Ned-H3_Chapter

How did the idea develop to test cultivars with anticipated winterhardiness in the Netherlands?

During the spring of 1985 came from within the UTC research group the idea to hold a written enquiry among its members. This was to obtain from them their collective knowledge about winter hardiness. The winter of 1984-1985 had been rather severe. The results that came to light were few, but included the following:

Eerste proefveld 23 KB.jpg (23347 bytes)

First testing ground at Overhagen Nursery in Velp - In 1985 the trials here began (first two beds with about 60 varieties). This photo from 1988 shows that the tested collection then allready had raised till nearly 200 cultivars

- Those fuchsias left out in the garden soil, with a protection of leaves around the base of the plant and pruming of the branches that had been frozen after the winter, were more likely to have shoots coming out of the ground, than those fuchsias that had had no base protection and were pruned immeditely before the winter;

- To the west of the imaginary line from Eindhoven to the middle of the Afsluitdijk and on, more fuchsias left in the garden re-shouted, than from the east of that line.

Did the commercial horticulturists possess any knowledge about winter hardiness of fuchsias?

Niet hete droge zomer 44 kB.jpg (44095 bytes)

Testing ground - location in 1991 (to the linkhand0 and 1990 (to the righthand)

Proefveld hete droge zomer 39 kB.jpg (39684 bytes)

Second location of testing ground in 1991 - Here during a wet summer period free-flowering. Links behind the big shrub F. mag. molinea 'Alba' there was situated the planting for the Floriade ' 92

Second location of testing ground in 1990 - The dry and hot summer of 1990 in the beginning they were not free flowering. During September much rain fell flowering still become exuberant

By Dutch professional gardeners and tree growers the winter hardiness of the 'tuinfuchsia' (translated into english 'gardenfuchsia') F.magellanica 'Riccartonii' is well known. However their knowledge about other cultivars is limited. During a visit to a specialist nursery in Boskoop (20 km east of The Hague) the grower did not know how many of his winter hardy fuchsias were in fact winter hard. The rooted stock were grown in 150/150 mm (6/6") pots inside a glasshouse. After 15 May they would be planted out in the open, growing to large plants and then delivered to their clients as winter approached. Because this grower was interested in knowing which fuchsias were really winter hard, did he offer us three of his cultivars for testing. He advised us however to have a testing ground in the east of the Netherlands. As earlier concluded the plants considered winter hardy in the east (temperature in east about 2 till 5°C lower), would certainly survive a winter in the western provinces).

From within the UTC the decision was made to test winter hardiness under Dutch conditions. Commercial grower Gerard Buurman of the Overhagen Nursery in Velp (near Arnhem) was prepared to make space available for the trials.

What were the aims of the trial plan and why?

On May 8 in 1986 approx. 30 varieties (3 of each variety) were collected from Boskoop and about 20 varieties (one of each variety) provided by members of the Dutch fuchsia society NKvF, were planted. During the first year the number of cultivars got to 60 varieties.

Prior to the construction of the testing ground a precise sampling method was determined. Before we started this testing ground there was a simple trial plan made. The aims were:

- trial as many as possible of the on Dutch cultivar lists etc. appearing plants, which had the English H3 hardy classification;

- to trial where possible 3 plants of each cultivar. The information relating to earlier trials always refered to three plants from each. The research team decided for that reason to also work with that figure. Freezing is not the only reason why plants die. Other causes include incorrect hoeing, plant diseases and pests, incorrect labeling (refer 'A good technique to keep your fuchsias identified ).

- when it is likely that frosts will arrive, the base of the plant was to protected by a light covering of leaves. For in nature the surrounding shrubs and trees also provide a natural cover of this material. Old literature makes this recommendations also. The catalogue published by Lemoine states that the winter hardy fuchsias he recommends for sale, should be protected around the base with either leaves or straw;

- the frozen branches were to be pruned in the spring. The choice of spring prune was based on read literature and the results of the survey, mentioned earlier. Usually at the end of March or early April the pruning of the dead branches would take place. The cut would still be green. Also the ground protection would be removed. Following the mild winter of 1989/1990, the far advanced shoots got a severe thrashing during the night time frost, that occured on April 6 (minus 6°C, 21°F). many of the plants had to re-shoot or they just died. That was the reason, the decision was made to delay future cutting off frozen branches till the third week of April. The ground cover would also be removed at that time.

What are the specific details of the location of the testing ground?

Cliff'sHardy 29 kB.jpg (29296 bytes)

Moderate shooted - Sometimes a hardy fuchsia shoots out only partional from the roots system. Often such plants than have to little thick head-roots to can shoot out.

Overhagen Nursery is located in a forested area. For that reason the night time frosts are more extreme than in other non-forested areas in the immediate neighbourhood.

During the sunny weather the plants would be in a full sun. This is a disadvantage, following a frost, the full sun shines on the frosty shoots.

