Taking Care of a Fuschia Plant

Description

• Flowers grow on 1- to 2-inch stalks and have a bell-like bunch of petals with four or more outer petals. Often the petals resembling a bell will be a different color than the outer petals. They come in pink, purple, white, magenta and red. Blooming starts in June and goes to October, and they attract hummingbirds and bees.

Requirements

• Fuchsia plants prefer temperatures in the 70s and will stop blooming when temperatures hit the 80s. They require a shady place out of the hot sun. Water when they droop; they meed to be watered daily or even twice a day when it gets hot. Fertilize with water-soluble fertilizer every two to three weeks while in bloom.

Overwintering

• It is possible to overwinter a fuchsia indoors. Bring them in before the first frost and cut the plant back to about 6 inches. Place it in the basement where the temperature stays about 50 degrees and water just enough to prevent soil from drying out. In spring, place in indirect sunlight and water regularly. Once new growth is detected, repot with a mix of equal parts soil, peat, vermiculite and garden sand. Pinch off new growth when two leaves appear so that more branches will form.