How to Grow Fuchsias
Natural Wanders…
exploring the natural world through writing

Fanciful Fuchsias
Story by Linda Lee Rathbun, Photos by Steven David Miller
Australian House & Garden Magazine

Images: Copyright Steven David Miller, protected by international copyright laws.
Do not copy or reproduce in any manner. All rights strictly reserved.
Text: Copyright Linda Lee Rathbun, protected by international copyright laws.
Do not copy or reproduce in any manner without the express permission of the author.
All rights stricly reserved.

FANCIFUL FUCHSIAS

When some people look at fuchsias, their imaginations see a colorful corps of ballerinas, sparking memories of tiny flowers erupting into a whirling dance in Fantasia. And it's easy to bring this fantasy to the garden.
For the very best plants with the greatest chance of thriving, buy fuchsias from a specialist nursery. Specialists will be able to advise on which varieties will do well in your climate, which are frost resistant or sun resistant; and which will do well in a garden bed or in pots.
Generally speaking, fuchsias prefer to live in a shady spot with morning sun. An easterly or southerly position is ideal. They need plenty of fresh air circulating around them. Do not try to grow them where they will get direct afternoon sun or be exposed to strong winds.
If you would like to use a fuchsia as a bush or shrub, select an upright variety. If you prefer to have them cascading from a window box or rock garden, select a trailing variety. Hanging baskets in a patio or pool area are an ideal way to show fuchsias. In a garden bed, consider how tall they will be when fully grown. For a riot of flowers, plant several tall fuchsias at the back of a garden bed, then a selection of medium ones, and a few short ones at the front.
Prepare the garden bed so the soil will be rich and drain well. Dig the bed to a depth of at least 30 cm. Add a sharp sand to clay soils, then mix the soil with well rotted manure, compost or leaf mold. It is also a good idea to add some peat. Let the bed rest for a few weeks if possible. After seeking advice from the nursery, select the types of fuchsias that will suit the garden site and conditions.
Dig a hole in the bed and gently remove the plant from the pot, being careful not to disturb the roots in any way. Place the plant in the hole and gently pack in more soil to the previous level. Add a teaspoon of Osmocote slow release fertilizer to each plant and water in well. A layer of mulch is a help too.
In areas prone to severe cold, fuchsias should not be planted until spring, when the threat of frost is over. In hot regions with warm nights (where fuchsias are often considered an annual), they should be planted in autumn, when the threat of heat wave has passed.
As the plant grows, prune it to the shape you want it to take. Through the growing season, cut or pinch off the tips after two to four leaves have grown on each new shoot.
Always keep the soil bed moist but never soggy, and give the foliage a misting in the evening after a hot day. While the plant is flowering through summer and autumn, fertilize these hearty feeders every six weeks with a scattering of Phostrogen tablets and some blood and bone.
Prune at the end of the growing season by cutting back two-thirds of new growth and removing all the spindly branches and dead wood. Add another dose of three to four month slow- release fertilizer. Some people prefer to prune in late August. Ask the nursery what they recommend in your area.
Fuchsias can also be grown in large pots and placed around the patio in suitable positions, or under shade cloth. Ideally they should sit on a moist layer of pebbles. If the plant is purchased in a small pot, it should be repotted straight away. Select a medium to large pot, preferably one that is new or has been thoroughly scrubbed and sterilized. Place the drainage material in the bottom. Combine two-thirds fresh potting mix containing peat with one-third compost or friable foam and place this in the post. Follow the same suggestions for in-ground planting, fertilizing and pruning.
Hanging baskets should be treated in the same way, pruning them to the shape you want. Protect any potted plants from harsh sun and wind, placing hanging baskets on the ground for shelter, if need be. Through summer they should be watered every morning and the foliage should be misted in the evening. Soil should be kept moist through winter, as well. Watering can be done by immersing the pot in a bucket of water and then removing it to drain. This is a good time to pinch back the tips to keep the plant in shape. As flowers fade they should be removed, along with any seed pods.
Fuchsias are also grown as standards by some specialist nurseries, some of which even grow them for weddings or special occasions, if given adequate notice. A flowering pale pink standard with the stem wrapped in ribbon makes a breathtaking display and best of all, it can be kept for years to come. Standard fuchsias should be protected from the wind to keep them from breaking, and they will need to be staked.
With plenty of light, air and moisture, a fuchsia should stay healthy. If it does suffer from grubs, or aphids, spray the plant with a good garlic spray or chemical spray. If the leaves develop patches of brown power, they probably have 'rust'. Remove the affected leaves and destroy them, then spray with Beniate or Zineb.
For advice, a specialist nursery will always be happy to help. The Australian Fuchsia Society can also be of assistance for those who want to learn more. An excellent book on fuchsias in Australia is Growing Fuchsias, published by Kangaroo Press and written by Deborah Law. She offers detailed information on how to grow fuchsias from cuttings.
Fuchsias are so delightful because they appeal to a secret desire to believe that fairies really do live in our gardens. After all, most of us could use a little magic in our gardens…and in our lives.

THE END