Restart fuchsias and pelargoniums

With a little care and attention, you can keep tender fuchsias and pelargoniums alive for many years. As days gradually lengthen, plants overwintering in a conservatory or greenhouse will naturally wake after their winter sleep, and what were dormant buds will start to develop. Here’s how to encourage healthy new growth:

✿ Stand the plants in good light. Check them over for pest activity and signs of damage.

✿ Check the roots. Remove the plant from its pot to see if they’re healthy, or damaged by vine weevil grubs.

✿ Pick off dead leaves. Carefully prune stems back to healthy buds to encourage strong new growth from the base. Replace the top layer of compost with fresh compost.

✿ Remember to increase watering and feeding as the plants develop. Mist fuchsias regularly to increase humidity.