Fuchsias are outdoor plants which grow well in the Puget Sound region. With proper care, they will reward you with blossoms all summer long!

Here are some wonderful tips on how to care for your Fuchsia Plants:

Watering:
This is extremely important for this type of plant. Soil should be
kept moist at all times, not dry, and certainly not soggy wet.
You will be able to tell if it needs watering from lifting the pot.
Water if lightweight, or check by poking a finger or using a moisture meter.
Fuchsias also enjoy light misting on the leaves. Never fertilize a dry plant. Always water well first, and then wait awhile for the water to be absorbed.
Pinching:
To make the plants bushy and increase their flowering, pinch
out the growing tip of branches that have grown
a couple set of leaves. Remove the tip of each branch
after every second set of leaves twice more to
develop laterals for blooming.
Insects and Disease:
To prevent disease, remove dead flowers and seed pods, keep the soil
surface clean, and provide good air circulation. Treat aphids,
whitefly, rust, etc, promptly.
Wintering:
At the first sign of frost, fuchsias in containers should be pruned back to about 8 inches and stripped of leaves and spindly growth. Watch for root weevil, a Nematode Drench will work well with that. The plants are ready to be put in a cool, dark place for the winter. They should never dry out or freeze during this rest. In the spring time, trim off any white, sprout-like growth, prune a bit for shape, water and set the container in a warm spot to grow and begin your fertilizing program.

Some wonderful things about these flowers are that they bloom in the shade. In dense shade, fuchsia plants get leggy and flower sparingly. In hot, direct sunshine, however, they dry out and the leaves burn.

Planting and Caring for your Hardy Fuchsia:

Getting Started:
When you get your plant, dig a hole about a 12” deep by 12” wide, larger if the plant you got was in a bigger container. If you have poorly drained soil, you will want to dig the hole bigger while adding something we highly recommend called “Happy Frog Soil Conditioner”. Use this in place of compost. Mix the soil you took out of the hole, with the soil conditioner or compost and fill the hole back to within 3 inches of existing soil level. Leave the excess off to the side.
Water the prepared hole, then wait a bit for it to drain. Plant the fuchsia in the prepared hole at the level of the soil, which will be 3 inches below surrounding soil. Water a bit more to settle roots in. Sprinkle Happy Frog Jump Start (3-4-3) around the top of the hole. As time progresses, fill in the hole the rest of the way with soil.
In Late Fall:
Allow the plant to harden off and drop leaves. Do not prune at this time. When all the leaves have fallen or the weather gets really cold, mound the plant with lots of mulch up to 6” higher than surrounding soil level. Then say in an authoritative voice goodnight, I’ll see you in the spring.
In Early to Mid March:
Start to pull back the mulch. If you see new growth, go ahead and pull it all the way off. If no new shoots, wait and check again in a week. When new growth appears on the old woody growth, prune these back to about 6” high. Also prune out weak and dead growth (it snaps when you bend it). Prune out some of the stems in the center to open up the plant.
When new growth is emerging 2“ long, fertilize with Marine Cuisine Time Release Fertilizer (10-7-7) over the surface. When things really get growing, liquid feed with Fox Farms Grow Big (6-4-4) Soiled based formula fertilizer.