Growing Fuchsia

My new collection of Fuchsia was chosen by My daughter. We went to Home Depo near our apartment complex. Seems I spend more time to visit garden center such as Lowes, Home Depo, and other local nurseries than shopping Mall. I am addicted to gardening. I can't help to stop collecting plants. So now, I have 1 basket of Fuchsia, the Fuchsia has beautiful fuchsia colors. You may heard about Fuchsia color, I love this color. My Fuchsia has dark purple mixed with dark blue, pretty combination color, not only the petal the flower's cap called sepal has different color, it is red. I don"t know what's the name of the red. It look like combination white and red with portion 50-50.

Getting to know fuchsia's world and their diversity are impressed me. The wild Fuchsia were found in Central and South of America, Northern Mexico, South Argentina and across to Tahiti and New Zealand. In fact, Fuchsias has many varieties and species. In type of size, Fuchsias have all size from tiny blooms about 6mm (0.25") to 13 cm (5"). Fuchsia's petal has different color from white, pink, red, fuchsia, peach, orange and yellow. Some of their petals have different color with their sepals, and make beautiful combination. I am in love with these color combinations of their natural beauty. The flowers have different shape of petal from small, long like tube, saucer- shaped, single and double. Not only the flowers, the color of the leaves are vary from not glossy or a dewy look leave to glossy leaves.
Now days, Fuchsia have variegated foliage, the variation of the foliage helps create a splash of color long before flowering.

The Basic requirements to grow Fuchsia:

1. Temperature
Fuchsia will thrive in warm, damp and little humid area. The plant will survive at 32-39F (0-4C), in this temperature plants will survive but not grow. However Fuchsia needs to be placed in a frost-free environment. Winter treatment will be needed for cold climate.

2. Light
Fuchsia loves morning sun or partial shade in the afternoon. Avoid direct hot sun, it may cause stress. If the area get a lot of sun exposure, move your plant in the shady place.

3. Soil
Fuchsia grows in any kind of well-drainage medium. Add some coarse, grit, sand or perlite to increase drainage; Add some vermiculite to retain water as well as to improve drainage.

4. Watering
In hot season, water every 2-3 days or when soil is 2 inches dry from the surface. Over watering may kill fuchsia. A lack of water will be shown by soft and limp leaves and wilted growing tips. To help create a humid atmosphere, give spray to the leaves.

5. Fertilizer
Use organic or chemical fertilizer. If the chemical fertilizer is the option, use as manufacture instruction. Over fertilizer may kill plant. In Spring use high Nitrogen to promote the leaves, and gradually change to balance feed with a proportion of 20-20-20. Maintain regular feeding is important to create health growing and to encourage continuity of flowering.

5.Propagation
Fuchsia can be propagated from seed or cutting. Growing fuchsia from seed is taking long time and slow. The best propagation method is taken from cutting. The best time to take fuchsia cutting is when the growth is soft and green. The ideal fuchsia cutting has growing tip. Small cutting root faster. Avoid taking cutting during the summer when the plant start to flower. The important things to rise cutting are the condition of humid atmosphere, the level of light, never put in direct sun, the optimum temperature keep about 60-70F, and pinch when it has grown at least 3 pairs of leaves.

6. Pest and diseases
Fuchsias do not suffer from to many disease, however to know pest problem will worth it. The common problems are whitefly, aphid, red spider mites, rust on the leave is a fungus problem. Sticky yellow trap may help to fight the infestation. Aphid, use alcohol rubbing and try to wipe the leaves or take out the leaves which have a lot of aphids. Red Spider, if the plant is suffering heavy infestation of red spider, They are turning brown and may have curly leaves. The only way to treat is to cut the stem. Remove rush on the leaves.