G'day people
Here is a bit of a challenge for us--why not all have a go at growing a weeping standard.I haven't grown one for years, but they are a lot of fun and do look spectacular and we can post pictures of our progress.
I'm going to start with the fuchsia specie magellanica.It's hardy and vigorous and you will amaze your friends with your skill!!
I will start with this cutting tomorrow--what variety will you try?

Interesting challenge. Tell us more about how you turn a cutting into a weeping standard. I would like to grow a weeping standard of Voodoo.

G'day Zuzu and others--this will be as much a challenge and giant learning curve for me as for most others reading the thread.Maybe my last standard was almost 40 years ago.

I was thinking of creating a weeping standard, which would be perhaps a trailer or semi-trailer, but a standard can be anything including a stiff upright bush, as with Voodoo.

Standards can be full, which is a clear stem not less than 30 inches and not more than 42 inches or
half standard, which has a clear stem not less than 18 inches and not more than 30 inches and finally
a quarter standard not less than 12 inches and not more than 18 inches from soil level to start of head.
The head should be in balance with the length of stem.

I think this time we should not over concern ourselves, but grow anything as above or anything in between.

For my attempt at a weeping standard, I have chosen 3 cuttings of the specie magellanica, (see above picture) all with whorls of 3 leaves at the stem.This makes a denser head rather than from the usual 2 leaves.I had better take some cuttings tomorrow and also grow some with the two leaf arrangement.

The stem must be kept in continual growth and kept straight by as many ties to a stake as required and turned frequently if it tries to grow lopsided to a light source.Be very careful that a grub doesn't eat the growing tip
As the stem elongates leave the side leaves on as they are needed to nourish the plant, but I would very carefully rub out any laterals.Make sure no shoots arise from below the soil.Some people, with the cutting, don't try to strike it with any nodes below the soil.On the other hand, if you strike it this way and a grub eats the growing tip, you can cut it down and run up a new stem.

When the stem gets to your required height , you will have to decide how many leaf nodes you will have to grow above this height to develope a head in balance with the stem, usually I think it's a third.Stop rubbing out any laterals above this height, but allow them to grow and now pinch out (stop) the main growing tip.You now create the head.

From then on, I;m not sure if you stop each lateral at two leaves or one set.Sometimes you can't stop all these laterals at once.

It's as easy as that

I'm bound to have missed something vital !

As I recall, the stem on the last fuchsia standard I bought about 10 years ago appeared to have been braided. Is it possible that several cuttings were planted together and then braided together for strength and for a more impressive show of top growth?

I don't detect a great deal of enthusiasm, never mind, I'll push on.

Selected cuttings were taken for a weeping standard and also I'll have a go at braiding a weeping standard.All cuttings seem to have taken. One to a pot except for the ones which I'll try to braid, 3 to a pot so they receive minimal set back at potting up.








and the three for braiding

Your cuttings look wonderful! I've plunged three Voodoo cuttings into a pot, but they haven't done anything yet.

I don't know why this forum isn't more active!! I am late to this thread but plan to try this myself, I have always loved standards of anything! Thank you for posting this.
I got some cuttings from Zuzu a couple of weeks ago, I will carefully see how they are doing. They are in a communal pot. I just got the same 'greenhouse' trays you show pictured just last week so I want to use them for this. If the cuttings haven't taken yet, I may have to beg some more from Zuzu.