Tips on Growing Little Bo Peep Fuchsias

Variety: Fuchsia
Family: Onagraceae
Cultivar: Little Bo Peep
Zones: 9 to 11
AHS Heat Zone: Not defined for this plant
Soil Type: Sandy loam to loam
Soil pH: 5 to 7
Sunlight: Partial shade to full sun
Watering: Normal to moist
Fertilizer: Water-soluble, quick-release fertilizer
Availability: Sold as seeds or live, potted plants.

When to plant: Little Bo Peep fuchsia seeds can be started indoors four to six weeks before the last frost. Sow seeds outdoors after the last frost. Live plants can be planted after the last frost.

Planting Method
Seeds: Seeds can be planted ¼-inch deep. For outdoor planting, thin plants to 12 inches of spacing once they're established.

Live plants: Dig a planting hole twice as wide as the root ball and as deep as the soil in the container. Center the plant in the planting hole and backfill with soil. Mulch with at least three inches of compost or pulverized bark and water well. Plant at least 12 inches apart.

Watering
Water with at least an inch of water per week. Keep the soil moist to a depth of at least 18 inches, but do not let the soil become soggy. Less frequent, deep watering is better than frequent, shallow watering. Deep watering encourages root growth and plant health.

Fertilizing
Fertilize with a water-soluble, quick-release fertilizer every 10 to 14 days or as otherwise directed on the package. You can also use organic fertilizer, such as fish emulsion, but be sure to follow the instructions on the package as different brands may have different ingredients and strengths.

AHS Heat Zone
While the AHS Heat Zone is not defined, you should carefully choose a planting location. If you live in an area with longer, hotter summers, plant in partial shade. If you live in an area with shorter, cooler summers, pant in sun to full sun. This fuchsia does not tolerate drought or high heat and humidity.

Production
Little Bo-Peep Fuchsia is a deciduous shrub that produces decorative berries. The berries are edible, but not very appetizing. It also produces small, green leaves and showy, single flowers. The flowers bloom with purple corollas and pale red sepals.

Harvesting
Cut flowers in the early morning before the dew dries. Use a sharp knife or sharp gardening shears to make an angled cut. Immediately immerse in cold water. Add a teaspoon of sugar to the vase water. Change the water every other day, adding a teaspoon of sugar and making a new, angled cut on the stem at each water change.

Diseases

• Powdery Mildew: Powdery mildew is a fungus that usually affects plants that have low air circulation and inadequate light. It is a bigger problem in the early spring and fall months, when the temperatures swing from high during the day to low at night, especially in zones with a lot of humidity. Powdery mildew forms a white or gray coating on the top of the leaves, making them turn yellow, curl up and drop off. It also causes stunted fruit that drops early. To control powdery mildew, decrease watering, use a fertilizer that is low in nitrogen and keep water off the foliage. Apply fungicides as directed.
• Pythium and Phytophtora Root Rot: Pythium and phytophtora root rot attack a plant if there are fungal spores in the soil and the plant is overwatered, creating a high moisture level. Roots turn black and break. Leaves yellow and fall off, usually from the bottom up. Contaminated water or soil mix is the usual cause of root rot. To control this disease, remove infected plants, make sure the soil is well-drained and do not overwater or overfertilize plants. There is no chemical treatment for root rot.
• Rusts: Rusts generally overwinter on plant foliage and spent flowers. They are host-specific and usually appear as small, yellow or bright-orange pustules under the leaves. Sometimes the pustules can be brown. Other fungi and splashing water causes most rust problems. Rust tends to worsen when the weather gets moist. To control rust problems, water the plant from the base, keeping the foliage dry. Make sure the plants have enough air flow to all leaves by thinning and pruning. Water only during the day, giving plants a chance to dry before nightfall. Rusts can also be controlled with a fungicide.
• Verticillium or Fusarium Wilt: Verticillium and Fusarium wilt are fungi that multiply during cool, moist seasons. Infected seeds, plant matter and soil are all ways this wilt can be spread to other plants. The leaves on afflicted plants will turn yellow and die. If you over-fertilize, you can also cause a plant to contract this wilt. This particular wilt also affects weeds. Signs of this wilt do not appear until the weather turns warm and dry. To control this wilt, do not use a nitrogen-heavy fertilizer, keep the garden area weeded and remove infected plants.