The fertile soil has a clay structure and is not easy to keep in open consistency. Weeds grow in abundance and working the soil is heavy to work. What the influence of a natural pond in the immediate area is, has no been determined. Yet the pond could have been beneficial on the high ground water level. During summer the need to water is reduced, but in winter

the affect may be negative. No protection was in place against the cold easterly winds.

It may be concluded that the testing ground was located in such an area, where the climatic conditions for a Dutch trial were severe.

Why were the objectives of the trial adjusted at the end of 1989?

During the autumn of that year the trial team were confronted with the wilting of leaves from one or more branches at a plant, in total by 135 of the more than 500 plants. This occurred in a relatively short time. This problem had arisen the previous year also, but then only some 20 plants were affected.

The Plant Diseases Service researched the reason of the problem. They found the problem during laboratory tests as the wilting disease Verticillium dahliae. The service had until then not been aware of this problem in plants other then tomatoes and acers. Now also fuchsias planted into the soil of the border could be affected.

Ziekte dahliae 66 KB.jpg (67458 bytes)

Search to an other location of a testing ground - End 1989 starting points for the trial had to be renewed because of of a serious attack by the fungi disease Verticillium Dahliae

This wilting disease occurs where during earlier growing seasons potatoes, strawberries or dahlia's had been grown. Indeed strawberries had been grown on this patch!. The nursery itself had never had any problems. That was because the nursery 300 different types of annuals are never affected by this problem. We were advised to halt our testing at this location, for without a doubt the occurence would only get worse.

What were the additional objectives on the new location of the testing ground?

In the first place cuttings were taken. In this manner we hoped to have at least sufficient plants, to continue tests the following year.

The suggestion was made to start elsewhere on the property. Each year the total property was ploughed, It was thus likely that the fungus had bean spread to other parts of the estate. It was decided to start a new testing ground at Overhagen Nursery and the following measures were taken:

- rooted stock was planted out in a substantial hole filled with potting mixture;

- instead of three, only two plants of each variety would be planted, spaced 1,00 m from one another (earlier 0,70 m);

On April 28 in 1990 another calamity happened. One week earlier the rooted stock had left out in the open as the nursery urgently needed the space in the glasshouses. The rooted cuttings had been covered with a protection of pvc-foil prior to the night time frost. But the nursery staff had been that morning busy to minimise the damage to their own plants, that the protection foil was left on our stock. The combination of first a night time frost (till -6°C/21°F) and than a strong sun 'reeked' havoc. Only some 150 of the original 700 cuttings could be saved, with much effort.

It was then decided to divide the new testing ground into two sections; one for old plants and the other for the new samples. The size of the testing ground was now 750 m2 (8200 sq. ft), in comparison with the earlier testing ground of 300 m2 (3300 sq. ft). The older 'healthy' plants were re-planted. At the end of May the roots of the dug out plants were shaken from their previous soil and re-planted in with potting mixture filled holes. Most of the plants regenerated following the strong winter of 1990/1991. Although they started later than normal, they become strong and healthy, with plenty of flowers.

Subsequently the remaining 150 new rooted cuttings were planted. Following the winter of 1991/1992 also severe, few if any of these started to grow. This was the result of too late a root development, so that they possessed too few roots to survive the winter.

What do the quality standards V-Ned-H3 and Ned-H3 for fuchsias stand and how many fuchsias have such a standard?

Opplant floriade 92 41kB.jpg (41100 bytes)

Floriade 92 inz.Ned-H3 23 kB.jpg (23472 bytes)

Collection plants for the exposition Floriade '92 - In 1991 there were planted about 250 plants in pots 210 mm (photo left), during the winter the dig-out plants in the pots have wintered in a glasshouse. April 1992 they were planted on the Floriade exposition. It was not a success: against our advice there was planted with pots, they forgot to spray against the disease rust direct after planting and the collection didn't stand fully in the sun, but under shadowcloth (photo to the right)

The now 200 varieties in the collection were classified after the winter of 1990/1991. About 90 were considered more or less as winter hardy. Among these were also cultivars who had not developed well folowing the last winter, but had excellent following the earlier cold winter of 1986/1987.

These cultivars received the quality classification V-Ned-H3. The prefix is from the word 'voorlopig', meaning provisional. The trials continued and the provisional status of 'Floralies de Nantes', 'Grey Lady', 'Hugh Morgan' and 'Tendrement' was upgraded to full Ned-H3.

The following winter 1993/'94 was for our trials very suitable. So by elevating the trial field in 1994 still a number could obtain the predicate Ned-H3, so that the collection Ned-H3's grew out till about 110 (no longer V-Ned-H3's more).

What care was taken during the summer on the testing ground?

In mainly concerned the removal of weeds of the testing ground. In the summer of 1991 on approx 15 occasions the plants were watered including a water spray. This was mainly because too many of the younger plants had not developed to a normal level.

That year no manure of any kind was applied, nor any plant disease sprays. In prior years, in the early spring artificial fertilizer pellets 14-14-14 was used and occasional a spray against red spiders. Seldom did we apply water on more than one instance.

Free-flowering in 1990