What Are the Best Tips for Growing Fuchsia?

There are many tips for a person who is growing fuchsia to follow in order to help these plants thrive. Fuchsia is known for its beautiful foliage and vibrant flowers, and though tropical, is quite hardy and able to live for many years. The most important thing to do, when growing fuchsia, is to keep the plants well watered and well fed. They need also to be protected from extreme temperatures but can tolerate seasonal changes in most climates well.

To grow fuchsia it is important to select a plant that can tolerate the climate in the region it is being kept in. Though they are tropical plants, different varieties of fuchsia may be more resistant to cold or more tolerant of heat than others. In regions with extreme fluctuations in temperature, fuchsia plants may need to be moved indoors for part of the year.

For most of the year, fuchsia plants must be watered frequently so that they do not dry out. They prefer to be kept in containers with good drainage so that water doesn't stay in the soil to the point that it becomes muddy. People who are growing fuchsia should cut back on the amount they water them in the winter. Fuchsia will live for many years, but the plants become dormant in the winter and don't require as much care during this time.

Another important thing to keep in mind when growing fuchsia is that it needs to be fertilized frequently. These plants do better when they are given a small amount of fertilizer at least once a week rather than a larger amount monthly. It is possible to fertilize them each time they are watered.

When fuchsia begins to grow new foliage in the spring, the plant's first new growth should be cut off. Trimming off the plant's new stems will force the plant to put more energy into growing stems and leaves. New fuchsia plants can be propagated from these shoots.

Though fuchsia can tolerate fluctuations of hot and cold, they do better if kept out of extreme heat. In the summer, the plants can be placed outside, but they should be kept shaded from intense afternoon sun. Though many people prefer growing fuchsia in full shade, many of these plants do well when placed in partial shade or when allowed to get direct sunlight in the morning.