would greatly appreciate a response...

Nothing special needed to root in water -- I use it straight from the tap. The original plant will likely be fine. If its roots were disturbed, tap the container and water well to remove air pockets and add more soil if needed.

I do mine similar to Donata. My gartenmeister is considered an annual here so I don`t want to lose it. Light soil and shady window, then outside in summer. Lorraine

Like Rita, I use plain tapwater, the chemical nature of which I've never bothered checking. Works fine. I do sometimes get failures after the transfer from water to soil and I need to work on that (maybe sift the soil into the water over 10 days?).

I recall being told that although acidity levels in tapwater might differ from region to region, the degree of variation is unlikely to matter, and that if testing with litmus paper does show it to be a long way from neutral, it can be adjusted by adding a tiny pinch of soda bicarb (making it less acid) or a tiny drop of vinegar, and then checking again. Never done that myself.

Ah. I see 'tightathome' already did suggest keeping the rooted cutting in water and gradually adding compost/soil to it, in another fuschia discussion area.

Not long ago, somewhere I heard or read, to wet down some of the green floral stuff that is used by florists in floral arrangements. Use a pencil to make a hole in it and put in your cutting. Just keep it moist and it is suprising how well the cuttings root.

Judith -

I have tried the floral foam, and it does keep the cutting alive for a while, but it is difficult to remove it, roots intact, from the foam. I prefer water or a light mixture - ie. vermiculite.

I also tried to multiply mu fuchsias with cuttings.
Some of them I took from plant in August and put them directly to the soil in the pot and let it outside. Some of them rooted, other ones died. Then before 3 weeks when cutting the fuchsias to be moved into cellar to survive winter there, I popped some stems into water and waited for roots - without any success. But I tried to suplly my cutting with as much good conditions as it is possible now in November: I sprayed them with water, so their leaves stayed pretty green without any mark of dessiccation. After fortnight I put them into pot with soil again and now waiting if they start growing/rooting. I know that daylight now is very short - but hopefully they will not mind it!

Help Please

I need some basic advice in taking cuttings. i tried and failed last year.

1. If a select a cutting should it be a new shute from the main stem?
2How long should it be?
3. should iremove any leaves or branches and just leave the main growth at the top?
4 all ne wshoots seem to have the start of buds should i remove these?
5. When should i take ctiings (England.)?

Kind regards

Victor

Hi there:

Here is a good site that tells how to take Fuchsia cuttings:

Here is a link that might be useful: How To Take Fuchsia Cuttings

And here's another method wherein this person claims to have 95% success. I'm going to try this method myself!

Here is a link that might be useful: Great Method For Taking Fuchsia Cuttings

Hi everyone, Is anyone willing to send me a fuchsia cutting for postage? I can send something to trade too. I'd really like to start growing fuchsia. Thanks!

How about using soil moist/stock o sorb, it has many names....the granules that swell up when you put them in water....I was just thinkin about trying it tday, never rooted fuschia before but my friend just uses vermiculite and he owns a big commercial greenhouse and has been successfull using that method for may yr's. he just uses the tender tip shoots. I may just try all 3 methods and see what happens, water...soil moist and vermiculite. has anyone else tried the soil moist???? thks, J

honeydewmelon(5) I would be will to send uou cuttings as long as they would make it. Wrapped in wet paper towels in a bag and they should be okay. Just email me.