Pests

• Aphids: The aphid is a small insect that forms clusters on seedlings and new plant growth. It's pear-shaped body ranges from 1/16- to 3/8-inch long. Aphids spread quickly, feeding on plant juices, which weakens the plant. Signs of infection include honeydew and sooty mold on plants, curling leaves, stunted growth and yellowing of foliage. Remove infected plant matter and keep the garden weed-free. Do not use high-nitrogen fertilizer, as this promotes aphids. If you have a light infestation, you can spray the aphids off the plant with water, then apply insecticidal soaps or pesticides. Aphids will develop a resistance to pesticides, so use them sparingly and as a last resort. If you do not wish to use insecticides or pesticides, you can introduce natural enemies of the aphid, such as lacewings, parasitic wasps or pirate bugs.
• Caterpillars: Caterpillars are heavy feeders and can be quite destructive. They are the immature forms of butterflies and moths. Control caterpillars by removing all weeds around the area and introducing parasitic wasps. Certain insecticidal soaps and oils will kill caterpillars.
• Mealybugs: Mealybugs are covered with a white wax and feed on plants by inserting stylets into the plant. They secrete honeydew, which creates sooty mold and attracts ants. Eggs are laid inside a cotton-type pouch and hatch in 7 to 10 days. The adults live about 30 days, and can lay several hundred eggs. Control mealybugs with an insecticidal soap or pesticides.
• Scale Insects: The 1/8-inch-long scale insect attaches itself to the leaves and stems of plants. While the males have wings, the females do not, and spend their lives attached to the plant, sucking out juices with their piercing mouth parts. The scale insect excretes honeydew, which causes sooty mold that attracts ants. Cut any infected leaves off the plants. If the stems are also infected, you may have to dispose of the entire plant. You may be able to control them with insecticidal soaps or pesticides. You can also introduce parasitic wasps to your garden, as they are the scale insect's natural enemies. Lady beetles are also natural enemies.
• Spider Mites: Spider mites are tiny, eight-legged insects that feed on foliage, causing stippling, a distinctive spotted look on the leaves. They also create a thin web on the plants, and will use the web to move from one plant to another. Adults live up to 21 days and lay hundreds of eggs, which hatch in two to four days. You will probably need a magnifying glass to see the adults, eggs and nymphs. The adult will have two distinctive black spots on it. Spider mites tend to become immune to pesticides, so if you decide to use them, rotate the type of pesticide you use. Natural predators include predator mites, pirate bugs and lady beetles. Isolate plants infected with spider mites to stop their spread.
• Thrips: Out of the 6,000-plus species of thrips, there are five that like to visit garden plants. These narrow-bodied insects are about 1/8-inch long and have a life span of about 45 days. They are commonly found eating foliage, including the stems of plants. They do not like cooler temperatures and will invade a warm greenhouse.  Keep plants well-weeded and use sticky strips to trap thrips. Some pesticides may work, though some only kill the larvae, not adult insects. Natural enemies include lacewings, ladybeetles and pirate bugs.
• Whiteflies: Whiteflies are less than 1/8 of an inch long, with white wings and yellow bodies. Their eggs hatch in 8 to 11 days. They have piercing mouthparts and suck the juices from plants, which causes stunted growth and yellow leaves. They can be controlled with pesticides, but in order for them to be effective, the underside of the leaves must be treated. Parasitic wasps and lady beetles can be used for outdoor control.

Cleanup
Prune Little Bo-Peep Fuchsia in the spring and throughout the growing season for dead and decaying wood and plant mater. Pinch the stem tips to encourage foliage and flower growth. Pinching terminal buds on the stem tips will encourage the lateral buds on the branches to flower.