Fuchsia Cuttings - How to take Fuchsia Cuttings 

Fuchsias are amongst the most popular of summer flowering plants for hanging baskets and containers. There are of course the hardy Fuchsias that flower a little later - often well into the Autumn.

The big plus for Fuchsia propagation is that they can be increased by taking cutting - very easily!

Take cuttings from well-grown young Fuchsia plants, to increase your stock and also to 'pinch out' the growing tip of your Fuchsia.

This will help the existing Fuchsia to grow with a 'bushy' habit, rather than having a single spindly stem with few side shoots. Cuttings from Fuchsias are easy to take - we give you the advice and information on how to take Fuchsia cuttings.

Young Fuchsia plants, bought from the garden centre or nursery, can be a good source of 'cuttings' material to give you new plants. The following steps also apply to established plants growing in the garden. Cuttings are best taken between late April through to early September. Formative Fuchsia pruning in early spring can also provide useful material for cuttings.

Most Fuchsias -or Fuchsias - benefit from being 'pinched out', by nipping off the growing shoots after five pairs of leaves have developed. This forces the Fuchsia plant to send out new side shoots. More shoots = More flowers!

So you will see, that it is easy to build up a good stock of Fuchsia plants just by having a sharp knife (or scissors), some cuttings compost and a suitable container (Propagator) where you can grow the cuttings into rooted plants.

The Important Points in Taking Cuttings from Fuchsia

• Use a sharp knife - carefully - or a sharp pair of secateurs.
• Only take cuttings from healthy Fuchsia plants.
• Cutting taken later in the year will need over-wintering protection.
• Always make the cut for the actual 'cutting' directly below a leaf joint.
• Use hormone rooting powder - if you wish.
• Any seed and potting compost will do - add a little sand to 'open up' the compost.
• There should be no flowers or flower buds on the cutting.
• Remove the bottom leaves - just leaving perhaps 2 or 3 pairs of mature leaves on the stem.

All of the images can be clicked for enlarged detail to show the way to success with Fuchsia Propagation.
Hold mouse over the image to read description of how to take Fuchsia cuttings.

Fuchsia Propagation by cuttings procedure

First image left, you will see a Fuchsia plant which needs 'pinching out' to make the plant grow side shoots and therefore turn into a bushy plant.  The top shoot is cut from the plant - just above a pair of healthy leaves. This is where the plant will send out new shoots - as well as further down the main stem.

The top stem that has been cut off will be used for the first of many cuttings from this plant. Second image shows the cut being made - with a carpenter's knife - very sharp! and then the resultant plant, which will be used as a stock plant to produce many more cutting over the next few weeks or months.

The removed stem is now cut cleanly below a pair of leaves, and the bottom pair of leaves removed. This will give a cutting of about 4in (10cm) long with just two pair of full leaves and a few other small leaves at the top of the cutting to be.

The cutting is inserted into a 3in pot of prepared cuttings compost - actually just normal multi purpose compost is ok for this. The pots of prepared and potted cuttings are then placed into the base of the propagator case and well watered in.

We have not bothered with hormone rooting powder. If you decide to use it - a good idea - then do not overdo it. Simply dip the end of the cutting into the hormone rooting powder and gently tap the cutting to get rid of any surplus powder. As most rooting powders a fungicide included, then it is a good idea to use - especially if you are new to taking cuttings.

The propagator top is replaced, and placed in a light place - with no direct scorching sun. If in a greenhouse, then simply cover the top of the propagator with a light milky white sheet of plastic. If you do not have a propagator, Fuchsia can be rooted by putting the pots inside a light plastic bag - and sealing the top so that no air can get in.

Once rooted - start checking after two weeks - the plastic or propagator top can be removed in stages to allow a little air in - bit by bit. After a week of this treatment, the rooted Fuchsia can be removed for its protection and then grown on into a new potted Fuchsia Plant.

Fuchsia cuttings should root in 2-3 weeks. Gradually remove the propagator lid or plastic bag over 4 - 6 days to allow the young Fuchsia plants to acclimatise to the non-humid environment.

See Also | Taking geranium Cuttings.