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New to Forum and need info on one plant's leaf-tip-drying problem

17 years ago

Hi,

I'm new to this forum and a newby concerning fuchsias. I had one plant many years ago but lost it within a month. Now am trying again. Have acquired 5 different plants the past 2 months and already lost one I think...I have cut it back, placed in smaller pot, and moved to indoors hoping it will revive. The others seem to be doing fine and are in pots in yard neath shade of pecan tree getting some early morning sun. However, I am having problems with one of them(different problem than the one in rescue). This plant is an upright plant. Each day I find more leaf tips brown, dry, and slightly curled. No sign of investation that I can see... If left alone over a couple days, the whole leaf becomes dry/dead from the tip inward. So I keep pinching off those leaves when the tip starts to dry/brown. But this plant is becoming bare of leaves because of this. It is producing many new blooms though. I believe I'm watering correctly (cause the other plants seem fine, though they are a vine type). What may be the problem?

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Comments (3)

rain1950
17 years ago
Depending on the variety; it might be getting too cold at night. Some tender fuschias will lose new growth at 35 degrees. Zone 9 doesn't tell me what part of the country, and it could also be getting not enough or too much sun also. Many of the uprights love full sun. Water? They like humidity, but not water-logged. Feeding? They are hungry little pigs.
drappard
Original Author
17 years ago
Sorry on the zone thing...farmland south of San Antonio, Tx is our location. Thanks for trying to help and responding so quickly.

Tis not cold here...quite the opposite. I've tried sun, half-day sun, semi-shade over the past month (each method about 7-10 days at a time) with no improvement where ever I put them. I think am correctly watering (moist not soaked) and fine-mist spray my fuchsias each morn as it is very dry here. Fertilize once every 7-10 days. This is very frustrating. Should I cut it back hard, bring inside, and hope? Only the top 1/3 of each stem/branch has leaves and blooms and this "strange leaf problem" is continuing to progress upwards to the remaining leaves. :-(

On another topic, I recently purchased "diatomaceous earth-organic grade" (dust form) and "beneficial nematodes" (spray into soil form) to help control fleas, June bugs, and other nuisance pests from my yard. When I get ready to use these products, are my fuchsias safe? Can I dust/spray them with these?
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rain1950
17 years ago
OK, uprights behave differently than basket types; we plant them directly in the garden; however you would need to do that in semi-shade. The problem might be root-bound; basket types like it; uprights don't; Either plant in the gardenn or a much larger pot. As far as the dust and spray; no worry on those.

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