You should be fine since you didn't continue watering it. Being in CA is rather vague as climates vary north to south. Depending on the type, it should be able to take a few hours of sun in the morning and evening. Keep an eye on it and if you notice sunburning keep it shaded. If the new growth gets leggy and yelow; more sun.

Can you keep an eye on it? Withhold water until you see the leaves droop then water and watch for it to do it again. That will tell you how often to water. Larger pots can go longer without water plus soil mixes vary.

Thanks for the advice.

I bought a moisture meter, because I plan on purchasing a citrus and knew I would need it.

When I put it in the soil of the fuchsia's pot, it immediately jumps to wet (and almost dings the back end, LOL). So it is pretty soaked.

I live in Orange County BTW, so it does get fairly warm.

Currently, just checking a couple mintues ago, the soil is very wet about 5 inches down or so, but the top 3/4 inch is fairly dry.

Should I wait until the moisture meter is showing moist, instead of wet to water again, or should I wait until it is all fairly dry.

Also, when water, I generally poor about a pitcher's worth of water. Is that enough?

I am new to gardening, so I am hoping I don't kill the first thing I purchase :(

Yea; hold off water until it just barely says moist at least half way down; they have an tensive root system. You will also need a good time release fertilizer. Normally I water until water comes out the drainhole.

Ok, still having problems, and it is getting worse. I haven't watered it since the over watering incident. The leaves and flowers are all limp. The new flowers open almost wilted.

The soil is still wet when I use the moisture meter. I am beginning to think I used a terrible soil

What are soil recommendations for Fuchsia's? Can this plant be saved?

Did you loosen up the roots on it when you repotted? Sounds like a soil block; roots aren't going into the new soil and the original soul is drying out. They aren't that fussy as to soil as long as it doesn't stay soggy

I actually didn't. I put the whole thing in the ground. How should I loosen the roots?

If you can squeeze the rootball and score the bottom of it that should do the trick. If your soil is retaining the water this long; sounds like a drainage problem

Well, an update.

The tree is not producing new buds, but there is new growth. The flowers have a severe wilting problem, and they are protected in the shade outside.

Watering this thing is truly difficult, and I am tossing around the idea of repotting in a soil that is a much faster drainer.

Any recommendations. Also, does the growth come in waves with regard to the buds, or since I don't have any new ones, does that mean it's a bad sign?

Thanks

First, any time you stop growth; pinching; sunburn, stress, it will take weeks to grow back out anf rebloom.
Second; drainage. Pop it out, dig that hole at least twice as deep, Use a good loose mix and mix in an equal amount of gravel. Refill the hole, plant the fuschia making sure you have a hole at least 6" larger all the way around than the rootball. Mix in a good handful of time released fertilizer to the soil. You want a soil mix that is loose with perlite and sand.

I can offer this advice - I live in San Francisco, and my neighbor has a fuchsia that his father planted, thinks it may be 100 years old growing in the shade on our shared fence. Our soil is VERY sandy - It rarely gets above 80 here, and I can always feel the moisture (only 3 miles from the sea). I lived in Sacramento before and couldn't grow a fuchsia to save my life. Here, I had one in a pot in the front yard I had forgotten about, started ripping it out thinking it was a weed stopped myself in realization. a year later it's fine - I think a lot of it has to do with just the moisture in the air, sandy (loose) soil and cooler temps. there is a fuchsia nursery in Pacifica right on the sea that has some of the most amazing fuchsia's I've ever seen. Maybe one of those outside mister things for the hot days there? best of luck to you though!