Winter care is easy! After the first fall frost, add a layer of mulch to you plants. Don’t be afraid to use 4-6”.
Sometime during the dormant period (after the first frost but before spring growth) cut the plants back. We go down to about 6” because they freeze to the ground every year. If they didn't freeze to the ground we recommend to cut a minimum of ½ the previous years growth.
Around the middle of February start peeking under the mulch to see if the new stems are coming up out of the ground. Remove the mulch when you see the new growth. Be Patient! Some like to rest longer than others.
Start by choosing a well drained location. More fuchsias are lost to wet feet than cold in the Willamette Valley. We raise our flower beds to be higher than the adjacent walkways. Your spot can be anything from shady to full sun. Your spot will require watering in the summer.
When planting add ¼ cup of an all purpose fertilizer like 16-16-16 and 1-2 cups of organic matter (compost or alfalfa pellets like we use).
To help make your fuchsia “Hardy”, they should be planted deep like a tomato. We recommend sinking the crown 4-6” below the soil surface (See Fig #2)or ½ the plant height on your smaller plants (See Fig #1). DO NOT FEAR THIS! Your fuchsias will be happy you gave them the extra protection.
Put ½ of the amendments in the bottom of the hole and the other ½ in the backfill.
Mix thoroughly
Plop the little sucker down in the hole.
Fill in around the plant with the ammended backfill. Water thoroughly.
Like most perennial plants, fuchsias require several years to attain their mature size. You might expect 20-30% in year 1, about 50% in year 2 and 80-100% by year 3.
