Pot Gardening - Fushias Basic Needs

The best conditions for fushias are humid and cool, as they are woody and tender plants.

People grow them with great success in coastal areas, with plenty of humidity and fog. Though, some types, like the Mme or the Mephisto will do better in dry and hot inland regions.

A lot of people love to use them, because they do so well in the shade, in areas like the north side of a building, with an open and high shade. In shades that are dense, such as that of a low branching tree, the fushia will make less flowers and they will get leggy.

But, if kept directly under the hot sun, they will dry out. If you want to grow them in warm climates, you can do it best in lath houses. At the same time, keep them out of the wind, as they have brittle branches and delicate flowers.

Also, they need plenty of moisture. When plants need more water they wilt. If you put them in a container, you will need to water them regularly, usually each day. They also need a good drainage, so put in the lower part of the container pebbles or cinders to make sure the water runs free.

Don't let these pots to sit in the water though, and make sure you sprinkle the leaves during hot weather, to increase humidity and get rid of dust. The best soil for fuchsias is the acid one and rich in organic matter. The best combination to use for them is one part peat moss or leaf mould, one part garden loam and either dehydrated or old manure.

Use large containers for these plants, so they can develop fully during the summer, when it's their growing season. If you have a small plant, use a six inch pot. If you grow two or three in the same pot, use a twelve inch pot. It's better if you start with plants that are young, though it will also work with vigorous and healthy larger plants.

If you don't treat fuchsias as annuals and you winter them in containers, scoop a bit of soil from the top, so you enrich the growing medium. After that, put in its place some mixture that is fresh. When spring comes, take them out of the containers, cut some of the roots and the tops and put them back in pots with fresh soil. If you cut the back branches before the growth starts, the plants will branch much better.

Increasing Your Supply

If you want to grow your selection of fuchsias, take cuttings that are three inch long in the spring, put their ends in a hormone powder, and the lower part of the stems in a half sand, half leaf mould mixture.

Don't leave them in the sun and either cover them or spray them to make sure they don't dry out. After the roots form, put them in small pots, with a mix of leaf mould and light loam. Besides the spring, you can also make cutting in early fall or late summer.

While they grow, fuchsias need to be fed regularly, so put liquid fertilizer in them once a month, according to the directions found on the package. A good method is using fish emulsion, once a month.

If you want to keep them dormant during the winter, you should keep them at 45 to 50 degrees, and water them only once in a while, so the wood doesn't shrivel. The fuchsias that are designed for outdoors use will live even at 25 degrees. If they're not designed for cold weather, keep them in cool rooms, cold frames, sheds or greenhouses.

Some of the insects that usually attack these plants include white flies, aphids, leaf hoppers, red spiders or mealy bugs.

An insecticide should be used and applied at regular intervals, to keep the insects at bay.