Around the Yard

Things to do this week:

* Prune fuchsias. Flowers come from “new” wood on fuchsias, so plants should be cut back now to encourage new growth. If you want compact and dense growth, cut back to stubs and pinch new growth frequently; prune less if you want more open growth (as on upright varieties grown in the ground). In hanging baskets, an old rule of thumb is to prune branches back to the edge of the pot. Frequently pinching new growth forces fuchsias to branch, which makes for more flowers in summer.

* Repot lilies. Common, so-called “hardy” water lilies, the kind that grow as spreading tubers, need to be repotted every year or they grow right out of their pots. Now’s the time. Big, plastic wash tubs are usually used as growing containers and no drainage holes are required. Unpot the tuber, cut off several inches of the growing tip and discard the rest. Then repot this part of the tuber, being careful not to cover it with soil. Bury just the roots, using ordinary dirt. Tropical water lilies need repotting about every other year or the tubers get too tall (they don’t spread, but grow taller and taller).

* Divide cymbidiums. If cymbidium orchids have become so crowded in their pots that they no longer bloom well, divide and repot them now. Use cymbidium bark, not potting soil. If they simply look crowded but bloom heavily, leave them alone. Cymbidiums seem to like being crowded together, up to a point.