What Plant Food Do I Feed Fuchsia Plants?

Plant Food Makeup

• The primary nutrients in plant food are nitrogen, phosphate and potash. These ingredients are listed on your plant food with their proportionate ratios. They are listed as “N-P-K” by their element letters; nitrogen as “N,” phosphate as “P,” and potash as “K.” For example a plant food with a N-P-K of 25-20-15 contains 25 percent nitrogen, 20 percent phosphate and 15 percent potash; the other 40 percent of this example would contain various other nutrients.

Organic vs. Inorganic

• There are two kinds of plant foods available: organic and inorganic. Inorganic plant foods are produced in a controlled environment where the nutrients are mixed with precision; the result is a plant food that has been specifically designed to yield results. Organic plant foods are all natural and environmentally friendly; however they may not produce the quick results of inorganic foods. If using an inorganic plant food for your fuchsias, use one with a balanced N-P-K such as 20-20-20 or 16-16-16.

Feeding Your Fuchsia

• When your fuchsia first comes out of dormancy, supply it with a plant food that is high in nitrogen. However in late spring and through the rest of the season, switch your plant food to one with a more balanced N-P-K ratio (such as 20-20-20). Give your plant a quarter-strength mixture of plant food (one-fourth plant food to three-fourths water) every time you water your plants. This smaller amount will keep your plant healthy and fed. In the fall stop applying fertilizer at least two weeks before the plants go dormant.

Watering your Fuchsia

• Let the soil be your guide to the frequency of watering. Water your fuchsia so that the soil is consistently moist. In hot temperatures this may mean every day, while in cooler weather it may be only twice a week. Water your fuchsia in the morning but do not soak the ground; too much water can kill your fuchsia plant. During dormancy you can reduce the amount of watering to just enough to prevent the soil from completely drying out.