Immediate care for a Fuchsia after delivery
Once receiving your fuchsia, remove all outer packaging from your shrub as soon as possible so it may receive light and water. If the compost appears dry water the plants immediately.
To avoid letting your Fuchsia shrub drying out, we recommend checking every day and watering regularly as the compost appears to dry out.
The best place to position a Fuchsia
Plant hardy fuchsias in the early summer for the best results. You can likewise establish later in summer, yet you’ll have to water more in dry climates to assist the fuchsias with laying out.
In spite of the fact that they are strong, planting from pre-winter to spring makes them helpless against cold harm and they may not endure their most memorable season with such ease.
Ideally, plant your Fuchsia shrub in a sunny spot in your garden that receives between four and eight hours of sunlight each day. Choose a planting location that also offers fertile and well-drained soil.
For more variety-specific growing conditions, check below where we detail the individual growing requirements for our fuchsias.
How to plant a Fuchsia
The shrubs cannot stay in nursery pots and must be planted out or potted on as soon as possible.
If you plant into planters, it is essential to provide drainage in the containers. Firstly, drill several holes in the base of the planter, then add a layer of gravel, stones or old broken plant pots before transferring the plant from its nursery pot and topping up with new good quality multi-purpose compost around the root-ball. For best results, plant your shrubs at the same level they are growing in the nursery container.
Water your Fuchsia shrubs after planting to thoroughly moisten the surrounding soil. Water the shrubs regularly during the growing season to encourage it to form a strong, healthy root system. Be careful never to allow plants to dry out in hot weather when growing in containers.
Caring for an established Fuchsia
It is important to feed your Fuchsia shrubs with good quality water-soluble fertiliser in the growing season to promote healthy growth and good colour. Always be sure to follow the application instructions on your fertiliser package.
Please note that the Plastic nursery pots are for transportation only, and the Fuchsia shrubs will not prosper in the long term. They should be transplanted into the flared planters or the garden as soon as possible. Do not worry if it is early in the season and you think the plants look small as they will quickly put on a lot of new growth and flowers, and the head will get much larger. If you require a taller, clear stem, you may remove the lower branches over time.
Please note that these plants are frost sensitive and until frosts finish, you should stand your plants outside in the daytime, and then bring them back inside over chilly nights.
FAQ’s
If your fuchsia is not receiving enough water it will begin to wilt as the plant shuts down areas to try and preserve water. However, the signs of an overwatered fuchsia are the same as an underwatered fuchsia. The best way to protect your fuchsia from both is to only water until the soil is moist.
It is possible to grow a fuchsia as a houseplant but the conditions need to be very close to those of outdoor fuchsias: bright indirect sunlight, and a cool room (15 – 21 C). Water regularly so that the soil remains moist, and decrease watering towards autumn and winter to prepare the plant for dormancy. Over winter it is common for the leaves to fall. In winter, place the fuchsia in a dark room with a consistent temperature (7-15 C) and water occasionally. Bring back out and resume normal care in spring.
