As I've learned from hard experience (see sickly fuchsia thread) you have to be VERY careful watering them.

I mistakedly thought that a plant in a coco mat hanging planter couldn't be overwatered (i.e., no standing water - since it passes through the mat). So I diligently watered my fuchsia and petunias every day - until water passed through the mats in their hangers. My petunia LOVES this treatment and is doing great. But, this was very wrong for my two now (probably) dead fuchsia that I'm trying to bring back from the brink. The problem is that by the time an overwatered fuchsia shows symptons (dropping buds and limp leaves) it is too late to do much about it - the roots are gone.

With help from the forum (Thanks everybody!) - I am cautiously hopeful that my fuchsia killing days are over. :)

What I've learned is:
Water enough to keep the fuchsia moist but don't let it be wet. BUT, they can't be allowed to dry out either. Right now with the cool weather my (new) fuchsia go a few days between waterings (and then in only small amounts). When it gets warmer outside and the hanging plants dry out faster I may have to water more often - possibly a couple times a day - but I'll still water in small amounts. It seems they need more water "snacks" rather than fewer "water meals".

My new regimen of small waterings when the soil is just barely moist but not dry seems to be working (knock on wood!). I have two new fuchsia that seem to be doing well.
-Helen

Hi Marlene

Regarding 'pinching', your fuchsias will benefit from having the growing tips 'pinched' and will respond in being short jointed and produce double the amount of bloom after every pinch. The downside is that you will have to wait longer for the flowers, you can even time the blooms if like me you need them for a specific time.

There are many theories with regards to how long the delay in flowering wil be after each pinch, but to be honest the dates are just guidelines as the weather conditions play such an important feature in this.

I work on the following principles;

Single Cultivars - 6 - 8 weeks

Semi Double - 8 - 9 weeks

Double - 9 - 10 weeks

Triphylla and Species - up to 14 weeks.

What Helen forgot to mention was that fuchsias are termed as 'gross feeders' and will appreciate a 1/4 to 1/2 strength feed of a high potash feed every watering when the buds are starting to develop.

And now I have to go and pinch out some of my plants, these are growing well and some will need over 100 pinches on each plant.

Hope this helps

Tight....