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Growing
Fuchsias
Where To Grow Fuchsias
Fuchsias appreciate well-dug fertile soil that does not dry out, but is not
water-logged. All varieties of soil suit them as long as these
conditions can be met by extra watering and/or feeding where they are
not naturally present. Dig in as much organic matter as possible before
planting to increases drainage and fertility. A generous couple of
handfuls of bonemeal (per square metre / yard) should be incorporated into the soil when digging
to increase it's fertility throughout the season ahead.
 The
beauty of fuchsia flowers might lead you to believe that they are sun -
lovers, but this is not true. The ideal conditions for fuchsias are sun
in the morning, shade throughout the mid-day and then some more sun in
the late afternoon. Strong midday sun stresses the plants and is best
avoided. In particular, many of the light and white coloured blooms will
be affected if exposed to too much sun. If in doubt, place the plants in
a position which has partial shade for most of the day where they will thrive.
Some fuchsias such as 'The President (see above) and 'Pink Galore', have
large flowers and these are rather delicate - avoid placing these
varieties in windy conditions which will only serve to damage the
blooms. On the other hand, some varieties such as magellinica are
unaffected by wind and are excellent candidates for exposed costal conditions.
When
and How To Plant
Once established, many fuchsias will withstand varying degrees of frost, but newly planted fuchsias will
be as dead as a dodo if frost hits them. So, the time for planting
outside is very dependant on when the last frost occurs in your area.
Our recommendation is to plant them outside in
mid-May
at the
earliest - (click here to set all
dates in GardenAction for your location).
Incorporate as much organic fertiliser as possible into the soil before planting.
Two handfuls of bonemeal per square metre (yard) should also be added.
Simply dig a hole slightly larger than the root ball, place the plant in
the hole up to the depth of the soil mark on the stem and fill in around
the root ball - firm the soil down around the plant with your hands. Water well.
If the plants are to be over-wintered, plant the top of the root ball about
5cm (2in) below the surface of the soil. This will provide a degree of
frost protection for the roots over the winter.
A few fuchsias benefit from a stake to support them, but with so many
self-supporting varieties available, these are best avoided. If a stake
is required though, now is the time to insert it into the soil next to the plant.
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